Individual, Culture, and Society
This topic explains how people, culture, and society interact and influence each
other.
1. What is Society?
Society is a group of people connected through relationships, institutions (e.g.,
schools, governments), and shared culture. It’s not just people but how they
interact and work together.
Example: A church is a smaller society within the larger society.
Society also assigns roles based on age or gender, like children going to school or
adults working.
2. What is Culture?
Culture is the way people live, including their customs, clothing, food, religion,
and traditions.
Material culture: Things you can see and touch, like clothes or tools.
Non-material culture: Ideas, beliefs, or traditions, like kindness or honesty.
Key Features of Culture:
It’s shared by a group (like Nigerians celebrating Independence Day).
It’s learned, not inherited (e.g., kids learning their native language).
It uses symbols (e.g., a flag for a country).
It combines many aspects, like economics, politics, and traditions.
3. Why is Culture Important?
For individuals:
It helps us act human, e.g., teaching kids how to speak and behave.
It offers guidance for tricky situations, like funerals or weddings.
For groups:
It keeps people united, e.g., celebrating holidays together.
It creates systems like families or governments.
4. Cultural Concepts:
Cultural universals: Problems like survival exist in every culture, so all
societies create solutions, like farming for food or raising children.
Cultural relativity: No culture is better than another. Instead of judging, we
respect each culture’s values.
Cultural ethnocentrism: Believing your culture is the best. For example, thinking
only your food is good.
Cultural lag: Technology advances faster than cultural changes, e.g., smartphones
before laws about privacy.
5. Individual vs. Society
Society shapes individuals through roles (like being a student or teacher) and
expectations (like behaving respectfully). People’s actions also impact society.
Personal identity: Traits unique to you, like being funny or tall.
Social identity: Roles connected to society, like being a Nigerian or a lawyer.
6. Socialization
This is how we learn to live in society:
Primary: Starts at home as a child.
Secondary: Happens at school or work.
Tertiary: Lifelong learning, e.g., learning to adapt as we age.
7. Relationship Between Society and Culture
Society and culture depend on each other:
Society gives a platform for culture to exist.
Culture guides how society works.
Example: Nigerian society exists because people follow Nigerian culture, like
speaking local languages or celebrating traditional events.
Key Takeaway
Society and culture work together to shape who we are as individuals and groups.
Understanding this helps us live better with others and respect different ways of
life.
