Boaz: Culture can be, nay always is, individual - you do some reading.

Why do you assume that everyone who disagrees with you is ill informed or hasn’t read?

David, you are largely informed by your interpretation of the Bible and thus the idea that there is “nothing new under the sun”. Hmmmm. Influence is different to absolute adherence and sheepishness David. Many wolfish ideas out there to corrupt us.

To say culture is only a group thing is to deny the individual’s use of God-given free will to make choices outside the group which in turn suggest that it is imposed by the group rather than individual’s free choice which in turn suggests that those that indeed do choose the Christian way must forego their individuality which in turn is a slight against God (not the church) because God blessed us with free will.

Luther, a well-read person if ever there was one looked into his heart – not the Catholic doctrine. From this self confidence came a new religion - which although influenced by Catholicism, which had strayed from Christ’s message and which itself initially stemmed from Christ’s individual counter- culture, against the grain thing - it too was an individual choice to move outside the Catholic religion which had created a hierarchical system with silly cultural mores and, like Christ, Luther adhered to his own beliefs which in turn informed his culture which started a new group culture. One that allowed the ordinary German person to read the Bible which was entirely different to the Catholic’s position.

Culture is many things Boaz but most of all it is the position we take. On certain levels it is a necessity to hold firm to the individual culture if one wants to be authentic to oneself and the fundamental principles that inform your choices to associate with a group - not the mob mentality. In other words we all have our own position and thus our own culture. Just because you live in a society with a dominant culture doesn’t mean you become a manifestation of that culture

Guess what BJMoron, want to know why I don't post my name? Cos I'm in one of these countries now, you idiot, have been working / travelling in them for years...um, that's kind of what I what implying, sorry you didn't get that, I'll be more direct next time. It would probably take about 12 seconds to find me aswell, probably have my knob cut off for exposing the 'darker' side of my persona. This is why some people like to stay anon. Der!

Ronnie

Culture (from the dictionary)

3. shared beliefs and values of group: the beliefs, customs, practices, and social behavior of a particular nation or people

C.J. Lets look at your insults first.

-Coward (not couragious)
-Objectionable
-Offensive
-Intellectually disabled
-Borderline 'obnoxious'.
-like young girls (with an impure imputation there)
-Homophobic.

Not bad mate for a relatively short post.

Its the Burkah I object to, not the Hijab.

Sharing which countries you have worked in or the type of work is hardly 'personal details'.

Real Name. I am presenting material for which people have been killed, after being tracked down from on-line information.
David is my real middle name, but that's all people will get.
If people want to meet me I'm ok with that, but on neutral ground.
The key is....keeping control rather than exposing yourself to threat.

For evidence of Islamist threats/attacks on government or critical people.. are you serious ? do a google. Theo Van Gogh and his assistant Hirsi Ali
French philosophy teacher, German lawyer defending womens rights attacked and threatened, Mozart Opera issue.

C.J. are you deliberately blind or what ? That's not an insult, just a serious question based on the available facts

David, Raymond Williams in his book "Keywords" says the word culture is "one of the two or three most complicated words in the English language". I think you need to consult his discussion on the topic, or some other relevant academic research on culture, in its entirety before trying to simplify the concept.

Let me summarise for you his work which "has many interrelated modern usages". First, it is " a general process of intellectual, spiritual and aesthetic development"; second, a particular way of life, of either a people, a period or a group; third: " the works and practices of intellectual and especially artistic activity".

Now the first and the third are individual activities that is often alien, or different, to the main culture. Indeed, in a society that truly embraces free thinkers it stands that individual thought would be encouraged. Trying to disassociate oneself from ones culture is the only way to analyse ones culture. These must, therefore, be the domain of individualistic culture that is informed by its own peculiar beliefs, custom, practice and behaviour, especially, in the avante guard and punk scene. These people often transform culture. The individualistic culture quickly finds it followers. Those that don't are the misfits, the eccentrics, outsiders even within breakaway groups. I think it must be possible in a free society to have people that the dominant culture doesn't determine their thinking and development.

Having said that even the dictionary meaning you posit: "shared beliefs and values of group: the beliefs, customs, practices, and social behaviour of a particular nation or people" is wrong. ? Don't believe everything you read David I reject (again) because it is non sequitor to suggest that a person can't reject those "shared" aspects of a dominant culture. Moreover, if a particular nation or people can hold particular "beliefs, customs etc then it necessarily follows that an individual can transgress and develop their own beliefs etc. That is basic reasoning 101. Why do you object so strongly to the possibility that an individual can be different to others in the way I have suggested?

Continued

Also consider it this way. If culture denies the individual with different belief's, customs, and social behaviour then that culture is a fascistic culture because that individual is being coerced or assigned a characteristic that he or she doesn't share - in effect he or she is being forced into a group that has many aspects that he or she doesn't fit nor belong, nor agree with. For instance: it must be a contradiction to refer to Australia as a free country that values the individual and then either co-opt those that are different or exclude them.

Also your belief is based on your faith in a dictionary. Remember the book 1984? Your response is a mechanical response without analysis or reason. To do this is a response that is sadly a behaviour that is very common in our culture.

I think that if culture overrides the individualistic culture (within reason) then it becomes a contradiction. More alarmingly culture becomes a “ solution “ (see Marx); an oppressive tool to exclude annoying transgressors, dissenters,those who are different and those who hold to their own particular cultural mores.

In todays "The Australian" there is an article which says the Government is considering dropping the word "multiculturalism" to be replaced with "integration".

This would reflect an entirely different emphasis and I for one wait in quiet anticipation. Well, perhaps with a letter of encouragement to Andrew Robb. Why did it take so long for them to wake up?