What Makes a Culture?

Black King

Black King

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I want to know "What makes a culture?" As a young . . .er. ."nerdy" African-American male, I'm somewhat use to claims that "I'm not Black enough." It appears like enjoying comic books, anime, books and metal makes me pretty white in some eyes. So what makes a culture i it superficial elements like enjoying a certain music or style or is it something deeper? I wonder a bit about it but I a bit lost on it.
 
I pieced this together from Webster's definitions. I think it sums up "culture" pretty well:

Culture is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and social practices that characterize an institution, organization, or people group.

That's pretty general, but a lot of stuff fits in there and I think it will help get the discussion rolling.
 
its an odd thing culture both means so much and so little to some its hard to make a true meaning for it. The definition is information but it doesn't really have any meaning. I'm wondering what makes a person part of a culture, is it skin tone, liking the tone, is it being born into it or sharing a part of the deeper history?
 
Black King said:
I want to know "What makes a culture?" As a young . . .er. ."nerdy" African-American male, I'm somewhat use to claims that "I'm not Black enough." It appears like enjoying comic books, anime, books and metal makes me pretty white in some eyes. So what makes a culture i it superficial elements like enjoying a certain music or style or is it something deeper? I wonder a bit about it but I a bit lost on it.
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but what really IS a "nerd"? i always thought that was such a pointless and hurtfull word that really didnt belong in the dictionary, kind of like how when someone calls a gay man a "faggot"...a faggot is a bundle of sticks LOL and yet some people use it to demean others, but i digress.

ive heard other black men say what you say in your statement...and all i can say is what i always say...people who would question your ethnical integrity or whatever you want to call it just because you enjoy things that are beyond what is "typical" for a black man to enjoy...to hell with them. they obviously are not broad minded enough to have tried new and different things.

you can be born into a culture, but still have your own personal interests and identity.
 
but what really IS a "nerd"? i always thought that was such a pointless and hurtfull word that really didnt belong in the dictionary, kind of like how when someone calls a gay man a "faggot"...a faggot is a bundle of sticks LOL and yet some people use it to demean others, but i digress.
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Speaking of using weird words the word "geek", which is commonly used in the same way nerd is, used to be a circus freak who ate the heads off of rats, snakes, and other animals. Where the heck did they come up with okay geek = people who really like computers, comics, gaming etc. :biggrin:

Also on the fact of culture I have to agree that people in your race want you to be the cultural norm. I have a friend who is african american and she acts totally normal when we are just hanging out and talking and stuff but when she is around other african american she takes on a new way of speaking and acting which I find strange. I asked her why she didn't act the same way around me and she said it was because I am white and so she didn't think I would feel comfortable with it and now I just wonder which way she likes to act. I think it is odd that people feel the need to act differently depending on who they are hanging out with. I guess it is a common thing though no matter what race you are.
 
This question is very difficult because black culture in the US is so fragmented and has taken on so many negative things.

There is definitely a cultural animosity to higher education and a cultured tongue among many African-Americans. I suspect the cause is a natural reaction to a past in which so many were denied the access to an education. In a situation like that, uneducated and hardworking or "street smarts" holds sway. In addition, the issue of role models on some of these desperately disadvantaged communities takes center stage. If you never grow up hearing Black people speak well (for lack of a better term), you do not identify it with being Black. I grew up in a family of educators (my maternal grandmother has 2 Masters Degrees), so I never felt that way.

The idea of culture when speaking about the African American community is difficult, because we have no true homeland, no common religion or norms, no common tongue. It was taken from us and we were cobbled together. This is how we have suffered maybe the most from slavery and how it has continued to plague us.
 
The idea of culture when speaking about the African American community is difficult, because we have no true homeland, no common religion or norms, no common tongue. It was taken from us and we were cobbled together. This is how we have suffered maybe the most from slavery and how it has continued to plague us.
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Couldn't you say the same thing about "white" culture? Obviously the slavery issue doesn't apply, but the result is still the same. We (Americans) are basically a bunch of transplants creating a new culture or new group of cultures.
 
Couldn't you say the same thing about "white" culture? Obviously the slavery issue doesn't apply, but the result is still the same. We (Americans) are basically a bunch of transplants creating a new culture or new group of cultures.
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NO. Whites came to this country with culture intact by choice, and CHOSE to assimilate, creating a culture meshed together with the shared experiences they had.

Africans were stripped of God, language, norms and customs, even family units as they were brought here. Only in the last half-century at MOST has there even been attempts at creating such a cultural identity, and most 9of those have been at fits and starts.
 
But you would agree that African American culture is distinct wouldn't you? The African American culture has distinct music and fashion and art and even language to a degree. Certainly there is some crossover of these characteristics to other cultures within the larger framework of an American culture, but these come from within the African American culture.
 
To a point. I would agree on music, art, and fashion definitely as those things are areas in which we have been able to flourish in spite of the circumstances. Some of the otehr things, however, we are still battling over in my opinion.
 
Would you rather see a completely distinct African American culture or a completely integrated, uniquely American culture? Also, do you think the latter is truly possible?
 
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