Example of Cultural Value
Culture And Society / / July 04, 2021
A cultural value, in a philosophical sense, is a intangible good that acquires its importance because a certain social group considers that it is an indispensable part of its idiosyncrasy and cultural identity. They are ideas, knowledge, beliefs, principles, attitudes, practices, conceptions, to which a significance is given due to the great burden that have as unifying and social distinctive and that are preserved by a question of tradition, social identity, memory historical. A culture always seeks to distinguish itself from others; seeks to determine what makes it different, special, unique.
This values they govern in some way the uses, customs, forms of expression with which a community feels identified. Cultural values are part of social identity since they allow an individual to feel part of a community that shares a certain geographic space, a history, a language, some customs, traditions, etc. They provide a sense of social belonging. Cultural values too are seen as ideals within a society
; that is, following these values would be the best, the most appropriate and the most valuable.Cultural values they are preserved and consolidated in the social imaginary and in the collective memory; are taught from generation to generation from coexistence, the media, artistic manifestations, social behaviors, etc.
Cultural values can be related to the morality that governs the majority of a society or a minority group, as well as the religious beliefs and ideas of people. Cultural values can also be involved in various spheres of social life: work, family, spiritual, love, economic, etc.
They are not mandatory nor constitute norms. However, they can be estimated to such a degree by a community that to preserve or "respect" them, violence may even be used. In this sense, in some cases cultural values have become norms of coexistence over time.
It is important to highlight that not all members of society will agree with widely accepted cultural values; many people may or may not disagree with these values. On the other hand, generationally, cultural values may be changing or updating.
Also cultural values regarded as standards by the majority may be at variance with cultural values shared by minority groups within a society. For example, the cultural values of indigenous groups or foreign communities that reside in a country. Also, these values can be contradicted between different cultures or, well, what for a culture it is valuable to another culture it may be insignificant or unimportant for the coexistence Social.
25 Examples of cultural values:
- The honor. It is a value that has been highly esteemed in different societies. It consists of the good image, good reputation or social recognition that a person has because his acting and his way of facing certain situations is considered as morally and culturally suitable. Honor depends on many social factors and what is considered honorable has changed throughout history.
- Nationalism. Nationalism is a cultural value that is fostered in the citizens of a country. It is an exalted feeling of loyalty and identification with the nation to which one belongs. It is also related to an idealization of the nation in relation to other nations.
- Respect for traditions. It implies recognizing those artistic manifestations, customs, uses, practices, etc. that make up the history and identity of a society and transmit and practice them in a way that is preserved.
- Patriotism. It is a feeling of devotion and loyalty towards the country to which one belongs; it is the appreciation and appreciation of everything that implies belonging to a certain nation. To abide by this value is to avoid conduct that may be considered unfair or harmful to society and the nation in general. Many wars have been fought with soldiers who move only under this feeling.
- Respect for life. This is a value learned and transmitted in a cultural way. In most cultures, acts that threaten the lives of others are penalized. In certain cultures, respect for life also implies respect for any form of life: nature, animals, etc.
- Heroism. It is a highly valued value in some cultures. Being heroic has to do with carrying out actions of courage and great effort that benefit or are at the service of others or the country.
- Maternity. Motherhood refers to the role that women are culturally expected to fulfill as mothers. That is, they are actions that are considered adequate or positive; it is an ideal of how a mother should behave.
- The paternity. This cultural value responds to the actions that a man is expected to carry out in the role of his father. These expectations and ideals are culturally constructed and are related to gender stereotypes associated with masculinity.
- The truth. Saying things as they really are is a highly appreciated value. It covers different aspects of social life. In a culture that privileges the truth, raising falsehoods can even lead to very marked social rejection.
- The job. Carrying out work that has an economic reward and that in some way contributes to the system is a value that is valued and that is culturally taught. From childhood, children are taught that in adulthood they must perform a job. People who don't do this are viewed negatively.
- Parenting. Culturally, this value implies all those actions that parents take to instill values of all kinds in their children and shape their social performance. Depending on the culture, children are taught to be more or less dependent on their parents. The type of discipline and the importance given to obedience also changes.
- The study. Study is the value that constant learning instills. Going to school is valued, preparing intellectually to be able to integrate into social life. There are cultures that instill a very high appreciation of study, above fun or recreation.
- The discipline. This value is related to the constancy, responsibility and obedience that a person must show in the aspects of his life. There are cultures in which this value is highly estimated. For example, in Japanese culture, discipline is considered the foundation of personal and professional success.
- The collective memory. This value refers to all those events that marked a society; It is intended that people transmit these facts, value them and do not forget since it is considered that they are an indispensable part of the identity of a society.
- Justice. A great cultural importance is given to privileging an equitable act, in which each person receives what they deserve and what is due. Acting with justice is an ideal related to acting according to reason and intelligence.
- Family loyalty. Family nuclei are highly esteemed in various societies. Considerable importance is attached to respecting and not betraying members of one's own family.
- The loyalty of the couple. This value refers to the loyalty that occurs in love relationships; culturally it is well seen that people respect the promises or oaths made to the couple, as well as that fidelity is kept. Although it is also true that culturally the fidelity of men is estimated differently compared to that of women, due to various prejudices.
- Respect for older people. In many societies old age is seen as a stage in which people acquire certain wisdom due to their lived experiences. Therefore, respect for this stage of life is instilled. It is also related to the fact that it is sought that young people or children have a certain respect and obedience towards adults.
- Artistic manifestations. Art, in general, is a value that encompasses all the cultures of the world. Each culture has its own forms of artistic expression. Art, as a human and not an economic value, is appreciated and instilled in different ways. Its value can change from one culture to another and from one historical period to another.
- The significance. In many cultures, individual transcendence within the community is appreciated and important. That is, it is valued that a person perform important acts in his life that lead him to prevail in history and memory; it is a cultural ideal in which a person seeks to have her name and actions remembered after death.
- The history. The history of a society is highly valued. Different institutions seek to transmit the most important events that made up a society; it is inculcated that the citizens know and transmit these events.
- Family life. It is a cultural value that refers to the life in common between two or more people who seek to form a family nucleus. Depending on the culture, the type of family regime changes; It can be, for example, monogamy (union between exclusively two people) or polygamy (regime that allows a man to have several wives).
- The good. The good as a cultural value is a concept that is created from what a culture considers beneficial for social coexistence and for the individual himself. For example, it is considered good to act to help people who are in need.
- Politeness. Culturally, it is normal for people to be taught certain rules, called rules of courtesy, which seek to show respect and kindness towards others. Forms of courtesy change from one society to another. For example, the rules of greeting towards other people have a different importance and different forms of expression according to the culture.
- Peace. This is an ideal in culture that seeks a calm relationship, without conflicts, in which citizens coexist with each other in harmony.