EDITORIAL: The Conundrum that is Culture…

The universe is a vast space of diverse species spread far and wide, the diversity in the universe knows no bounds and cannot exactly be contained in a simple definition or explanation. That diversity is what makes the universe what it is.
However, in a bid to understand this diversity, and compress it to man’s understanding, the concept of culture comes to play. But like almost all of man’s endeavors, culture is a concept that has no finite conclusion. Hence, the conundrum that is Culture…

The Conundrum..
It could be contrasting, it could be different, it could be that it just does not fit, or that there is no finite definition that caps it all, the conundrum can be many things.. In the works of the 19th-century Danish Philosopher, Søren Kierkegaard, in lieu of his many works such as ‘Fear and Trembling‘ and ‘Knight of Faith‘, he compared a conundrum to have the same contextual meaning as an ‘existential dilemma‘. His works are writings that often involve the characters having to make ‘dilemmic’ decisions or decide if a choice between incomparable elements is foolhardy or a show of strength.
For this editorial piece however, the conundrum here is one that doesn’t appear to be finite, although designed to be encompassing, providing a true bearing to diversity, it is still in itself diverse beyond measure. Hence, the conundrum of attempting to encompass diverse and infinite in a finite concept.
And so, like Søren opined, a conundrum is infact an existential dilemma, and in this case, one that leaves one wondering about the conclusion of the whole matter, evaluating tenets, examining it with various parameters that exist diversely, wondering if the acclaimed one-cap-fits-all definition is truly the beginning and end of a concept so profound. The conundrum is one that makes one wonder if infact there could be more or if there is more to the concept than meets the eye…

..that is Culture..
According to an Anthropological renowned figure, Edward Burnett Tylor, culture is pretty much finite. Bound by the tenets of KBALMC (Knowledge, Belief, Art, Laws, Morals, Custom), and any other factor as dictated by society that binds an individual acceptably to the said society. This definition should apparently be enough to encapsulate the diversity that exists within the universe, however, there is the question of individualism, personhood, inherent nature, opinions and choices, and essentially the sometimes conflicting nature of man. Where do these fit into the Tylorian definition, what accounts for them?
Indeed the nature of culture itself, far outweighs what it is perceived as. A concept that cuts across different aspects, social, biological, mental, even physical, cannot simply be put into a box when it is supposed to exist outside of any confinement. Culture in its diversity is influenced by many a thing, from the inherent nature of man to personal inclinations that influence behavior, to sporadic or periodic innovation and change within a society, to mutations in the stereotypical, and other diverse things.

Culture in itself is a conundrum, a concept that seems to tease the ability of man to confound things that stretch beyond comprehension, poking out at loose ends and peeking out from loop holes that show at every turn, never seeming to fit completely. Maybe being a conundrum, is what it is meant to be, remaining peculiar to individual perception, only yielding to factors that influence it within a specific sphere, not exactly fitting a finite universal depiction.

So, dear reader, what defines culture for you? What unique perceptions influence the somewhat universal concept for you? Would you stick to the one-cap-fits-all? Or would you rather accept its true nature.. a conundrum.