What is culture - Article Example

What is Culture? The essay aims to find an article that analyzes a concept. After reading the article, the discourse would address the following concerns: (1) what is the writer’s thesis? (2) What are the major strategies he/she uses (such as narration, description, examples, etc)? And (3) how does the writer support his/her thesis? What is Culture? The article entitled What is the concept of culture? written by Langley (2010) presented the thesis that probed on the ultimate concept of culture by defining it and delving into the categories of subculture and popular culture.

To present the concept in ways that would enhance the understanding of the readers, Langley used various approaches of description with examples. Initially, Langley proffered a definition of culture by citing that “the concept of culture has a clear definition of ‘the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another’ (http://dictionary.reference.com/), but the depth of any single culture reflects that of its participants” (Langley, 2010, par. 1). The author aimed to focus on the diversity in cultural orientation despite the distinctive traditional values, attitudes and preferences that were developed through the years.

To support the identified thesis, Langley separately described sub culture from popular culture, terms that are commonly expressed and manifested when the concept of culture is being expounded on. Accordingly, sub culture was indicated as “the members of a distinctive group that maintain autonomy. These groups can be of a religious nature, a minority ethnic group, even artist and musician” (Langely, 2010, par. 3). By using both descriptive details with examples, the term is successfully explained.

On the other hand, popular culture was defined as “the accepted contributions to the culture through media and social venues. Music, art, food, fashion, even architectural designs are all a reflection as well as an indication of the current culture and its values” (Langley, 2010, par. 4). Concurrently, using the same technique of describing the term through the provision of examples, the author has distinguished one concept from the other. Defining and describing concepts are more enhanced and reinforced with examples and clear depiction of details in the most accurate and concise manner.

Reference Langley, R. (2010). What is the concept of culture? Retrieved 11 May 2010. < http://www.helium.com/items/1800757-what-is-the-concept-of-culture>