America is a toilet

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Posted

I don't know that streamlining itself is bad for a culture, but when things such as the metric system become globalized cultures gradually become less and less unique. I mean, having access to foods from all over the world is more advanced than only more locally obtainable ones but than local ones become less important. Like, I guess I agree that culture should change over time and adapt, but I'd rather not have cultures everywhere all evolve in the same way. If you bring technology to some tribal group which hasn't been exposed to it before you might give them progress, but after they adapt the technology you've likely effectively killed whatever culture they had. It would be like controlled, forced evolution at that point and the result would likely be a culture much like many modern ones lacking much of what made it a unique culture in the first place. I guess I think progress is fine for cultures as long as it isn't artificial or on a global scale. I don't necessarily think progress is a bad thing, just that it often has a negative effect on an area's culture. 

 

 

Culture

  1. the evolved human capacity to classify and represent experiences with symbols, and to act imaginatively and creatively; and
  2. the distinct ways that people, who live differently, classified and represented their experiences, and acted creatively

Distinctions are currently made between the physical artifacts created by a society, its so-called material culture, and everything else,[4] the intangibles such as language, customs, etc. that are the main referent of the term "culture".

 

Notice the word distinct. As a country adopts advancements that other countries have made they become less distinct and thus less cultural. 

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Posted

That's one interpretation, though I maintain that it doesn't have to be specific cultures, and none of them would necessarily lose what makes them unique. Industrialization, for instance, could make it easier to produce things needed to make specifics kinds of foods or clothing, but they're probably not going to change the style in which it's made, it'll just get easier.

 

There are so many cultures, even within a small system, like a single country. We have regional cultures and city-specific cultures. I really don't think there's anything to worry about. Everyone finds a way to make themselves unique, at least, on a global scale.

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