Cultural Materialism

631 Words2 Pages

When it comes to anthropological theory the combination of several established ways of thought often result in a completely new and independent way of thinking. Cultural Materialism is one of these children theories that resulted from a coming together of social evolutionary theory, cultural ecology and Marxist materialism (Barfield). The goal of cultural materialism is to explain politics, economics, ideology and symbolic aspects of a culture with relation to the needs of that society. From a cultural materialist point of view society is indisputably shaped by the factors of production and reproduction. From this all other facets of society, such as government and religion, must be beneficial to that society’s ability to satisfy the minimum requirements to sustain themselves (Harris 1996). An example of this would be the invention and continued use of industry because it increased the ability to produce needed materials and food. One important aspect of the cultural materialistic approach is that it operates completely from the etic perspective. Marvin Harris, one of the founders of cultural materialism, believed that a holistic approach is vital to correctly analyzing culture and believed that the emic approach failed at providing a wide enough scope. Harris tried to employ the scientific method and incorporated it into his theory. The result of this is that cultural materialism focuses only on events that are observable and quantifiable and replicable (Harris 1979). Cultu...

Show More
Related

  • Rudolph Steiner's Theory Of Materialism In The World

    1128 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Austrian philosopher and social reformer Rudolph Steiner believed that social and moral developments fell behind science and technology. He observed that society had become egotistical because they placed a primary emphasis on individual materialistic gain, therefore society had lost their sense of community. Steiner understood that individual spiritual development meant very little unless it spread through a community, which would lead to what he called “world community.” Society would ultimately “heal” themselves by transforming work from a commodity into a gift. The fundamental social law is working for others and not for yourself. Society would accomplish this law by embracing the teachings of Christ. It is through the teachings of

    Read More

  • Critique: Tribal Wisdom

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    David Maybury Lewis (1992) wonders if we, as Americans, by having systematically chosen to dismiss as 'odd', 'weird', and not the 'right' way to live; in our views of foreign tribal cultures, have been hoisted by our own petard. By using his definition of a tribal society (for which there really is no one single way of life): "small-scale, pre-industrial societies that live in comparative isolation and manage their affairs without central authority such as the state", (p 6) he questions whether cultural roads industrialized "modern" societies have chosen have caused the serious social problems we suffer today. We are the modernists, defined by myself as the opposite of tribal/traditional society.

    Read More

  • Cultural Hegemony: The Ideas And Types Of Culture

    1593 Words  | 4 Pages

    Culture is an essential part of every human being. People can fall under the category of one culture or they can fall under many. Values derived from culture tend to reflect in an individual’s or a society’s understanding of what is wrong and right. In culture, there are many significant features. Some are material, such as food and clothing, and non-material, such as beliefs and ideas. These material and non-material objects help to push people into powerful roles and they maintain the power. With the power these people then have a strong influence on the beliefs and ideas of the lower people. They have the ability to alter and change their beliefs at any time and most times, they follow along with it. These ideas and thoughts have been in place for many decades, since cultural theorists, such as Marx and Habermas, began explaining them. They have been a thought for decades

    Read More

  • Materialism In American Culture

    1714 Words  | 4 Pages

    Of all the strange beasts that have come slouching into the 20th century, none has been more misunderstood, more criticized, and more important than materialism. Who but fools, toadies, hacks, and occasional loopy libertarians have ever risen to its defense? Yet the fact remains that while materialism may be the most shallow of the 20th century's various -isms, it has been the one that has ultimately triumphed. The world of commodities appears so antithetical to the world of ideas that it seems almost heresy to point out the obvious: most of the world most of the time spends most of its energy producing and consuming more and more stuff. The really interesting question may be not why we are so materialistic, but why we are so unwilling to acknowledge

    Read More

  • Culture and Capitalism

    1628 Words  | 4 Pages

    Capitalism is responsible for the economic organization across the globe, as it in influenced mainly by culture. It affects the identity, sense of place, and the connection between how (b)orders distinguish the place of belonging. Culture gives meaning and values to particular goods. Capitalism uses monetary currencies to represent the exchange value of products, as profit is the main goal for corporations. Culture and capitalism both give value to each other, but capitalism is most successful when it is combined with the preferences and values of other cultures in order to make money. A thematic representation of culture and capitalism can be seen in a general layout of a supermarket, as capitalism ruins a true market. The dominant cultural group in a given area will reflect the items available, as corporations will have a higher monetary gain when accommodating the targeted consumer.

    Read More

  • Dalton Conley You May Ask Yourself Summary

    506 Words  | 2 Pages

    As new technologies and business began to grow shortly after the European empires began, the definitions of culture at home began to become more important. It grew more important for a group of people to bond rather than with technology. Another form of culture is material culture. Material culture is everything that is part of constructed, physical environment, including technology. Nonmaterial culture values beliefs, behaviors, and social norms. Material things as well as nonmaterial things can influence

    Read More

  • Relativism In Fiji

    1140 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cultural relativism is powerful and unique, ascertaining and appreciating people cultural. Cultural relativism is unique but can be hard to understand, upsetting the views, morals, and outlines of culture from the standpoint of that civilization. When analyzing the hominid culture, it provides the luxury of understanding their philosophy from their viewpoint. Taking in another culture without being basis can be daunting. Anthropologist deliberated cultures by exploiting two methods, the emic perspective, and etic perspective.

    Read More

  • culture

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    Culture is an aspect of everyone's life. It helps others to understand another person's beliefs and actions. There are multiple cultures in the world which are opposed to their own kind seeking help for a mental illness. There is an infinite number of cultures that are represented in the United States. “Many cultural and religious teachings often influence beliefs about the origins and nature of mental illness, and shape attitudes towards the mentally ill.” (1). One's cultural beliefs can make them think about whether or not they should seek to get help for a mental illness. Among the cultures around the world and particularly in the US, many Asian cultures do not want the community members to be receiving help for their mental illness. In these cultures mental illness is seen as shameful, because these cultures influence the “conformity to norms, emotional self-control, and family recognition through achievement.” (1). There are many cultural factors that play a role in whether or not a person will receive therapy. These factors include: language, level of acculturation, age, gender, occupational issues, family structure, religious beliefs, and traditional beliefs about mental health (2). Language limits the access of therapy. If a person living in the United States does not speak English very well, it could influence them to not seek therapy. There is a large focus on “in-group/out-group” in many Asian cultures, as in everyone who is in the family/community around them are in the “in-group” and everyone else who is not like them are in the “out-group.”

    Read More

  • Globalization and Anthropology

    398 Words  | 1 Pages

    Schneider asks, does this practice rob peoples of their culture, or simply generate a new kind of survival market culture? In seeking “to recognize and question Eurocentric imaginings of the world,” the discipline of anthropology complicates the right of tourists to judge the commodities of indigenous communities, as it questions the right of a global economy that forces peoples to produce such commodities to survive (Schneider 83).

    Read More

  • Pop Art: The Negative Impact Of Materialism And Consumerism

    752 Words  | 2 Pages

    American economy in 1950s grew by 37%. During this period of time, a heightened economy led Americans to continuously spend more on consumer goods. The formation of Pop Art effectively influenced the greatest consumer economy of the world. The further development of materialism is due to an art movement during this time. The changes in art, especially in the development of modern art, led to the expanding negative impact of materialism in America. Andy Warhol, the leading figure of Pop art culture, portrayed consumerism through his art. Pop art shown in advertisements and comic books helped to create a new definition of materialism. Materialism is now defined as: “a tendency to consider material possessions and physical comfort as more important than spiritual values” (“Materialism”). Andy Warhol and his artworks were catalysts for the materialistic culture that characterizes contemporary society and continues to influence the world today.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of When Brothers Share A Wife By Melvyn C. Goldstein

    1283 Words  | 3 Pages

    With all the information I learned, I have come to conclusion that Cultural Materialism is what I believe to be the perspective or theory of this culture. Cultural materialism is cultural traits that are based on the resources available to a group. In the article it says that this way of life is materialistic. I believe that it is cultural materialism because the resources that are available to the Tibetan people are animals but there is little agriculture. I order to care for animals someone has to be with them most of the time, which leaves the family alone without a man. Even though the man is out with the animals that family still needs income and everything else. So when brothers marry the same person they are able to take care of many things that would often take longer for a single

    Read More

  • Ruth Benedict's Theory Of Cultural Relativism

    1739 Words  | 4 Pages

    Anthropologically speaking, individuals and society cannot function without the other. In order to study past and present cultures and societies, anthropologists, like Ruth Benedict, use a theory called cultural relativism. Benedict describes three different societies and the influence they either receive or do not receive from their society along with certain abnormalities that occur throughout other cultures. She describes and studies these cultures without prejudices influencing her research.

    Read More

  • Anthropology is Quantitative

    959 Words  | 2 Pages

    Welsch, Robert L, and Kirk M Endicott. “Should Cultural Anthropology Model itself on the Natural Science.” Taking sides clashing views on controversial issues in cultural anthropology. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.

    Read More

  • Materialism In Hong Kong

    824 Words  | 2 Pages

    Materialism In Hong Kong Is the Materialism serious in Hong Kong? Do people in Hong Kong dream of wealth and bodily comfort rather than spiritual and intellect things? Absolutely.

    Read More

  • Culture Is Ordinary, by Raymond Williams

    1076 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the end, what we learn from this article is very realistic and logical. Furthermore, it is supported with real-life examples. Culture is ordinary, each individual has it, and it is both individual and common. It’s a result of both traditional values and an individual effort. Therefore, trying to fit it into certain sharp-edged models would be wrong.

    Read More

More about Cultural Materialism

Open Document