Culture Is What We Make

Theories of Cultural Change ANTH 2301 Culture Is What We Make Buildings known as museums house exhibits of historical, artistic, scientific, or culturally significant artefacts. One of the largest collections of Native American artefacts in the world can be found at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian. It includes numerous two- and three-dimensional items like baskets, pottery, and preserved specimens that depict the daily lives of Native Americans from all over the nation. Living in communities teaches people how to manufacture the items they need to survive in their surroundings. Sharpening knives was a skill that early human ancestors acquired in order to prepare meat. They taught newer generations how to make tools by sharing their expertise in gatherings. Material culture refers to things that humans create and utilise in social settings. Every instrument that early hominins made, such as axes, blades, and arrows, is an example of material culture. Every item that archaeologists have found—beads, pottery, structures, etc.— is an illustration of material culture. Technology refers to the specific knowledge and abilities needed to create material culture. These days, the term "technology" is frequently used to describe electrical gadgets like computers and cellphones. According to anthropologists, obsidian blades and cellphones are examples of material culture created using specialised technology. In other words, technology is the body of information and abilities needed to create things like phones, knives, and other examples of material culture. Of course, material culture is not limited to museums. There is material culture everywhere. A typical American home's furnishings, equipment, books, dishes, and wall art are all examples of material culture and provide valuable insights on a society's overall way of life. Think about the toothbrush. People might be able to use a finger or a finding object like a twig or leaf to clean their teeth. The unique chew stick that the ancient peoples utilised was a twig with a ragged end. The bristles toothbrush originated in China in the fifteenth century, made its way through Europe, and eventually reached the United States in the late nineteenth century, when mass production started. These days, drugstores have a wide variety of toothbrushes with unique characteristics. Expert groups create, produce, and advertise this extensive range of toothbrushes to customers. Parents purchase toothbrushes for their kids and instruct them on the traditional brushing methods (small circles, two minutes, etc.). When people are adults, they frequently lock themselves in a private room to wash their teeth. Despite this, using a toothbrush is a very social act that depends on societal standards for health and cleanliness as well as shared information. Planets, rocks, trees, and microorganisms are examples of material items; but, they do not constitute material culture until they are created and utilised by humans in communal settings. A tree that is growing in a natural forest, for example, is not a product of material culture. On the other hand, if a farmer plants an apple tree in an orchard intended to provide fruit for human use, the tree may constitute material culture. If a microbe is created to aid with human digestion or is genetically modified to combat cancer, it might be considered material culture. A grey rock is on display at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Humans just happened to stumble upon this rock; it was never sculpted for any specific purpose. Its only function while it is there in the museum is to be a focal point for people to think about. Thousands of visitors pause to stare at this somewhat inconspicuous lump of basalt, marvelling at its presence in the museum and reading the placard explaining how it was collected. Why? Why is a rock so fascinating? Astronauts on the Apollo 12 moon mission gathered this specific rock. The rock is a source of tremendous pride for the civilization that carried out this expedition and serves as proof of this amazing achievement of scientific engineering. We visit museums to see the artefacts on exhibit, but it's obvious that what really draws our attention to those objects is the activity of people around them. That is to say, culture encompasses not just tangible items but also our actions and thoughts.