Culture Is Consensual but Contested

Theories of Cultural Change ANTH 2301 Paradox 3: Culture Is Consensual but Contested In every community, people communicate with one another based on presumptions about the kinds of actions and words that are suitable for particular individuals under particular circumstances. In other words, culture is consensual—people accept a particular manner of doing things via their words and deeds. Culture include common concepts for framing circumstances, behavioural standards, and conventionalized roles, as was covered before in this chapter. Consider the scenario where a recent college graduate in the United States is seeking for work. What action ought that individual to take? In the US, it is customary to invest effort in creating a compelling resume that highlights an applicant's experiences and abilities while outlining their educational history. This is achieved by utilising a certain type of technical language. One may say that they "developed systems of cooperative leadership among youth in an environmental awareness programme" rather than "worked as a camp counsellor." This linguistic gem would probably be posted on Indeed.com, a job search website, by a fresh graduate. Such a tactic would appear extremely basic and even woefully insufficient to a large portion of the Chinese population. In their pursuit of knowledge, career, and commercial possibilities, people in China often rely on a cultural framework called guanxi. Guanxi, which derives from Confucianism, is the term for favours and gifts that individuals trade in large social networks with one another for their mutual advantage. Although guanxi is mostly founded on familial ties, it may also be derived from relationships made at work, at schools, or even between random people who meet at parties or through common acquaintances (Yin 2017). A student may be searching for individuals who can open doors to future work chances while they are still enrolled in school. The student would attempt to create individualised connections with these individuals via the use of guanxi techniques, with the goal that these connections might be beneficial in the future. Let's take an example where a student wants to work in solar technology once they graduate. The student could look for instructors whose work in that field suggests links through their research and instruction. In addition to taking classes from that professor, the student would make an effort to build a personal relationship in order to create guanxi. Usually, this is accomplished through thoughtful gift-giving. An underprivileged student could knit the professor a jumper during an especially hard winter. A student with artistic talent might draw a picture of the instructor and present it in a frame. Crucially, the gift has to extend just a little bit beyond their official roles as instructor and pupil. The lecturer and student may eventually arrange to meet, strengthening their social connection even more. The student may then request that the professor utilise their connections in the sector to assist them obtain employment after months or years of carefully developing this one-on-one relationship. This indicates that a person's personal relationships might have just as much weight as their resume's language or credentials, if not more. Although Americans place a high value on job search strategies, in the American setting, personal relationships are as important for landing a job, especially in highly compensated, cutthroat sectors like banking and software development. someone prefer to work with someone they trust in a lot of civilizations. Many people would rather hire someone advised by a reliable friend or business colleague than to engage an unknown individual. In guanxi relationships, trust is built up via gradual gift- and favor-giving exchanges. However, what if those who leveraged their strategic social connections—rather than those who had the highest level of aptitude, skill, or suitability—are the ones chosen in highly competitive industries? What if the businesses contracted to finish infrastructure projects, like building roads and bridges, aren't the most skilled or experienced ones? Instead, are they the ones that have given government officials presents that have strategic value? What happens if individuals leverage their guanxi networks to secure exclusive benefits like government permits or social services? According to legal researcher Ling Li (2011), some individuals enable and justify bribery and other corrupt practices by utilising the guanxi cultural framework. The Chinese government started a large-scale drive to combat official corruption in 2012. Over 100,000 people—many of whom are top executives of state-owned businesses, military commanders, and high-ranking government officials—have been the subject of investigations and charges related to corruption. Extensive guanxi networks are used by strong individuals to seal transactions, exercise influence, and extort commodities and services, according to investigations. The ethics and legality of guanxi activities are called into question by China's anti-corruption effort. Even while guanxi is a commonly recognised mechanism for obtaining opportunities, products, and services, those without elite connections may believe that this unofficial cultural system is unjust. Some people may oppose or reject guanxi practices for moral or personal grounds. Chinese writer Lijia Zhang (2013) relates how she didn't get promoted in her first job because she didn't offer her supervisor the customary guanxi presents. Zhang notes that although the majority of Chinese people lament the pervasive corruption in society, they are compelled to use their guanxi networks in order to succeed in life. Guanxi serves as an example of how culture can be both very contentious and universally taken for granted. While many other cultural norms are likewise broadly accepted, certain groups who feel disadvantaged or constrained by them oppose and question them. Sexual and marital customs, as well as gender roles, provide as excellent examples.