Make notes in your Notebook for your reference only
Exploring My Culture...
As highlighted in the video, culture reflects group diversity far beyond, gender, race or religion. Whilst these are all very important factors in shaping our culture, each of us is uniquely different, as are our families.
This reflective exercise is your opportunity to unpack what diversity looks like for you and your primary cultural group.
This exercise involves identifying 'your group of people' where you get most (or some) sense of belonging (whatever that looks like to you, see tip box below if needed), reflecting on those 3 culture pillars you have just learnt about.
TIP
Unsure of what is meant by primary cultural group?
This could be your family or perhaps you have a group of friends who are your family or your greatest sense of belonging is to a sports club or other interest group.
The objective of this particular exercise is to begin to explore the differences within and amongst people and cultural groups.
What are some of the common technologies, values and beliefs in your group that are reflective of your group culture?
If you are into fishing and water sports for example, you will note the the material aspects of this as part of your cultural technologies. If you live in the city and take the train to work, note the train as your primary mode of transport. If you have a young child, prams, playgrounds and coffee shops might be a big part of your young family's cultural technologies. This also demonstrates the shift that can happen with big life events in cultural technologies, as before you became a parent, these technologies wouldn't necessarily have been a part of your life or as significant (well coffee maybe!)
For Example
If you are into fishing, you will note the the material aspects of this as part of yourcultural technologies. If you live in the city and take the train to work, note the train as your primary mode of transport. If you have a young child, prams, playgrounds and coffee shops might be a big part of your young family'scultural technologies. This also demonstrates the shift that can happen with big life events in cultural technologies, as before you became a parent, these technologies wouldn't necessarily have been a part of your life or as significant (well coffee maybe!)
As we already touched on, our technologies are informed by the other pillars of culture, in particular what we value, like valuing our bonding opportunities with our child as with the example above. When it came to my motivation for the type of 'pram' my priorities were versatility as I wanted to be able to use it for shopping but also take it running (underpinned by my value my own health but also our family's general value for versatility in technologies (a common theme in our family).
Do you know some other 'groups' (e.g family friends) that have similar cultural technologies, values and beliefs? Note down the sameness (or perhaps differences) and what these represent from your point of view.
For Example
"When my youngest was an infant, our family had a close relationships with my best friend's family, who I had met through an antenatal group with our older boys. We would go out for walks and coffees with our two little girls, both the youngest at the time. Mine would be in a pram and hers was in a front pack carrier. A slight difference in technology, but this was underpinned by more than just chance. My best friend was a midwife and had gotten into child wearing because her knowledge set on the positive impacts on the mother child relationship. Her chosen technology were informed by her acuity and insight into which wraps supported babies hips etc. She became so passionate about it she ended up with quite the collection and became part of a baby wearing online community where she connected with others in their shared passion building their collective knowledge into expertise (note the 'cultural group' here voluntarily bonded by - technologies, values and beliefs)."
If fishing is a part of your culture you will share technologies with others but perhaps differing values and beliefs...
Some families for example love going fishing together longlining on the beach, valuing their family time. Other couples might enjoying going remote to isolated wharfs, underpinned by a value for serenity and stillness. Others still might enjoy big luxury fishing boats, valuing comfort and lifestyle. Another example might be those that value fishing locations such as mussel farms, where the fish are biting constantly, reflecting a value of excitement and an informed belief.
What this reflects is that 'being into fishing' does not mean the same thing from one person, family or group, to another.