We don't have to simply accept the culture around us. Instead, we can create a culture with those we live and work with--a culture that promotes the best of whom we can be
If you think of yourself as a culture-creator, what are your priorities related to culture creation? What's important to you?
Culture is defined as the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group.
Customs
Customs are traditions and ways of behaving. As I think of customs I want to promote and develop, I'll begin with civility. I'd like to work to promote as civil a society as possible. A civil society is a society that promotes good manners, respect ,for one another, and peaceful connections. A civil society does not turn to violence, hate, ridicule, and vitriol to solve problems, but instead works to create respectful, helpful, positive communication and interactions.
I also want to promote a less-stressed society, the kind of society whose expectations for people are reasonable and respectful. When people are stressed-out, they can't be their best selves or do their best work. I'd like society to look for ways to destress people.
Further, I want to support customs that create healthy living and environments. What can we do to protect and preserve our natural resources and environment? How can we foster collective behaviors that bring about the best that we can be?
Customs that connect us in positive ways are similarly important. What can we do to bring people together with care, support, and love. Positive connections are integral to good living.
In addition, it's critical that the customs we support are inclusive, modern, and the result of current research and knowledge. Old time customs that leave people out or disrespect people have no place in our world today.
Arts
The arts give us civil and peaceful ways to express ourselves. Via the arts we learn about one another throughout time. Choosing arts as a way to come together is a positive way to build community as well as a positive way to develop understanding of ourselves and others. Finding arts events to attend and support will promote this integral element of a positive culture.
Social Institutions
MAGA Extremists have challenged our social institutions in multiple passive and active ways. The resistance to laws that create safety such as sensible gun laws have threatened our social institutions. Lack of funding, negative public relations campaigns, and self-serving greed have challenged our positive and necessary social institutions greatly. Many people have been fooled to think that we don't need social institutions or that social institutions are not capable of doing the good work possible. This is wrong. Optimal social institutions have the potential of bringing us together, promoting the best of whom we can be, and leading us forward in positive ways today and into the future. We need positive, modern, helpful social institutions, and as a culture-builder, I want to support the social institutions that are committed to supporting people's good living.
Achievements
What achievements do we strive for and support? Some old time achievements have been proven to be less effective or helpful while some new achievements dramatically improve our individual and collective lives. It is critical to think about the kinds of achievements that are truly life-enriching versus those that are life-limiting.
For me, the greatest achievement is to support individuals with regard to their talents, vision, needs, passions, and potential. To promote the best of whom people can be, to me, is an achievement worth supporting because when people maximize their potential, they become awesome contributors to their own lives and the lives of others. On the other hand, when people's true selves are squashed, they're less able to contribute and more likely to spread negativity and problems instead.
Culture-Creation
I want to think more about the culture I contribute to and help create in the days ahead. I want to work against life harming and suffocating cultures too prevalent in society today, and instead work for culture that allows people to be fully human, contributing, positive members of society.
As you think about culture-creation, what do you believe is most important when it comes to the best of whom we can be as humans? What culture-creating activities do you invest in with your time, energy, dollars, and thought? I'm curious about this topic. What do you think?