Answer:
Cultural self-reflection is a way of understanding yourself or institution by exploring how the culture you live in shapes who you are.
1. The philosophical definitions and concept of Culture
In this meaning, culture is the way of life of a people. It includes the sum total of their mannerisms, beliefs, music, clothing, religions, language, behavioural patterns, food, housing, agricultural methods including their traditional behavior in a broad sense, including their ideas, arts and artefacts. It is the social heritage which an individual acquires from his or her group and which heritage classifies a people as belonging to a group.
Since culture is a way of life, the form in which culture is expressed, its symbols are the objectivities of the life of a people. Culture is distinct from society. It is society’s way of life. Hence society can remain when its culture has changed. culture is specifically human. It is learned and not instinctive. It varies from group to group and from one priod of time to another within a single group. Customs, beliefs, social structures and institutions can change.
2. Culture and Development
Culture change is a principle of cultural development. For culture, the law also holds that “unless a grain of seed dies, itself remains alone, but if it dies, it generates new life” (Wisdom words of Jesus Christ in the Bible).
Culture is a project and as such is not merely what it actually is, a people’s way of life, but also what it can become, the level it can attain, its potentialities yet to be developed.
It is in the light of such cultural development that cultural change is understandable and desirable. If it were so understood, there would be less lamentation and wailing as “things fall apart”, since this can be prelude to a stronger and higher synthesis.
<em>These reflections correspond to the philosophical consequences of cultural debates, their denial, acceptance or adherence. It is therefore important for humanity in international dialogue and debates to engage on a dialogue around culture for </em><em>CULTURE MATTERS.</em>
