We often speak of Chinese culture as radically different from ours. We are instinctively able to recognize when a way of life is alien from our own as a lawyer in Toronto, but do we really understand what a culture is? What makes up a culture and how do cultures differ from one another? Is there a way to quantify or qualify their differences, or is it just something we must understand subconsciously. This article will attempt to define culture in a way that the average person can understand and make use of in their travels.

The word "culture" refers to the essence of a particular group of people. It stems not from their genetic makeup, but from the niche they have carved out for themselves in the world that sets them apart from other people. Here are some of the facets that make up a culture:

Language

In your first encounter with another culture outside your Brownsville, TX condos, the first difference you are likely to notice about them is their language. Sometimes different cultures will speak the same language but with different accents and slang (as in the difference between an Australian and a Canadian). Other cultures speak different languages that are based on the same root (such as French and Spanish), and some have languages that are completely dissimilar (such as Chinese and Russian).

Art

One of the most easily recognizable aspects of culture is their art. Art encompasses all forms of self-expression done for pleasure or entertainment, such as music, painting, clothing design, film, and cooking. A caterer in Toronto, for example, will produce food vastly different in taste from a Japanese caterer, but within the same group (Canada or Japan) cooking styles will be similar.

Knowledge and Beliefs

Each different culture has particular views of the world that they share among their group but not necessarily with other cultural groups in the world. While you are learning English as a second language, for example, you may come across different views that are different from your own on the place of gender in society, where human beings came from and what happens to them when they die, how the Earth was made, and whether or not there is a deity.

Behavior and Tradition

The older a people is, the more time they have had to build up a store of traditional practices that influences their behavior. In Canada, a minor hockey tournament might be cause for loud cheering and friendly competition. In Japan, several generations of the same family might live in the same house. In India, people may experience privilege or poverty depending on their birth rather than their skills. Between different cultures, you will see different laws, gestures, and courtesy rules.