THE HUMAN CONDITION

Humanities Ms. D

Homo Sapiens

World population = 7 billion

What makes humans so successful?

Structurally each human being is the same.

23 chromosomal pairs XX or XY Produce viable offspring

Culture

That which distinguishes one way of life from another.

Language,

beliefs, morality, norms, institutions,

etc..

How and why you act the way you do has very little to do with your genes, but instead has everything to do with the culture you were raised in.
Nature

vs. Nurture

Cultural Universals

Human Universals trait or characteristic that is common to ALL human cultures. The whole body of cultural universals is known as the human condition.

Human Universals

Personal names Family groups Color terms Taboos Symbolism Law/Rules Morality Social status

Shame Music, rhythm, dance Shelter Control of fire Belief in the divine Body adornment Property Gender roles

Why should we study culture?

Cultures vary in customs, values, norms, etc..

This

accounts for human behavioral variance

The world is becoming more globalized. Like woah. In order to truly appreciate your own culture and meaning, it is imperative to see how the rest of the world lives.

The Human Experience

http://youtu.be/ctyX5 ItSQEI