What is culture? Is it what people eat and wear in a particular place? Is it the way of life of a certain group of people? Is it art? Music?
One common metaphor for culture is an iceberg. The main idea behind this symbol is that we can see a very small part of a culture, but there is much more beneath the surface. We see the outward expressions – the food, clothing, architecture, art, lifestyle. But we don’t often see the values and beliefs that are beneath these expressions.
Recently, I have started to notice the connections between cultures. All metaphors have their limits, and I think the cultural iceberg method is no exception. Another way we can think about culture is like clouds. Have you ever looked at white puffy clouds that slowly connect and detach, morphing into various shapes? Culture also shifts and evolves over time. Many people see various scenes and objects in these puffs. Culture, too, adds meaning to life. Taking the metaphor a bit further, we know that clouds are essentially water drops. They aren’t solid objects. Culture is also not a set of individual objects, but a shared experience.
So, maybe culture is like connecting clouds. I’m not an expert, just an explorer. If you’re also interested in culture, I hope you’ll join me on my journey through this blog.
Connecting Clouds 