Why is the term ‘British Culture’ controversial Essay Example

and possess contrasting cultural backgrounds may have differing views on British Culture compared to those who reside in the country and are immersed in its culture. Socialization encompasses the learning of social behaviors and dynamics necessary for social acceptance within one's surroundings. This education occurs through two forms of socialization: primary and secondary.

Primary socialisation involves children learning social behavior from parents, family, and those in consistent direct contact during early stages of life. In childhood, the child will mimic examples from these influential figures and respond to their approval or disapproval, establishing basic patterns of society, including language. Considered foundational for all later learning, this stage is critical in enabling individuals to comprehend society until they are mature enough to form their own judgments. Knowledge gained during primary socialisation tends to stay with individuals throughout life, for better or worse.

When a family raises a child to discriminate against a certain race, this bias can persist into adulthood. Individuals who lack primary socialization usually reject cultural norms and values and are more likely to become uncivilized and feral. On the other hand, secondary socialization occurs during a child's school years, encompassing academic and societal education. Children learn how to interact with peers, observe and emulate accepted behavior to belong within groups, and gain a comprehensive comprehension of society beyond their familial norms. During adolescence, the influence of friends and peer groups supersedes that of familial acceptance, potentially negating former primary socialization teachings.

Socialization is a lifelong process that extends beyond formal education and involves interactions with friends, peers, and individuals encountered in various social settings such as youth clubs, social media platforms, and clubbing. This

phase continues until the early twenties when an individual gains adequate knowledge and experience to form personal opinions and feel accepted within their social circle. Learning something new or encountering new people triggers socialization at any point in life. In Britain's context, primary socialization is minimally influenced by the environment while secondary socialization is significantly affected by a family's economic class.

Attending a private school can result in the formation of a younger culture, as children are likely to interact with like-minded peers who share similar beliefs, manners, dress, and language. Conversely, public schools offer more diverse social knowledge by exposing students to individuals from various races, classes, and upbringings. A culture is comprised of several components like symbols of culture, language, attitudes, values, beliefs, religion and norms. Wealthy and highly educated people may display materialistic views to signify their cultural group by showcasing their luxurious cars and houses. They may speak properly to demonstrate affiliation with the group and have conservative values that lead to strict attitudes towards socializing while disapproving welfare for those in need. Their norms might require them to work long hours on weekdays at the office while playing golf with their social groups on weekends.

The oft-used example of how various factors can differentiate cultures pertains to language being a subjective element, which doesn't necessarily equate to knowledge of a given culture. What distinguishes cultures from each other is the language they speak. England has many dialects, with Cockney Rhyming Slang being closely associated with a specific "culture" that originated from London's largely impoverished working-class population.

The culture of working class individuals living in the council estates of east London during the industrial

revolution was defined by a thick accent comprised of rhyming words. Norms, or typical activities and routines, are more evident in subcultures. In Britain, the younger generation is often characterized as boisterous and prone to binge drinking.

The weekend socializing norm of this generation is a reflection of the culture's adaptation to modernity and societal expansion. The world's modern societies are culturally diverse. Every culture has subcultures that contribute to its diversity, with regional, age, city, and race-specific subcultures existing alongside people's perception of "British Culture." Subcultures are groups that differ in norms and values from the majority while still being part of the larger British culture that encompasses them all.

Subcultures are groups of people who have unique perspectives on life due to their experiences. For instance, the university subculture is a young culture that thinks going out and socializing on weeknights known sub-culturally as "Student Nights" is normal. This group's views and norms differ significantly from those of full-time workers. Additionally, some ethnic subcultures distinguish themselves from mainstream culture by their unique norms, religion, language, and clothing. In specific cities, particular national or ethnic groups congregate in certain areas; Birmingham is one such city, promoting cultural diversity as subcultures thrive alongside mainstream culture. Because there are several Asian subcultures and numerous types of subcultures in general, they all merge into the main stream.

The London riots, which recently occurred, were a manifestation of counter culture. Counter culture opposes the majority culture by having opposing norms and values. It is common for crime to occur within counter culture as its members lack inclusion within the wider community and therefore tend to exist on the margins of

society. The riots in London were a clear example of counter culture, as they were promoted through social networking. Members of counter cultures communicated with each other to attack the streets, homes, and shops of London. The riots subsequently spread to Manchester, Birmingham, and Bristol.

This demonstrates that theft is not solely a result of individuals taking advantage of the circumstances, but rather a manifestation of a social movement. In areas such as Birmingham, gangs from subcultures intentionally infiltrate storefronts to burglarize and loot merchandise. Some members of said subcultures believe that living within their own counterculture is more manageable than adhering to the values and norms of mainstream society. It can be challenging to comprehend a culture's customs and ascertain whether they are socially acceptable.

One's own beliefs and values can lead to bias when evaluating the behavior of other cultures, which is a difficulty stemming from ethnocentrism. This approach has the potential to create subconscious comparisons between cultures. In contrast, sociologists utilize cultural relativism as a means of avoiding bias since it recognizes that beliefs are specific to particular societies and cannot be compared. The diversity within British culture results in numerous subcultures and counter cultures that occasionally intersect with the mainstream to form the majority culture, making it controversial due to its lack of conformity to a single set of values or norms.

Britain values diversity and places a strong emphasis on individual rights and freedom of speech. This has allowed for the growth and development of new cultures and influences within the country. The younger generation has been educated on the beliefs, norms, and values of various communities, including Muslims, Polish, and Asians. Despite

this embrace of multiculturalism, Britain remains a free country that does not operate as a dictatorship.

British culture undergoes a process of knowledge acquisition and identity adaptation that is analogous to secondary socialisation in humans.