Couple of months ago a friend asked me, what is culture?
Few days later on, he offered a cold beer and asked me again. I hesitated to reply both times. I think that he was wondering about those early humans in caves drawing hunting scenes on the walls. Of course, I thought, this was culture. All systems of ideas and practices; all different beliefs and norms are culture(s), like any school text writes… Now, however, if someone attempts to make distinctions between ‘high’ and ‘low’ culture, as if some type of culture is not really culture, things start to look tricky. But honestly, this distinction is no more than a cultural imposition itself. Incidentally, but not surprisingly, one kind of distinction which is traditionally loved by both conservative and left speakers…
Culture is nevertheless relational. I wanted to point out this. It makes sense in relation to something else and other… thus, we may need to talk about cultures rather than culture… But then I forgot all about his question, lost – as usually – in the multiple threads starting out of another little and ‘simple’ question… I am simply not sure what culture is…
Only recently, I came across a published editorial by Ivan Mecl, which made me think about it again and which I want to share here. It was published in the latest issue of Umelec, an international art and culture magazine (English version, Vol. 12, 1-2008, published by Divus.cz)
All photographs accompanying this article are taken during one of my recent ‘cultural’ trips to London.
“We work like old people, yet we behave like children more than ever before. We surround ourselves with mobile miracles, and therefore we have no idea what we are dealing with. We try to live in safety, and yet we do not know what it means to be safe. Many of us have lost time, but acquired “things.” We love “things” and their names sound nice to us. We love them, but they do not love us. We are impressed by their being changed, and unhappy by their loss. We are unhappy and with no time to spare from unrequited love, and always on the move.”
