Culture refers to shared beliefs, norms, and traditions that bind a specific group of people. It encompasses a variety of characteristics, including language, religion, identity, and behavior. On the other hand, socialization denotes the lifelong process of acquiring the necessary skills to adequately function in a given community. This progression begins in early life when infants learn how to interact with others, up to adulthood (Crisogen, 2015). The adaptation of culture also involves aspects of socialization to fit in a particular group, showing their intertwined nature. Therefore, an ideal society requires knowledge in culture and socialization, enabling individuals to develop the skills necessary for optimal human functioning.
Cooley’s looking-glass self concept reiterates that individuals shape their behavior based on the perceptions of others. Ultimately, this leads to the reinforcement of such perspectives on the person, showing the influence of society. Therefore, in this case, social interaction provides a mirror through which individuals can measure their worth and value, thus, tailor their behavior accordingly (Chalari, 2016). Hence, this process requires constant alignment with regard to the development of culture and socialization due to the need to create consistency and equilibrium in daily life. For instance, an individual may imagine people’s thoughts about a particular appearance, leading to a judgment process based on it. Ultimately, such a person develops their self from such discernments to ensure others perceive them positively. Alternatively, Mead’s theory claims that the notion of self does not exist at birth but instead develops through social interactions (Chalari, 2016). An individual’s personality, which comprises of self-image and self-awareness, evolves through experiences. As a result, self-consciousness can only develop in a person once they participate in social exchanges, employing their knowledge to make judgments based on the various perspectives.
According to the functionalism theory, society contains several interrelated parts that work together to meet the needs of individuals. Therefore, for adequate functioning, all the necessary components must work in tandem. In this case, behavioral patterns and beliefs should address societal needs (Tyler, 2020). In terms of culture and socialization, functionalists believe that values and norms are pushed into people’s minds to maintain balance. Apart from that, conflict theory describes society as a competition based on limited resources (Tyler, 2020). The presence of inequality echoes the structural hierarchy, with some people acquiring massive resources while others wallow in poverty. Culture can thus reinforce issues such as privilege based on factors including race or social classes which show power differentials in a specific community. In contrast, symbolic interactionalism states the importance of communication in helping to maintain the appropriate functioning of the world (Tyler, 2020). This means that people play a significantly active role in shaping their environments. As a result, socialization depends on understanding the meanings placed on symbols or ideals in society.
Culture mainly consists of a framework through which people can lead meaningful lives. Different communities practice a variety of behaviors, beliefs, and values that make them distinct from others. These characteristics, thus, become part of everyday life and are passed continuously across generations to preserve them. For instance, language forms part of people’s upbringing, hence, those speaking the same one can interact and share their knowledge, thoughts, and feelings (Wyness, 2018). Ethnocentrism clouds people’s judgments by creating perceptions that one’s community represents the correct way of life. Consequently, interactions with other people result in resentment since their ideal society perceives them as superior. Apart from that, cultural relativism reiterates that no community is superior to the other since meanings and value derive their understanding from social contexts (Wyness, 2018). However, this affects the development of the ideal society since it maintains the idea that no objective standards can be used to judge people based on their differences in beliefs and values.
Culture also helps develop a sense of self by providing an identity which people can recognize. This enables one to recognize those with similar traits based on their character. Identifying with a specific group ensures that their beliefs and customs resonate, tying them firmly together. Consequently, as individuals gain social relationships with their peers in various institutions of life, these interactions offer more objective motives by instilling the necessary skills and knowledge to survive in the real world (Tyler, 2020). Furthermore, they can learn about alternative perspectives and models of behavior that may be conflicting with their own, providing the opportunity to choose the path to a befitting culture. An ideal society, thus, comprises of various subcultures that form based on shared interests or economic status. In contrast, countercultures deviate from the dominant aspects of a particular community. For instance, cults that create their own sets of beliefs and norms are categorized as countercultures. Consequently, while subcultures mainly coexist peacefully with the dominant one, countercultures defy the rules and aim to operate independently.
Ideal society requires knowledge in culture and socialization to assist its members to appropriately function in a hugely diverse world. Culture involves shared beliefs, norms, and traditions that bind a group of people together, while socialization refers to the process of gaining the necessary skills to function in a community. Theories on socialization adopted by Cooley and Mead try to define the concepts of self. Furthermore, sociological theories such as functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionalism provide different perspectives on society’s operations. Consequently, culture offers people an identity, while social interactions and experience enable a deeper understanding of the various communities that shape thinking.
References
Chalari, A. (2016). The Sociology of the individual: Relating self and society. SAGE
Crisogen, D. T. (2015). Types of socialization and their importance in understanding the phenomena of socialization. European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 2(4), 331-336. Web.
Tyler, S. (2020). Human Behavior and the social environment I. University of Arkansas.
Wyness, M. (2018). Childhood, culture and society: In a global context. SAGE.