Man and culture are inextricably linked. Throughout history, they went hand in hand, experiencing ups and downs. Therefore, one should not be surprised that today culture is presented as a complex mechanism that obeys its own rules and laws. And in order to better understand them, you need to understand the bases on which it is built. What is a dominant culture? Based on what criteria is divided into subcultures? And what impact does society have?
Dominant Culture: Definition
To begin with, the cultural space is very heterogeneous. It can vary greatly depending on the region, religion and ethnic composition of the population. However, if we consider a certain society, then in it you can always highlight some generally accepted norms and customs.
Simply put, a dominant culture is a combination of moral, spiritual and legal values acceptable to most members of a given society. Some scholars also call this order dominant.
The mechanisms of culture and its functions
A dominant culture is shaped by historical factors and never ceases to evolve. It is being improved, and thanks to this, humanity can develop along with it. But it should be understood that such an influence can lead to both a spiritual rise and a moral decline.
For example, the Renaissance gave us great thinkers and inventors. Thanks to their labors, people were able to forget about the horrors and scholasticism of the Middle Ages and began to move forward towards a brighter future. However, the same cultural mechanisms once led the Roman Empire to its tragic decline. Confident in their strength and power, the Romans could not notice the moment when their society began to degrade and decompose.
Nevertheless, man and culture need each other. Checking this statement is very simple. To begin with, culture cannot exist without people, because it is they who are its source. But we are not able to be ourselves, having lost the spiritual world. It follows from this that all the mechanisms of culture are based on the human factor, which means that they are quite tangible with the help of logic.
What is a subculture?
Even the most balanced society cannot be holistic. It is divided into many classes and groups. The reason for this is social, age, ethnic and religious differences. These factors lead to the formation of new layers in society that have their own laws and rules.
That is, a subculture is a small world that exists within a certain dominant culture. It is a kind of modification of habitual being, “imprisoned,” as it is fashionable to say today, to fit a specific social unit. For example, this can be expressed in a special style of clothing, unwillingness to cut hair, faith in new gods and so on. At the same time, the subculture and the dominant culture are always closely intertwined. However, the first never seeks to capture the second - it only wants to gain full autonomy.
Features of the youth subculture
Young people are more emotional than adults. Because of this, conflicts often arise between them, especially on issues related to cultural heritage. A similar trend is observed at all times and eras, as evidenced by historical books and annals.
Therefore, it is not surprising that many subcultural movements were founded by just the same young leaders. In addition, this age allows people to easily communicate with each other, so new ideas are spread around the district, like a fire. However, this same mechanism also leads to the fact that new social formations sometimes very quickly disappear. This is where the main features of the youth subculture lie.
Counterculture: definition
As mentioned earlier, in most cases, the subculture does not claim to be the leader in society. But sometimes some local movements still begin to embed their ideals in the masses. It was at such a moment that a special social phenomenon called counterculture was born. What is it about?
In the broad sense of the word, counterculture is a new direction in culture aimed at suppressing or destroying established norms and traditions. That is, this is some kind of opposition, only a little in a different sphere.
The origin of the counterculture and its consequences
The conditions for the emergence of countercultures can be different. In one case, it may be a religious coup, and in the second - a fashionable revolution. Nevertheless, the principle of her growing up is one and the same: a new idea spreads from one community to another, crowding out part of the local order.
And if this snowball cannot be stopped at the very beginning, then in the end it will be the established culture that will change. The dominant counterculture will certainly affect it, even if it itself suffers from metamorphoses. In fact, this social phenomenon is a powerful catalyst that can change both centuries-old traditions and generally accepted values.
Historical examples of countercultures
The most significant revolution in history was the adoption of Christianity in the vast Roman Empire. When, it would seem, a small group of believers was able to turn the cultural foundations of the whole nation. Moreover, subsequently it was Christianity that assimilated all European ethnic groups, eradicating their former beliefs and traditions.
Another striking example of the counterculture is the hippie movement that arose in the early 60s in America. Then it encouraged people to turn away from their capitalist future and return to the bosom of nature. And although the movement itself was a failure, its traces are still traced in American culture.
Marginal culture
With the advent of the 20th century, the world has undergone tremendous changes. First of all, this was due to the close contact of various cultures caused by global relocation and the emergence of telecommunications. And if some people calmly accepted the changes, then they were given to others with great difficulty.
And it was during this period that scientists first brought out such a concept as marginal culture. This word today means those social cells that combine the values of both cultures. They readily accept new teachings and traditions, but they cannot let go of their old habits.
Here is a simple example of how a marginal culture emerges . An ethnic group moves to another region, where its laws and rules reign. Naturally, in order to settle in a new society, it needs to adopt them. However, due to their beliefs or affections, they cannot forget the old patterns of behavior. Because of this, such individuals have to live at the junction of two cultures, which sometimes leads to severe emotional upheaval.