Media impacts on culture identity

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Media Impacts on culture Identity
Salman Khan

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Every society has its own a particular culture and a culture is an identity of any individual and
nation. In this regard the earliest debates about the impact of culture narratives on way of life
date from the ancient greeks.socrat, himself accused of corrupting youths, worried that children
exposed to stories without distinction, would take into their souls teachings that are wholly
opposite to those we wish them to be possessed of when they are grow up. The playwright, on
other hand he belied art should imitate life, that characters should be real, and that artist works
should reflect the actual world even when that reality was impure (Roger.R, 2000).In the
Republic, Plato developed classical view of art.it should aim, to instruct and uplift. He worried
that some staged performances glorified evil that common people watching might not be able to
distinguish between art and reality. Aristotle Plato student occupied a middle position in these
debates, saying that art and stories should provide insight human condition but should entertain
as well. Since the time of early Greeks, concerns about Impacts of culture have continued
(Campbell,e tal 2006).
1.1.1 Emergence of media
The world media is the plural of medium.it is derived from the Latin word medium which means
middle. The media are different technological processes that facilitate communication between
the sender of a message and receiver of that message. The media surround us. Our everyday lives


2

are saturated by radio, television, newspapers, books, the internet, movies, recorded music,
magazines and more (Croteau.D and Hoynes.W, 2000).

The first major medium in western culture was the printing press in the sixteenth century which
led to the reproduction and distribution of information and entertainment through pamphlets,
books and then newspapers. The development of mass production of paper increased media
output. During the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the industrial revolution in Europe
saw new forms of power and manufacturing lead to rapid development of printing technologies.
At the same time there was revolution in the communication systems of road, rail and water
transport. Major social changes and new forms of industrial production led to a massive growth
in urban populations and new patterns of work and leisure. Demand for rapid communication of
information and entertainment increased, alongside rising literacy. The last part of the nineteenth
and the first half of the twentieth centuries saw a further explosion of communication systems
and technologies which has affected our daily lives in numerous ways. The advent of
photography, film, sound recording, radio, and then television .the development of the telephone
and telegraph and the concurrent rapidly changing system of travel, particular the car and
aeroplane, all combined to change the human culture forever. The people living in industrial,
developed countries accept all these as basic condition for human life. The media are our main
source of knowledge and entertainment and are part of very structure of our lives. it has been
estimated that in average 70 year lifespan a western person is likely to spend seven whole years
viewing television. When we factor in the time spent engaged in computer-mediated
communication (CMC).the average individual spends well over 10 % of their life focusing on
screen, consuming media of various forms. Whether it involves chatting and sending text
massage on mobile phones, emailing, surfing or shopping on the internet, listening to music on


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CDs or internet banking and being subjected to online ads, or watching survivor on television
and logging on to the internet to check on developments between episodes, screen media are
omnipresent in modern life. However media access is not yet global. Many people and many
cultures still do not have private access to television, computers and telephone.
Since about 1980 and as we move into the twenty first century we have undergone and are

undergoing, another revolution in communications thanks to the development of new
technologies, particularly the computer chip. Satellite and cable communications, digital
television, computers, video games, virtual reality and internet are again changing our pattern of
cultural identity and interacting with one another. We live in a media world (Shaughnessy and
stadler.J, 2002)
At the bagging of twenteen century, for example, newly arrived immigrants who speak little
English gravitated toward cultural events such as new medium of silent film for which
enjoyment did not depend solely on understanding the English language. Consequently, these
events occasionally became a flash point for many people but the people feared that these events
would undermine traditional values and tradition. In the united states in the 1950s, the emergence
of television and rock and roll generated countless points of contention, in that time Presley mad
show but thousands of protective parents refused to allowed their children to watch parsley
performance.in some community created biasness and racism by parsley permance. many white
adult belied this was spreading rhythm and blues, a dangerous form of black popular culture.by
2002, the media had given the public much to be concerned about. Talk shows exploited
personal problems for commercial gain. Television research once again documented the
connection between aggression in children and violent entertainment program as source of


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violence. Research also demonstrates that media directly cause our society’s major affliction
(Campbell et al, 2006)

1.1.2 Impacts of Media on Cultural Identity
Cultural identity is not an only collection of thoughts, beliefs, traditions, languages and behaviors
accumulated through time. Rather it is a cultural selection on how to respond to an outside
stimulant in various time frames. As a result, cultural identity is a work plan created by people
for their future activities based on past experiences (Touraine, 2003).
Both printed and electronic media without a doubt has had a significant influence on the

individuals and cultural identity. Meyrowitz (1985) argues that the media contributes to social
change by being the “missing link” between culture and personality.
The fact is evident that cultural identity and Media are correlated and interconnected phenomena
these days, where Media are source of transformation of new and modern ideas, development of
human capital and information, but on other side they are threat to socio-cultural environment in
the context of identity.
1.1.2.1 MEDAI AND RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE
The media have brought new values and philosophy like materialistic approach because human
relations are becoming impersonal and secondary, life but not emotion, heart but no feeling but
The traditions of values have changed i.e. unity, solidarity and cooperation of social welfare.
Individuals are moving away from their family and community. The loyalty, responsibility and
obedience toward parent are finishing. Religion is losing its hold over the members. People are
becoming more secular, rational and scientific but less religious in their outlook. Media also has
changed attitudes of the people towards religion rituals and creeds.it also generally felt that


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growth of media have affected religion its function and religiosity of the people. Developments
in the field of media have also adversely affected religion and its traditional function. There is
growing trend towards secularism and secularization today (Rao.S, 2006).Media has affected
certain values rooted in major religions and cultures of the world. Concepts of good and evil,
right and wrong, individual interaction with the society and the every meaning of life has become
selfish and also all practice and ritual warped and corrupted by media (Muzaffar, 2002).
The strong religious influence in our society with beautiful values of having great faith in God,
and all the time remembering God is one significant and sacred practice of the Pakistani. But,
intensive media messages, especially the ads, dilute this very belief and people lose faith in
religion. Therefore, saying grace before mealtime and prayers before bed time is diminishing,
despite efforts made by the educational institutions. Initially, the culture practiced the tradition of
offering to God before eating and drinking. This scenario of saying grace and act of offering has

diminished itself quite surprisingly (Rinchen.k:227). A philosopher like Coleman James
expresses his dissatisfaction with the media. He notes the alienation of societies with their
history and their fascination with foreign values. These new values and beliefs have no root or
connection to the culture identity. Therefore, media weakens the traditions and values of local
cultures for the sake of universal uniformity and dominance of a commanding culture through
the formidable power of international. The resistive media tends to utilize the open atmosphere
in the global information system in order to disseminate its own culture and ideology (Sedigheh
babran, 2008). Media have brought secularization in religious sphere of life and also reduced
religious social control. The researchers further say that media brings religious conflict and
increases religious intolerance among youth (khan et al, 2011).
1.1.2.2 MEDIA AND MARRIAGE PATTRENS


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The influences of media are quite visible on our marriage ceremonies and festivals. Dowry
system and heavy expenditures on the marriage of girls are done, which are inherited from Hindu
society because in Hindu society there is no share of women in the inheritance of their parents
the same attribute of parents in giving this share to their daughters after their marriage is visible
in Pakistan, reflecting the assimilation of Indian cultural values to this Pakistani culture
(Anonymous, 2010).
In the traditional world, the social institution of marriage, and the concepts of love and fidelity
are solidly defined. Marriage, for example, is permanent and forever. One pledges one’s love and
fidelity to a single person. Contemporary times, however, have challenged these notions and the
students’ exposure to the media has enabled them to imagine more complex and fluid
relationships. More importantly, the distribution of gender power that defines the institution of
marriage and the traditional concepts of love and fidelity are also challenged (Datoo.A, 2010).
Tariq, (2004) also concluded that media show attractive marriage traditions, hair styles, colors,
makeup, dresses, jewelry and life styles and marriage functions in high class are following the
patterns shown in media. Similarly, jewelry makeup and hair style of bride and stage decoration

also had been changed by movies during the marriage ceremony.in addition the media is
changing tradition arrange marriage to love and understanding and some time the male and
female take elopement as result of family compulsion.
1.1.2.3 MEDIA AND VIOLENCE
It concluded that although the various studies showed different degree of influence, there is a
positive and significant correlation between television violence aggressive behaviors. Producers
of violent media products often argue that they are merely reflecting the violence that already
exists in society. However, polls repeatedly show that most people believe violence in the media


7

contributes to violence in society (Croteau.D and Haynes’s, 2000:109). Exposure to media
violence has been found to increase aggression among children. (Boran.R.A.etal, 2008). The
researchers have concluded that media as source of violence which has impact of televised
violence on real life. The researchers suggest that the more time an audience spend viewing
television and observing its viewpoints which cultivates own social reality by images and
portrayals they see on TV. The researchers had particular observed that less than one percent of
Americans are victims of violent crime in any single year, people who watch a lot of TV tend to
overestimate this percent (Campbell.R, etal, 2006).TV Guide (1992) concluded that “violence is
a pervasive major feature of contemporary television programming and is coming from more
sources and in greater volume than ever before (Hickey, 1992: 10–12). A major longitudinal
study done by Eron concluded that television violence affects youngsters of all ages, of both
genders, at all socio-economic levels, and at all levels of intelligence ( Hickey, 1992: 11)..
1.1.2.4 MEDIA AND GENDER STEREOTYPES
Media have radically changed to eliminate sex-stereotyping roles and portray women as equal to
men in all fields of work and production. The women spend less time in household work and
more in social, professional, recreational and philanthropic activities. To go to the dress-maker or
the hair-dresser, to have morning coffee or lunch with friends, to shop and attend parties, these
constitute the daily routine for such women. They also enjoy taking meals in fine restaurants,

going on holidays and engaging in sports. (Joanne Cooke and Charlotte Bunch-Weeks, 1970).
(Croteau.D and Haynes’s, 2000) concluded that Tradition expected family include two parents,
that the parents be married, that they be heterosexual, that a women work only in the home.so
media have changed dramatically. Sengle-parrent family, blended families, two income family,


8

unmarried couples, and gay or lesbian couples, to name a few, have supplemented the traditional
family. The family structure, the pattern of behavior associated with families has changed.
The media are changing culture sex-role stereotypes from family to public space and from public
space to famiy.now men have entered in the kitchen like male cooker and baby tending in house
but these were the responsibilities of the women.in present society women shared with men in
primary production (growing food, weaving cloth). Media made men the primary breadwinners
and women the helper in industry and family size shrinks and more wives become employed
outside the family. Men muscle grows steadily less important as a job requirement and husband
find it empirical to keep their wives barefoot and pregnant. Although husbands may appreciate
their wives paychecks, their control is less complete then it was when husbands earned the entire
cash income themselves (Horton and Hunt).the resource theory of family power based upon data
showing that the wife power within family tend to vary according to how closely her paycheck
matches or exceeds her husband’s while women have been very slow to gain power equal to their
economic contribution, the economic base for male dominance is steadily eroding (Blood and
Wolfe,1960).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
The media are different technological processes that facilitate communication between the
sender of a message and receiver of that message. The media surround us. Our everyday lives are
saturated by radio, television, newspapers, books, the internet, movies, recorded music,
magazines and more (Croteau.D and Hoynes.W, 2000).
Cultural identity is not an only collection of thoughts, beliefs, traditions, languages and behaviors
accumulated through time. Rather it is a cultural selection on how to respond to an outside

stimulant in various time frames. As a result, cultural identity is a work plan created by people


9

for their future activities based on past experiences (Touraine, 2003).

Both printed and

electronic media without a doubt has had a significant influence on the individuals and cultural
identity. Meyrowitz (1985) argues that the media contributes to social change by being the
“missing link” between culture and personality.
The fact is evident that cultural identity and Media are correlated and interconnected phenomena
these days, where Media are source of transformation of new and modern ideas, development of
human capital and information, but on other side they are threat to socio-cultural environment in
the context of identity.in this connection The media have brought new values and philosophy
like materialistic approach because human relations are becoming impersonal and secondary, life
but not emotion, heart but no feeling but The traditions of values have changed i.e. unity,
solidarity and cooperation of social welfare. Individuals are moving away from their family and
community. The loyalty, responsibility and obedience toward parent are finishing (Rao.S, 2006).
Media have brought secularization in religious sphere of life and also reduced religious social
control. The researchers further say that media brings religious conflict and increases religious
intolerance among youth (khan.W, et al, 2011).
Further in addition the influences of media are quite visible on our marriage ceremonies and
festivals. Dowry system and heavy expenditures on the marriage of girls are done, which are
inherited from Hindu society because in Hindu society there is no share of women in the
inheritance of their parents the same attribute of parents in giving this share to their daughters
after their marriage is visible in Pakistan, reflecting the assimilation of Indian cultural values to
this Pakistani culture (Anonymous, 2010). Tariq, (2004) also concluded that media show
attractive marriage traditions, hair styles, colors, makeup, dresses, jewelry and life styles and

marriage functions in high class are following the patterns shown in media. Similarly, jewelry


10

makeup and hair style of bride and stage decoration also had been changed by movies during the
marriage ceremony.in addition the media is changing tradition arrange marriage to love and
understanding and some time the male and female take elopement as result of family
compulsion.
The researchers have concluded that media as source of violence which has impact of televised
violence on real life. The researchers suggest that the more time an audience spend viewing
television and observing its viewpoints which cultivates own social reality by images and
portrayals they see on TV. The researchers had particular observed that less than one percent of
Americans are victims of violent crime in any single year, people who watch a lot of TV tend to
overestimate this percent (Martin.R.C, etal, 2006).TV Guide (1992) concluded that “violence is a
pervasive major feature of contemporary television programming and is coming from more
sources and in greater volume than ever before (Hickey, 1992: 10–12). A major longitudinal
study done by Eron concluded that television violence affects youngsters of all ages, of both
genders, at all socio-economic levels, and at all levels of intelligence ( Hickey, 1992: 11).
Media have radically changed to eliminate sex-stereotyping roles and portray women as equal to
men in all fields of work and production. The women spend less time in household work and
more in social, professional, recreational and philanthropic activities. To go to the dress-maker or
the hair-dresser, to have morning coffee or lunch with friends, to shop and attend parties, these
constitute the daily routine for such women. They also enjoy taking meals in fine restaurants,
going on holidays and engaging in sports. (Joanne Cooke and Charlotte Bunch-Weeks, 1970).
(Croteau.D and Haynes’s, 2000) concluded that Tradition expected family include two parents,
that the parents be married, that they be heterosexual, that a women work only in the home.so
media have changed dramatically. Sengle-parrent family, blended families, two income family,

11

unmarried couples, and gay or lesbian couples, to name a few, have supplemented the traditional
family. The family structure, the pattern of behavior associated with families has changed.
The media are changing culture sex-role stereotypes from family to public space and from public
space to famiy.now men have entered in the kitchen like male cooker and baby tending in house
but these were the responsibilities of the women.in present society women shared with men in
primary production (growing food, weaving cloth). Media made men the primary breadwinners
and women the helper in industry and family size shrinks and more wives become employed
outside the family. Men muscle grows steadily less important as a job requirement and husband
find it empirical to keep their wives barefoot and pregnant. Although husbands may appreciate
their wives paychecks, their control is less complete then it was when husbands earned the entire
cash income themselves (Horton and Hunt).the resource theory of family power based upon data
showing that the wife power within family tend to vary according to how closely her paycheck
matches or exceeds her husband’s while women have been very slow to gain power equal to their
economic contribution, the economic base for male dominance is steadily eroding (Blood and
Wolfe,1960).
1.3 Significance of the study
This research activity is an attempt to highlight the Media influence/ impacts on cultural identity.
It would be helpful for the research students working in this sector as it would be provided a
guideline for them. It would be a source of information for the government officials, policy
makers and civil society activist for their attraction towards the issue related to the impacts of
media on cultural identity. This research activity also creates awareness among youth according
to the cultural stability.
1.4 Conceptual frame work


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A conceptual framework is described as “a set of broad ideas and principles taken from relevant

fields of enquiry and used to structure a subsequent presentation” (Reichel & Ramey, 1987).it
Contributing to the trustworthiness of the study (Goetz & LeCompte, 1984).Different concept
related to Media have been defined and explained as follows
1.4.1 Media
Media are human communication systems which include cinema, television, newspaper,
magazine, radio, computer and internet. Media is not easy because the Media are constantly
changing with development of new forms and technologies (Shaughnessy and Stadler, 2002).
1.4.2 Impacts
The term impact is a derivative of Latin word “Impactus” which refers to the violent contact of
some objects with each other. It also means that the force of collision, shock or the power of an
event, idea etc., to produce changes or having effects usually over the other object. (Webster,
2008).
1.4.3 Religion
Religion is a unified system which relative to sacred objects (Durkheim, 1915).Religion is an
organized collection of beliefs, cultural systems, and world views that relate humanity to the
supernatural,

to spirituality and,

sometimes,

to moral

values. Many

religions

have narratives, symbolism, and sacred histories that are intended to create meaning to life or
traditionally to explain the origin of life or the Universe. From their beliefs about
the cosmos and human nature, they tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a

preferred lifestyle (Oxford Dictionaries mythology, 2012).
1.4.4 Marriage


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According to Robert H.Lowie, Marriage is a relatively permanent bon between permissible
mates (Rao.S, 2006).Marriage is a contract between a man and woman to live as husband and
wife. A formal, binding contract is considered integral to a religiously valid Islamic marriage,
and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom and bride. The marriage must be
declared publicly (Sahih Bukhari & Sahih Muslim).
1.4.5 Violence
Frasier (1974) notes that violence is the perfect grist for entertainment. He says the functions of
violence are numerous. “Violence as a release, as self-affirmation, or self-defense or selfdiscovery or self-destruction; violence as a flight from reality, violence as the truest sanity in a
particular situation, and so on”. Violence is the edgework philosophy of living on the edge, from
thrill to thrill (Lyng, 1990). Violence is the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened
or actual, against a person, or against a group or community that either results in or has a high
likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation
(World Health Organization. 2004).
1.4.6 Stereotype
Stereotype is the Belief about social groups in terms of the traits or characteristics that they are
believed to share. Stereotypes are cognitive frame works that influence the processing of social
information (Travis and offir, 1977; pogrebin, 1980). A stereotype is a thought that may be


14

adopted about specific types of individuals or certain ways of doing things, but that belief may or
may not accurately reflect reality(McGarty e tal,2002).

1.5 Objectives of the study
1- To find out the media influence in the decline of religious observance
2- To highlight media role in changing pattern of marriage
3- To see the impact of media in changing gender stereotypes
4- To dig out the impacts of media in violence
1.6 Hypotheses of the study
1- Higher exposer to media, higher will be declining of religious observance among youth.
2- Influence of media leads to changing pattern of marriage.
3- Exposer to the media results to changing of gender stereotypes.
4- Violence in the media contributes to violence in society.
1.7 Universe of the study
The stud was limited to youth i.e. Male and Female from 18 to 30 year old of university of
Malakand Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan. University of Malakand is one of the public Sector
universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The University was established through a charter
issued by the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on August 30th, 2001 and is recognized by the
Higher Education Commission, Islamabad. Its population is more than 3000 students.
1.8 Delimitation of the topic and Area
The researchers have delimited both the topic and area. There are many impacts of Media. As it
was very difficult for the researchers to cover and study the Media impacts on each and every


15

aspect of social life. Therefore, the researchers have delimited the study to find out the
impacts/influence of Media on Cultural identity. The researchers also have delimited the area.
The population of University of Malakand is very large. So it was very difficult for researchers
to cover the entire population. So the researchers confined their study to collect data from youth
i.e. Male and Female from 18 to 30 years.
1.9 Organization of the chapters
Organization of the study has been formulated in the following way. This report has five

chapters. Chapter first consists of background of the study, statement of the problem,
significance, major objectives and hypotheses of the study. Second chapter contains the related
literature review in which the impacts of Media on cultural identity have discussed by various
scholars. In second chapter-B, area profile and its details have been put forwarded. In chapter
three, methods and procedures used for the study have been explained. Chapter four comprises of
the data analysis in table form along with results and discussions. And on the basis of those
major findings hypothesis have been verified. In fifth there are conclusions of the study followed
by few recommendations for the solution of the problem have been given, at the end
bibliography has also been given.


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CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Review of literature is very important part of a thesis that aims to develop the scope of the
research. Aside from technical chapters like methodology and analysis, the review of literature
provides as the reference comparison of the importance of research study. According to Cooper
(1988) a good literature review is characterized by: “a logical flow of ideas; current and relevant
references with consistent, appropriate referencing style; proper use of terminology; and an
unbiased and comprehensive view of the previous research on the topic”. In this part, the
researcher of the study intended to relate how a problem/thesis statement towards an already
published works (Bathol. Z, 2010)
2.1 Identity
According to Rumens (1993: 157-159) identity is the distinctive character belonging to any
given individual, or shared by all members of a particular social category or group. Identity is a
social system which works like an organic system and is made up of structure and cultural
values, rules, establish beliefs and practices to which their members are expected to conform
(Jones, 2005). The concept of identity is an important one, as it is only through establishing our
own identities and learning about the identities of other individuals and groups that we come to

know what makes us similar to some people and different from others, and therefore form social
connections with them(John,2008).
2.2 Identity formation


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Identity is formed through the socialization process and the influence of social institutions like
the family, the education system and the mass media (John, 2008). Identity is formed within
culture and in relation to those around us. We learn to become ourselves by observing others,
mirroring behaviors, trying out new patterns of action, following in the steps of those we admire,
or by those we feel pressured to imitate. Our identity is formed in community, and therefore
understanding others helps us understand ourselves. Even before we can speak, the formation of
our identity has already started. We come into a world that has a culture and a language with
ready-made labels, names, and expectations that begin to shape our identity even without our
knowledge. At first, our existence is automatically explained through those labels. Later on, once
we have acquired language and a sense of the culture that surrounds us, we can escape some of
those labels and choose others on our own. Our power to define who we are limited, however, by
language, a system already established by society before we participate in it (Yamada.M.F:4-5).
2.3 Culture Identity
Cultural identity is not an only collection of thoughts, beliefs, traditions, languages and behaviors
accumulated through time. Rather it is a cultural selection on how to respond to an outside
stimulant in various time frames. As a result, cultural identity is a work plan created by people
for their future activities based on past experiences. Some sociologists believe “the combination
of economic participation and cultural identity is made possible not by a choice between equality
and difference, but by the desire to construct or reconstruct a personal or collective experience
which combines both universes and a desire to be a social actor” (Touraine, 2003).
The concept of cultural identity can be a reference to the collective self-awareness that a
particular group embodies and reflects. the cultural identity of a society is defined by its majority
group” (Bochner, 1973). The concept is akin to the idea of a national character that describes a

18

set of traits that members of a given community share with one another. These traits include a set
of values and attitudes towards life, death, family, kinship, God, nature and society. In its
collective sense, the concept of cultural identity includes typologies of cultural conduct that is
appropriate and inappropriate for various situations, values, beliefs and the daily patterning of
activities. As such, cultural identity is socially constructed, bestowed and sustained (Rahim,S
andPawanteh,L.2009).
2.4 Culture identity in the Bible
As we read the Bible, we should keep in mind that although we may find some stories very
familiar because of our experiences in life, it is still important to ponder the stories in their own
cultural context before translating their message into our own. Just because we find a point of
correlation between a biblical story and our own lives does not mean that we can ignore the
temporal and cultural gap between us and the Bible. Some of the most oppressive readings of the
Bible arise, for example, when we lose track of the liberating message of a text and seek instead
to reproduce the cultural settings of the text trying, say, to reproduce the social mores of the firstcentury church in a twenty-first-century context. As we explore aspects of culture and identity in
the Bible, we should also keep in mind that just as we are constantly negotiating our identity in
complex cultural settings, the people of the Bible were also negotiating their own identities in the
midst of different cultures. In the First Testament we see the Hebrews forming a new identity as
the people of God in the midst of a hostile environment, surrounded by cities and nations with
different and often opposing cultures and customs. Later we see a similar struggle in the Second
Testament when those who believed in Jesus were called to adopt a new identity in the midst of
political, cultural, and religious opposition. In both cases, the process of identity formation as
people of God became a constant struggle as men and women seemed at times to adopt the


19

identity of those around them as a strategy of survival, and at other times to strive to establish a
clearly different identity that distinguished them from their neighbors, even when that might
have implied oppression, violence, and death (Yamada.M.F:5-6).
2.5 concept of culture within culture identity:
The concept of culture is also like the concept of identity.it can be used for many purposes and
consequently.it is often modified to suit a particular topic (saxer,1999:98).philosophy, sociology,
ethnology, cultural sciences, and culture studies have tried to describe and characterize what they
regard as culture. Even whiten specific disciplines, the concept of culture often remain
undefined. Culture is frequently describe as an orientation of values or modes of behavior(i.e. as
being standardized) while on other hand there is also room individual variation, subculture and
very small communities which make appear divergent (Demorgeon, 1996:43). Hansen develops
a concept of culture explaining the unity of culture on the basis of its differentiated nature. For
the example of Germany, a large number of different ways of life can be found within German
culture. Considering, for instance, the way of life of a carpenter in lower Bavaria as compared to
that of a manger working at the Frankfurt stock exchange, it would be difficult at first sight to
find many things their everyday lives have in common.it would be much easier to describe the
differences. yet, although their ways of life and everyday activities may seem to be very different
in detail, there are certain common features, to which Hansen also refers to as glue, initially are
the

common

language

and

the

common

history,

either

lived

or

handed

down(Hansen,1995).language is not only transfer medium allowing verbal communication to
take place, but it is closely connected to perception and reseason.it not simply names things, but
assign to them meaning by placing them into context (ibid:62).in this way, every language
community has its own perception of real life produced by meanings generated in its language


20

within turn, promotes cohesion and act as a mechanism of inclusion and exclusion. also history
constitute a sphere of significance of its own.it effect the reality of life and sustainably influences
thinking and acting by tradition and historical holidays and memorial days. Language and history
are mutually interdependent. On one hand because history is handed down by language. On other
hand because language itself has grown historically and is changed by historic events. language
and history promote the cohesion of society and constitute a first background of cultural
influence and identity it is achieved by birth and socialization i.e. education enable individual to
learn \language and something of specific history relevant to the society, organization of society
and its institutions. These institutions are the pattern of value, mores and norms of culture ((ibid,
p.110).according to Hansen that individual make up a group and the group forms individual who
acquire their identities in response to collective criteria. On the one hand culture is created by
individual but on other hand it creates their identity (Hansen, 1995).

2.6 Historical background of the study
The earliest debates about the impact of culture narratives on way of life date from the ancient
Greeks. socrat, himself accused of corrupting youths, worried that children exposed to stories
without distinction, would take into their souls teachings that are wholly opposite to those we
wish them to be possessed of when they are grow up. The playwright, on other hand he belied art
should imitate life, that characters should be real, and that artist works should reflect the actual
world even when that reality was impure (Roger.R, 2000).
In the Republic, Plato developed classical view of art.it should aim, to instruct and uplift. He
worried that some staged performances glorified evil that common people watching might not be
able to distinguish between art and reality. Aristotle Plato student occupied a middle position in
these debates, saying that art and stories should provide insight human condition but should