A Rose …表示(expression:“table; show”)..."Sapor"

We are having a running disagreement about the definition of “culture". The problem comes basically because the “common” definition and the “academic” definition seem to be hopelessly at odds with each other.

Common definition:
“…a: enlightenment and excellence of taste acquired by intellectual and aesthetic training b: acquaintance with and taste in fine arts, humanities, and broad aspects of science as distinguished from vocational and technical skills5 a: the integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations b: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group; also : the characteristic features of everyday existence (as diversions or a way of life} shared by people in a place or time (popular culture) c: the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution or organization (a corporate culture focused on the bottom line) d: the set of values, conventions, or social practices associated with a particular field, activity, or societal characteristic …” Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Academic definition:
“… "culture" was created as a racist tool used by imperialistic, white Europeans to enslave all those you mentioned, and all, and force them to the submission of their "culture". What the Greeks, et al had was tradition …” THERE WAS NO CULTURE BEFORE ITS INVENTION IN THE 19th CENTURY BY BISMARCK'S REGIME OF ARISTOCRATS AND ACASEMICS. “…an imaginary construct of racism …” Daniel Rea

I am told that we cannot just throw out the academic definition and replace it with the current popular one, because academics have an addiction to research. In 50 years they would just research their way back to the original meaning and the new one we set today would be discarded. So we need a new word. Daniel likes using the word “tradition.” My problem with that is that it also has too much baggage attached. The common meaning being things and ways of doing things in the past:

“…a: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) b: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable …” Merriam-Webster Dictionary

The definition of tradition lends itself to “treason” if you try to change, modify or dispute it. Therefore as a living, changing and vibrant expression of life, “tradition” is lacking.

In identifying acts of expression in society done now and in the future the word “tradition” doesn’t work so well.

We need a word to match to the following suggested definition:

The character, methods and tools that are used to identify myself in relation to you (my group and/or another group or member within that group). The character, methods and tools that a group uses to identify itself (and the members within its group) in relation to another group (and members within that group).

The form of expression (self through all levels of social) we use to relate to others; a tribe uses to relate within itself and to others; a guild uses to relate within itself and to others and a nation uses to relate within itself and to others. Even a group of nations: The EU, OAU etc) uses to relate within itself and to others.

These include all the arts, language, and forms of expressions

Anyone?