We are Culture 3

We are Culture 3

Even various subcultures, regardless of their differences, are founded on the same basic assumptions. It may sound as though these assumptions are somehow force-fed into our thoughts and perceptions, but our indoctrination comes about quite naturally in the process of growing up within our culture. These background beliefs are reinforced at every turn and simply fall into place like basic “truths” that dictate the nature of our experience by shaping our interpretation of whatever’s perceived. Since these assumptions are shared by everyone around us, we don’t recognise their considerable influence.

Since the birth of humanity, people have created many phantom worlds in which to live. In fact, our most powerful inventions are not technological at all: they are conceptual. Every culture needs structure and values in order to function as a cooperative effort, and commonly held beliefs and assumptions provide a central unifying force. In response to the question of existence, such as “Who are we, and why are we here?” a staggering number of belief systems, values, religions, cosmologies, and worldviews have been invented, lived, and taken very, very, seriously. For the most part these “inventions” occurred organically or collectively over a period of time, but despite their unpremeditated beginnings, they are inventions nevertheless.

By design, the modern human mind craves knowledge, especially in places where we can find none. When faced with an absence of information, we’ll make something up – we will believe and assume. This tendency appears to be universal – in every culture, some form of beliefs arises to fill in for the lack of absolute “knowledge.” Every subculture with a set of beliefs clamours to have the last word on the subject, claiming themselves guardians of the Truth. Many of the different factions are willing to war over their inventions, but no one is willing to confess that they simply don’t know what truth is.

The Book of Not Knowing

Peter Ralston