Culture is Ordinary - Response

I would tend to agree with Williams' depiction of culture as an equivocation. Indeed Williams explores his two interpretations on the subject. The first defining culture as a general term for the characteristics of a certain area or group. His alternative definition leaves culture to be described as exploration and self-realization through education and the arts. Every word written in his article in some way contributes to these two supported views on the subject. However I feel that it is between the lines that Williams offers his true statement. "Every human society has its own shape, it's own purposes, its own meanings." And yet, in an essay supposedly devoted to defining a topic, he provokes even more ambiguity by never offering concrete examples of such shapes, purposes, or meanings. Perhaps, it's doo difficult a task.

It is my opinion that what Williams is really suggesting here is that, to him, culture has the two meanings he took such great care to define. But, in his definitions, I believe lie the rumblings for an argument that maintains the thoery of relativity. Meaning, in his culture, "culture" has the two meanings presented, but in a "different" culture, the word could have a dramatically "uncommon" interpretation. Either way, it's difficult to generalize and specify terms when dealing with concepts that suggest that they, in themselves, could be evaluated in more than one way. I'll close with a quote from one of my favorite shirts, that I think plays into the same hand: "You're unique, just like everyone else."

ps: I hate blogger.com's "Word Verification" image recognition scripts.