How to Respond to Peers

First-Person #1 

Hello, I have gained new insights from your post on material and immaterial culture. It has made a distinct separation of the two aspects of culture. I had not arrived at such a deep and direct understanding of cultural elements. You have provided examples and functional organization of content, which has helped me. I like how you have emphasized that immaterial culture is associated with behaviors and difficult to change while material culture consists of possessions that are flexible with technology. Truly, technology has caused and enhanced globalization process, which has created significant cultural transformations. While nations, tribes, groups, and individuals are absorbing materials brought about by technology, they strive to remain distinct in their behavior. Finally, immaterial culture is becoming eroded. The process is gradual, and cultures are either undergoing homogenization or hybridization. The result is the formation of complex cultures, as seen in the influence of European cultures on the African population, among others. 

Second Person #2 

Hi. Thank you for your submission, particularly on the concept of material culture, cultural lag, and the role of the automobile in transforming cultures. I believe communities are fast to accept shading off their material cultures because the external items can be disposed of based on circumstances. Therefore, material culture is disposable because they are not designed to solve long-term problems. Immaterial culture, on the contrary, is personal since it outlines beliefs, faith, and religion explaining the origin, destiny, and how to get to the destination. Therefore, they act as a moral compass, which makes them dear to the communities. I have borrowed your concept of cultural lag and remolded it. I perceive cultural lag to be the internal struggle within community members as they debate giving up explanations on life, that gives them assurance, purpose, and confidence, for new theories, without sufficient proof. Finally, your take on the automobile is accurate. The development of automobile simplified the transportation of people, of various cultures, allowing them to meet, learn, and exchange with new cultures.