And the winning piece of culture is....
December 14, 2009
Culture is one of the those tricky words isn't it?
[ Actually, I find all words quite tricky - they squirm and wriggle and writhe, squeezing different 'meaning' into different 'contexts'...but eventually you have to let it go, once you accept there is no fixed 'meaning' to any of the noises we make beyond what I think it means and what you understand it to - assuming everything is in inverted commas is just easier.]
When I asked for pieces of culture I wasn't really sure what I would get, but that was the point - to offer something to you, dear reader, and to get some of your interests in return, which can then be shared and so on.
I was a bit surprised that I only received one recombinant entry, considering my predisposition for such, and although it's great - The Muppets: Bohemian Rhapsody - it's not today's winner.
Other honorable mentions go to:
Contra Culture Up Up Down Down
Juicy Info Culture and Trends Magazine
But I've decided to send the prize to CapC for the TED talk :
Devdutt Pattanaik: East vs. West -- the myths that mystify -a fragment of culture that is itself cultural exegesis, using the differences in core myths to unravel the routes of clashing cultures - it seems to be the most 'appropriate' entry.
[CapC please ping me your address]
Devdutt references some very similar points to some of the things I was saying in this paper about brands as modern myths - so I found it very interesting.
"Depending on the context, depending on the outcome, choose your paradigm"
"Understand that you live in the subjective truth, and so does everyone else."