Culture and civilization - Compare and Contrast

Culture and civilization - Compare and Contrast

Question:-Culture and civilization- Compare and contrast.

The word ‘culture’ and ‘civilization’ are often used synonymously, however, they have different terms. Civilization means having better means of living and having organized societies with politically well-defined groups that work towards a better lifestyle. Culture is a way of life. The food habits, language, and religion you follow are aspects of culture. Culture thus refers to a man made environment. It is the expression of our nature in our way of life and thought. Culture varies based on place and country.

Culture includes arts, sciences, music, dance and various higher pursuits of life which are classified as cultural activities. Culture is more lasting than a civilization since cultural changes take place over years or centuries but changes in civilization are rather rapid.

The concept of civilization was considered equal with things such as respect for one another, the purity of life and high regard for ethics. In this sense, those who lack in these attributes were regarded as uncivilized. Civilization is always seen as advancing but not culture. Variance of cultures may not be accompanied by variance of civilization at different places but civilization could be similar in variable cultural areas.

Therefore, when we think of culture, we have to understand that it is different from civilization. Culture is the higher levels of inner refinement of a human being. Humans live and act at three levels, physical, mental and spiritual.

Thus, while better ways of living socially and politically and better utilization of nature around us may be termed as civilization, this is not enough to be cultured. Only when the a person’s intellect and consciousness are brought into expression can the person be a cultured one.