The Coexistence of Cultures

Abstract

Prior to the discussion on the meeting of cultures, one should determine what is meant by “culture”—and this is no mean task. I wish to point out, first of all, that I will stick to a rather abstract definition, which will enable me to include extremely diverse phenomena: culture refers to common representations, thus shared by at least two human beings—mostly, however, by a far larger number of people. It is not the content of these representations that determine its “cultural” nature, but rather their spreading. Here, the collective is opposed to the individual. Culture, therefore, implies communication, of which it is one of the outcomes. These representations, as the word indicates, are an image, i.e. an interpretation of the world; possessing a culture means that one has access to a pre-organization of the world, a miniature model, a kind of map, which enables us to find our bearings. Culture is both common memory—we learn the same language, the same history, the same traditions—and the rule for living together—we speak so as to be understood, and we behave in accordance with the rules that govern our society. It is turned both towards the past and towards the present.