Culture.
Cultural Identity
What defines a culture is the ways in which human needs are satisfied
There is basically one culture remaining on this planet, the Industrial Culture.
One of the most important tenets of the industrial culture is the belief in the eternally growing economy. However the spirit of industrialism is rapidly losing its' grip. The doctrine of material growth has signally failed to provide people with any lasting ideals or values. The social order is expending all its' creative energy on just maintaining the status quo.
When personal alienation feeds on ecological breakdown then all we have to look forward to is a veritable technocracy of ruins.
There is no connection between increased living standards (beyond sufficiency) and happiness/contentment. There can be now doubt that material living standards in Australia have increased since 1960. However consider the rate of murder and other violent crime, the increase in drug and alcohol abuse and suicide. It would appear that we live in a less happy society in 2014 than in 1960. It is difficult to draw a line between sufficiency and extravagance, however it is certain that in Australia we are dying of the stresses of abundance rather than the stresses of scarcity.
What defines a culture is the ways in which human needs are satisfied
There is basically one culture remaining on this planet, the Industrial Culture.
One of the most important tenets of the industrial culture is the belief in the eternally growing economy. However the spirit of industrialism is rapidly losing its' grip. The doctrine of material growth has signally failed to provide people with any lasting ideals or values. The social order is expending all its' creative energy on just maintaining the status quo.
When personal alienation feeds on ecological breakdown then all we have to look forward to is a veritable technocracy of ruins.
There is no connection between increased living standards (beyond sufficiency) and happiness/contentment. There can be now doubt that material living standards in Australia have increased since 1960. However consider the rate of murder and other violent crime, the increase in drug and alcohol abuse and suicide. It would appear that we live in a less happy society in 2014 than in 1960. It is difficult to draw a line between sufficiency and extravagance, however it is certain that in Australia we are dying of the stresses of abundance rather than the stresses of scarcity.
Most people assume that human needs are unlimited, simple, rational and constant throughout all cultures and generations.
In fact human needs are limited and complex. The needs are:
Subsistence,
Protection
Understanding
Affection
Identity
Leisure
Creativity
Freedom
Participation
In fact human needs are limited and complex. The needs are:
Subsistence,
Protection
Understanding
Affection
Identity
Leisure
Creativity
Freedom
Participation