What do we mean when say that culture is acquired and not hereditary?

When we say that culture is acquired and not hereditary, we mean that it is learned through social interaction and experience, not passed down genetically like physical traits. Here's a breakdown:

* Heredity: Refers to the biological traits passed from parents to offspring through genes. Examples include eye color, height, and certain predispositions.

* Culture: Refers to the shared values, beliefs, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a particular group of people. These are learned and transmitted through:

* Socialization: The process of learning the norms, values, and behaviors of a society. This happens through family, education, peers, media, and other social institutions.

* Enculturation: The process of acquiring the culture of a particular society. This happens throughout our lives, often starting from childhood.

Here's why it's important to understand this distinction:

* Culture is diverse: Because it is learned, cultures vary greatly across the world and even within societies. There are no "hardwired" cultural instincts.

* Culture is dynamic: Cultures change over time as people adapt to new circumstances and adopt new ideas. This flexibility allows societies to evolve and thrive.

* Culture is not static: Individuals are not simply puppets of their culture. They can choose to embrace or reject certain aspects of their culture, and they can also contribute to its evolution.

In summary: While we inherit certain biological traits, our cultural understanding is shaped by our environment and the people we interact with. This means that culture is not fixed, but rather a constantly evolving tapestry of learned behaviors and beliefs.