What is Cultures.com?
Welcome to Cultures.com, a site devoted to cultures — living and ancient — and the promotion of world communication and peace.
What are cultures? Cultures are the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group. Related terms are: way of life, lifestyle, customs, traditions, heritage, habits, ways, and values.
According to Languages Unlimited, there are five main cultures in the world: Asian, African, European, Middle Eastern, and Latin American.
"Each culture has its unique customs, traditions, and practices, shaped by historical and social factors. These cultures are also characterized by different languages, foods, music, and arts, reflecting the diversity of our world."
You may notice that the United States is not on this list.
That’s because,
"America is a multicultural society that is home to people from many different backgrounds. Officially there is no count of how many cultures are in America. However, there are many recognized ethnic and cultural groups in the United States. African American, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, and European American cultures are just some of the many that contribute to the diverse tapestry of American society.”
The MarsTranslation website ranks the top 28 cultures in the world, the top five are listed as Italy, France, Spain, United States, India.
Notice the difference: one source leaves the United States off its short list of the five main cultures in the world, while it ranks high on another list of world cultures.
The LiveScience website quotes an academic expert who says that American culture "encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things."
And goes on to say,
"In addition to Indigenous Americans who were already living on the continent, the population of the United States was built on immigration from other countries. … Because of this, the United States is one of the most culturally diverse countries in the world... Nearly every region of the world has influenced American culture, most notably the English who colonized the country beginning in the early 1600s, according to the Library of Congress. U.S. culture has also been shaped by the cultures of Indigenous Americans, Latin Americans, Africans and Asians.”
The United States is sometimes described as a 'melting pot’ … in which different cultures have contributed their own distinct ‘flavors' to American culture. Just as cultures from around the world have influenced American culture, today American culture influences the world. The term Western culture often refers broadly to the cultures of the United States and Europe," according to ScienceDaily.
In today’s divisive, polarized climate, some people disparage the melting pot that is the United States — and long for the return of an idealized 1950s-era pallid monoculture that existed only on television sets.
Other cultures include car culture, surf culture, and even sneaker culture.
More links:
11 of the most unique [sic] and beautiful cultures around the world, in pictures.
Explore the different cultures around the world.
Cultures of the World — A fun overview of the world cultures for kids.