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Culture By Roy Wagner: The Reality Of Culture

1058 Words5 Pages

Even before Roy Wagner, the concept of culture was a fickle, and even obtuse plot line imagined by the most credible minds in anthropology. But like most fictions, if influential, it had come to life in the abounding essence of relative thought beyond the borders of our own kingdoms. Here, I would like to comment on the reality of culture, and if, indeed it is as solid a reality as most of us think. It is easy to say with definitive confidence that culture is at once entirely separate, yet certain universals must be applied. These are few but include the right to life, the dread and crime of death, and the general belief and use of ritual. Wagner's thoughts appear at once pessimistic, grinding on the insistence that culture is invented by …show more content…

His words seem unthinking towards the field in general, nearly mocking it to be equal in the skill set of a newly graduated student. On the other hand, he may indeed be a pessimistic person who is seeking reality by asking the question that, assuming, no other anthropologist is willing to ask. Wagner may be correct that the anthropological community has used culture as kind of an easy-way-through; culture is akin to something exotic, enticing, and used as anthropological bait (Wagner, 1981). I quite agree with this in one sense: For some anthropologists, there is a temptation to enter into the discussion of culture because 1) all can be discussed with a tone of intellect, and 2) It is not difficult to discuss on a shallow, or surface level. For these reasons, I would say that he is at least partially correct that culture is delicious chum. However, I would go on to claim his pessimism is that culture is delectable only for those who are new to the field, or who do not truly wish to dive into very difficult questions. Those who are seasoned anthropologists, and who are not afraid to research and inquire, might not be tempted in the same way that Wagner suggests. It is apparent that he is trying to provoke a response that elicits the question of where our own boundaries lie. Are we going to submit to what the established academics have proposed as “culture”? Or, are we going to question whether such a thing exists as we have been told? I believe it is essential to question

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