We consume culture but we also create it. What elements of culture have you played a role in creatin

Personal opinion answers may vary. Best answers will involve examples from each element of
culture: beliefs, norms and values, material/non-material culture (see Table 3.1, The Building
Blocks of Culture, p. 65 of the text).
Example of belief: A slang word created and shared by you and your friends/age group that
expresses a particular shared belief about the world around you. Conditions could be the
environment and the origins of how the word was created, and the cultural contribution could be
both personal and/or shared, depending on how the student explains it.
Example of norm and values: Do not make eye contact with people in an elevator/face forward in
an elevator. It is “social etiquette” adopted by the general public and is a form of “public
cooperation” when a passenger on an elevator.
Example of material/non-material culture: The desire for name-brand clothing or the idea of
beauty. Social media promotes ideals, which the public adopts (buys into), which in turn is
produced by companies (clothing/beauty products/diet aids, etc.), and then bought and consumed
by individuals. Poll students about their response to the observation that much clothing serves as
free advertising for major brands due to the prevalence of brand logos on clothing. Is this a plus,
a minus, or both?