Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Culture: An Adaptive Mechanism


CULTURE: AN ADAPTIVE MECHANISM
by Antonio C. Antonio
January 26, 2015

What do we mean when we say “Culture is an adaptive mechanism”?  With this, we simply mean that man has traditionally used culture to adapt to his environment.  Culture is the adaptive mechanism that allows a society to survive in his chosen environment or adjust to the constant changes in his environment. 

It is said that between man and his environment is culture.  And the basic function of culture is to guarantee that man survives in whatever environment he chooses to be in.  Each culture has a unique and peculiar way of adapting to a specific environment.  And each culture tenaciously attempts to strike a sustainable balance between society and resources.

In an upland or forest landscape, there is an absence of modern technologies.  What uplanders have are indigenous knowledge commonly held with cultural traditions and practices.  But even with the lack of modern technologies, indigenous knowledge and culture is flexible in adapting to change.  Ruled by the need to survive, culture becomes the adjustable and flexible parameter that is used in adapting to an ever-changing environmental landscape.  Perhaps, the absence of modern technologies in the uplands, makes it possible for the upland dwellers to hold on to culture as a means of survival.  We could say this again… “Culture: An adaptive mechanism.”

Just my little thoughts…

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