CATHERINE GAURANO

INTERVIEW ANSWERS:
*What is the importance of culture?
Culture is important in many aspects on human lives but for me its vital significance is how it
gives a sense of identity for a certain group of people. It influences people as a group and this
includes traditions, customs, language, religion, values, and memories as people. For instance,
tell me you are a Filipino without telling me you’re a Filipino. One can do this by demonstrating
Filipino culture like “pagmamano” and using “po/opo”. Through these gestures, you are labelled
as a Filipino. Therefore, in essence, culture is the definition of your identity.

*Can society exist without culture?

I would say no. Society will not exist without culture. Society is defined as people who are living
together in a particular area that is organized by laws and shared culture. The shared culture in
the society is our imaginary rule of conduct and is what affects our decisions inside our
community. Culture is an integral component of society that has to be preserved and transferred
from generation to generation. As culture is the identity of the people and people is what makes
society; hence, society and culture complement each other. They are not mutually exclusive but
rather interdependent with each other.

*How does culture affect society?

Culture has many scopes in human lives and therefore it affects society in many aspects. Our
culture shapes how we work and play a role in our society. It makes an impact on how we deal
with other people and how we conduct ourselves in the world. For example, a child from
different region in the Philippines differs each other in terms of language and norms primarily
because they have different upbringing. Because we are raised by different culture we are also
offered with different paths and choices in life. The decision that we take from these choices
shapes our society and that is how culture affect society.

*How can culture affect the social life?

Our culture and social life are interrelated with each other in the sense that we begin to learn
our culture right after birth---enculturation. Through interaction with our group like family, friends,
and community we begin to acquire their culture, this process is called socialization. As we grow
up, we tend to develop our own social behavior which is also influence by our culture. It is
common that people with the same culture stays in the same circle because they relate with
each other. Not only but also how we interact with other people is influence by our culture. For
one, in the Philippines it is customary to be very hospitable with our visitors, so as Filipino we
learn to be hospitable in dealing with visitors. But sense culture is learned we can also adapt
other culture and that is fine. We are an evolving creature and so is culture.