14 February 2008

Advanced Mastery : Holism in Anthropology.

The philosophy holism basically declares, that “whole it is more than the sum of parts“ And it because character of a part really only is expressed in its relations whole and character of a part is better understood in its relations with other parts.
As I would like to consider an example through holistic principle why people from different cultures often put on diverse clothes and it not simply to hide a way the body from the sun or from a frost and that it is much more important for people. All of us different to the tastes to clothes and always aspire to show the individuality in clothes. It would seem only our business what to dress. But why then people always put on “ officially “ (for example men dress a tie, a white shirt, dark colour trousers or a suit– expensive "official style") when they pass at employment interview in bank? Why so? Why people unconditionally follow this rule and do not come on interview in a T-short and jeans?
The answer is obvious – the person dressed in business style, causes in the employer positive impression, and naturally it is more chances to get good work and growth of the subsequent career. Further a chain of interrelations: good work, the high salary, position in a society, possibility to pay accounts to have the good house, the car, to be successful and happy.
Now the further interrelation. On requirement of business clothes responds a fashion, manufacturers of clothes, accessories, the advertising industry . The whole mullions-strong industry of a fashion of business clothes is developed - and it is many workplaces. It is not forgotten that there people work too and they receive the salary, taxes pay to the state, and the economy develops. A vivid example to that -France where billions dollars in the fashion industry. Advertising on TV is even more strengthens bank employee in necessity to follow canons of business clothes and to buy new clothes. The circle closed up, it all came back to where it had started. And it is because character of a part – that the person dresses it, we can understand only how it is expressed in its relations whole-in this case, culture of business clothes, as to culture of success and prosperity.
Thus from what we put on, our future quite often depends enough. For example, in my country where I was born, Ukraine, clothes is considered as some kind of the business card in a society, and it matters not only as people put on work. In Ukraine people always try to put on soundly and beautifully even when they go shopping to grocery store . We have a proverb “Meet on clothes and see off on mind”
In the relation to clothes we are absolutely interconnected with opinion of a society, are as though twisted in norms of a society, in concepts what clothes should be, and what is unacceptable. I think it is characteristic for all cultures.
This example proves, that our own actions, or actions of others, do not exist in some kind of the discrete context, the isolated vacuum. The person’s relation to clothes and concept about culture of clothes in a society, their interrelation – as clear example for that .

1 comment:

Matt Archer said...

Thanks for the addition. Sorry for the delayed response. Somehow I missed your revision.

You've demonstrated ADVANCED mastery of the Introduction to Anthropology learning unit.