Cultural Icons Paper
Some of the material cultural icons that surround me in my environment include: churches, computers, cellular phones, automobiles, homes, fitness trackers, supermarkets, clothing, money, and jewelry. Each of these has a non-material connection to a cultural value or idea. Each of them can imply status or our ideas of self as well as how we perceive those around us. These are very functional, structural and widely disseminated throughout our society.
The icons and their associations imply the following to many in our society in the United States:
Churches: Churches are associated with a system of belief. They are built, in many cases, to inspire awe and reverence, which inspires those feelings we should feel for a deity that we cannot see. Function of ceremony is also considered in the design of such facilities. Temples or basilicas take awe inspiring to …show more content…
Some devices are very expensive and are used for a variety of things from business, simple word processing or gaming. Some device users become strong proponents of one platform or another, for example those who prefer apple commuters will not use a PC and vice versa, citing ability to install viruses and availability of software as their reasons for choosing. I think it is mostly what you learn on that may determine which platform one chooses. All machines imply a savviness of the modern technical world. (Watson, 2012)
Cellular phones: As with computers, choices are many and vary by price and function as well as fashion. I-phones are the gold standard in both. Carriers of this phone enjoy the benefit of being able to sell higher cost plans that use more data and features and enjoy the prestige that follows the phone. To be without a cell phone is to be in the Stone Age. To have any other phone but the I-phone is to be in the Dark Ages. (Hauk,
The icons and their associations imply the following to many in our society in the United States:
Churches: Churches are associated with a system of belief. They are built, in many cases, to inspire awe and reverence, which inspires those feelings we should feel for a deity that we cannot see. Function of ceremony is also considered in the design of such facilities. Temples or basilicas take awe inspiring to …show more content…
Some devices are very expensive and are used for a variety of things from business, simple word processing or gaming. Some device users become strong proponents of one platform or another, for example those who prefer apple commuters will not use a PC and vice versa, citing ability to install viruses and availability of software as their reasons for choosing. I think it is mostly what you learn on that may determine which platform one chooses. All machines imply a savviness of the modern technical world. (Watson, 2012)
Cellular phones: As with computers, choices are many and vary by price and function as well as fashion. I-phones are the gold standard in both. Carriers of this phone enjoy the benefit of being able to sell higher cost plans that use more data and features and enjoy the prestige that follows the phone. To be without a cell phone is to be in the Stone Age. To have any other phone but the I-phone is to be in the Dark Ages. (Hauk,