Culture is the arbitrary dressing on universal survival functions.

Evidence

All discussion of culture focuses on the arbitrary aspects of human behavior. To survive, humans need food, shelter, and clothing, but as the anthropologist Marshall Sahlins writes, “Men do not merely ‘survive.’ They survive in a definite way.” Intoxicating beverages serve a universal function; “cultural” differences emerge when Russians pour shots of vodka, Mexicans toss back tequila, and Mongolians sip fermented mare’s milk. While these choices may have developed under particular geographical and agricultural conditions, they are arbitrary in the sense that humans can imbibe any of them to achieve the same purpose of inebriation. Global supply chains have proven this to be true: Mongolians now drink rum, and Russians enjoy scotch. — W. David Marx, Status and Culture, 116

Categorization

• XREF: Sahlins’ point that supply chains erasing geographic-drink determinism provides a clean test case for the arbitrariness thesis. Connects to the ‘complaints about immodesty’ framing of dress as arbitrary cultural signaling. — connects to: Culture operates as signifying practice rather than a fixed way of life — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2: Identity…, 399; Culture is a genetically evolved consequence of social learning adaptations. — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success: How Culture…, 139; Culture as objectivated design of human existence is the anthropological definition (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Culture is a genetically evolved consequence of social learning adaptations. #contradicts (0.82) — Joseph Henrich, The Secret of Our Success, 139
• Science presents itself as universal and culture-free but is itself a cultural discourse #exemplifies (0.76) — Rebecca A. Martusewicz, Jeff Edmundson, and John Lupinacci, EcoJustice Education, 545
• Culture as objectivated design of human existence is the anthropological definition #expands (0.74)
• Humans evolved specifically to absorb culture along with its prejudgments #complicates (0.73) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 353
• Culture operates as signifying practice rather than a fixed way of life #complicates (0.72) — Stuart Hall, Essential Essays, Volume 2, 399
• Cultural upbringing shapes human nature far more than biology does. #complicates (0.71) — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 173