Analysis of Culture - Raymond Williams

Raymond Williams a critic and novelist born in Wales, found a way to explain and curb the human anxieties regarding culture. Williams asserts that the studying of culture helps one understand and learn his own identity.

Figure 1: Raymond Williams (Verso)

According to Williams culture can be divided in three different categories:

1. Ideal 
2. Documentary
3. Social

• Ideal is based on what we consider as optimal, the best of the best, an is shaped upon our innate biases. It is generally thought of as absolute or universal values. Unbeknownst to us all our decisions go through this imaginary Ideal
• Documentary comes from the world that surrounds us, what we see, what we hear; TV, music etc...
• Social state is a description and way of life that expresses defined meanings and values (shared meanings, what is acceptable).