SOCIETY, INSTITUTIONS, and CULTURE
The World of People, in a certain sense, is made up of three things: Society, Institutions, and Culture. These three are so interwoven it is difficult to know exactly where one ends and the other begins.
These three things are so powerful and so present that they mold us into the people that we are, and into what future generations will become.
What are they, in simple terms?
*A Society is a group of like-minded people with the same ideas, ethics, purpose, and goals.
*Institutions are the repositories of these ideas, ethics, purposes, and goals. Institutions also instill
like-mindedness into the people (future generations) and promote the continuation of the society.
*Culture is the outward expression of this like-mindedness through behaviors, beliefs, values, and perceptions.
SOCIETY is the foundational grouping of like-minded people. So what does it mean to be “like minded?” Well one indication is placing “Value” on things, like gold out of the ground, or education, or honesty, virginity in girls. Another indication are Perceptions, or how we see things. Democracy is good and Communism is bad; being clothed is good and being naked is bad, especially in public. Things like Values and Perceptions are completely subjective and holds true only if the people in the Society (we, the People) agree that it does. This placing of value and the creation of perception in a SOCIETY runs across the board into every aspect of the lives of the people.
The Society creates INSTITUTIONS which are the repositories of, and promote the Values and Perceptions held by the Society. It is easy to point out the INSTITUTIONS in our Society that promote our values and perceptions: Banks, Schools, Churches, Prisons, Family, Television, the Legal System, Government, etc.
In our Society Institutions are the conduits through which we become CULTURED. Values, morels, truths, perception, right-and-wrong, success, language, manners, etc., are all 'learned,' subjective behaviors. CULTURE is the result of being continually conditioned into accepting certain behaviors and beliefs to be the correct way to live. This happens automatically in an established Society with operating Institutions. We, the People are usually unaware that we, ourselves have been CULTURED.
So what does it really mean to be “cultured?” Let's think, for a moment, about a Cultured Pearl compared to a naturally occurring Pearl. A naturally occurring pearl is just that; it is created by nature. A cultured pearl is one that man causes to be created by planting a “seed” into the shell of the oyster. So when a human baby is born, parents, churches, schools, clubs, banks, movies & TV, publications, etc., all influence the baby's development, belief system, truths, and a perception of “reality.” Baby becomes a member of Society. Just like you & me.
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In other words:
So when a group of people with a “Common View” come together they create a society. Institutions are then created in order to continue the principles, values and perceptions of that common view (Society) into the future. These institutions mold or “culture” us and the future generations into supporting, upholding and believing in this continued common view (values). The Common View, over time becomes a “Belief System” which imparts reality and truths (culture)... according to itself and its own perception of things; which in turn guarantees the continued existence of the Institutions – which become the central, pivotal and essential attribute of both the Society that created them, and the Culture these institutions have developed, support, and perpetuate.
NOTE: Regarding the nature of Institutions, like; Churches, Corporations, & Governments:
Anyone who has studied Business Sociology can tell you that the nature and motivation of an institution or corporation is in its own continued existence – not primarily in the quality or practicality of it's product or service. Founders who establish corporations are often visionaries who want to achieve something of value or something that brings value to the consumer; to the People. After the Founder dies, the corporation becomes the child of its stockholders and driven by a board of directors who often times have their own views. The values that the Founder initially brought to the corporation are most always usurped by the bottom line; and so profit and especially continued existence becomes much more important than quality, value, or service.
Right now in 2026 in America we are experiencing a breakdown in our Culture. We, as a People no longer believe in several of the Institutions that have been, in the past, central to our Society. Religion (the Church) is one of those Institutions at risk, as contemporary research, available information, and other Social Influences have caused a shift in both perception and value.
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