This book is one that writers and artists and people working with people should probably read at least once a year. Just to get our heads back on track and lead us to evaluate what we're doing and why.
Culture is a tricky thing to identify. It goes beyond the family and ethnic traditions we grew up in, and beyond the "culture pressure" that we're constantly feeling, which includes political correctness (IMO, there is nothing "correct" about politics and people thinking they can define right and wrong for the entire world. The only one with any right to do that is God ((because, y'know, He MADE us, and you just don't rewrite the Owner's Manual and tell the inventor He did it wrong!)), and when you try to rewrite what He said ... not smart! To misquote Jay Leno when speaking about the travesty of the TV movie about Noah ((seriously? Pirates attacking Noah's ark?))... "Who rewrites God?")
Anyway .... sorry about the rant ... Culture is around us, and we affect culture and it affects us. Or do we really affect it? That's one of the considerations -- do we really impact culture at all? Do we make any difference in the world? Can we steer this juggernaut of opinions and materialism and economics and fashion and tyranny and charity and popularity and all the other bits and pieces that go into forming this indefinable, all-devouring blob called culture? We can't really change the world, but we can improve the corner we're in, and do what we know God has called us to do and then ... well, don't tie yourself into knots and blow a gasket over what you can't change. The first step is to do what you can where you can, and get your eyes off yourself and back on the One whose opinion and approval really matter. The rest will take care of itself.
Yeah, I need to read this book a few more times to really figure out what's going on. But anything that makes us think and try to see through the fog is a good thing.
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