We tell you if reading smart books is enough or if something else is needed.
A cultured person is a person who shows interest in and respect for the heritage and traditions of his or her country and the world at large. Also has a broad knowledge of various fields. For example, art, music, literature, architecture, history. Such people are able to evaluate and analyze events, understand their significance and impact on society.
However, there is another very important criterion. First of all, it is a high personal culture. That is, a set of qualities that make a person attractive to others and allow him to interact effectively with others. We are talking about respect for oneself and others, a sense of responsibility for one’s actions, the ability to control one’s emotions and communicate effectively, and the desire for self-improvement.
A bit of history
In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, modernization imposed new patterns of behavior. Changes in social life (the division of the working class and the privileged class) were transferred to the cultural. Thus appeared dandyism. It became important to emphasize one’s special status in order to stand out. Dandies did not work, what else could they do? They studied fashion and etiquette.
A major role in the development of culture played a literature, which in this period was experiencing its best times. Such a genre as the psychological novel appeared. Books opened up a new aesthetic world. Here people drew models of behavior.
In the twentieth century, because of industrialization, workers moved to cities, they had to be accustomed to a certain way of life. Novels, theaters, libraries, and exhibitions became a means of disciplining the new people. Uncultured people were ridiculed in satirical magazines and movies. Such entertainment was thought to help reduce stress after a hard day’s work.
