The Cultural Diamond: Twitter as a Cultural Object

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What is the “Cultural Diamond”?
The cultural diamond can be best understood and explained through an analysis of its framework and linkages. The diamond consists of four corners: the cultural object, the receiver, the creator and the social world.
Firstly, there is the cultural object, which can be anything in the social world that has a shared significance or meaning. The cultural object can be tangible like an Iphone, audible like a national anthem, visible like a Christian wearing a cross, and even a socially meaningful expression such as a handshake to signify an agreement. However, a cultural object cannot become cultural or meaningful unless it has someone to receive and interpret it, nor can it exist without someone to create it. Therefore, the second and third points on the cultural diamond are the receiver and creator.
The receiver is the person (or people) who interact with a cultural object through understanding and interpreting its meaning, whether that is a youth buying an Iphone because it signifies affluence, or singing the national anthem because it is understood as showing national pride. Therefore, it is the receivers who ultimately develop, perpetuate and participate in the significance of a cultural object. Although, the receivers would have nothing to receive if a cultural object is not created in the first place. Hence, there are the creators: the producers of cultural objects.
A creator can be an individual, such as an author writing a novel, a group creating a new, popular dance, or even an institution or company such as Apple developing the Iphone. Therefore, the creators are those who have the potential to place an object into the world in order for it to be received in the first place, and eventua...

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...ure, such as: 'How does the need for Twitter's use, as well as its meaning differ in different national and social contexts, such as the developed world versus the developing world? (i.e. Object to social world and receivers)' and 'What role does social media and networking play in the development and continuity of culture? Does it create a better understanding of different cultures around the world, and/or does it help create new forms of culture? (i.e. object to social world, receivers to creators).”

Works Cited

Griswold, W. (2013). Cultures and societies in a changing world. (4th ed.). United States of America: SAGE publications Inc.
Picard, A. P. (2011, March 20). The History of Twitter, 140 Characters At A Time. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/digital-culture/social-web/the-history-of-twitter-140-characters-at-a-time/article573416/

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