The most effective way to understand contemporary culture is to analyze the trends of its youth.Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In dev

The statement underscores the most effective way to understand the current culture. Culture is defined by all the elements, individuals, objects and practices, taking place in a particular environment. The complete understanding of any culture is derived through, analysis and wary examination of the various age groups, the different practices and sometimes, even the treatment to various animals. The author of the statement, suggests that the most effective way, to be able to understand a current culture, is by the analysis of the trends of the youth. Due to the multifarious factors, having different levels of impact on a culture, the study of youth trends, defines only a small part of the monolithic detail of the culture. Therefore, the most effective way to understand any contemporary culture would be by analyzing the trends of all the age groups, practices and importance of other components if present.

The youth, has a malleable mindset, they can be influenced by disparate factors. The globalization and advent of technology has resulted in a large spectrum of information, with warranted reasons or not, to be available. This new era of increased interaction and global awareness, with different marketing practices, can easily influence the mind-set of the youth. Being, unable to understand the various complexities and necessities, influenced by brands or impressed by various individuals, makes them follow different paths, thereby, making it difficult to find a commonality among them, to define the culture. Furthermore, the majority of the population of any region, is not formed by the youth. Other individuals falling in different age brackets, also form the society and thereby, are representatives of a culture. The analysis of different age groups, allows people to analyse the efficacy of various teachings, from one generation to another. Furthermore, it helps to analyse the changes occurred in the culture through the eras. In addition to the age groups, understanding of the practices and importance of various entities, such as animals, play an important part in understanding a culture.

For example, in India, people belonging to different age groups, have different ideas and beliefs. With the modernization and copious amount of information being available, views of the younger generation are constantly being modified. Still the various dimensions of the culture, is evident by analysis of the behavior of all the age groups. In the festival of Ganesha, considered as a god, the practice of praying early morning is evident. Even though, majority of the youth, do not practice praying every day, nevertheless, during the festivals, they take up the practice. Furthermore, majority of the Hindus, belonging to older eras, treats the cow as a goddess. The opinions of the youth on the same issue is ambivalent, thereby creating obscurity. It helps in understanding the different changes and modifications, which have influenced the culture, thereby enabling to have a holistic view of the culture. The practices, animal worship and difference in the view points of individuals belonging to different age groups, helps in developing a complete picture of the various aspects of the Indian culture.

Alternatively, if only the trends of the youths, going through a phase of sedition towards different issues, having less amount of maturity and a plastic mindset, would not help to understand the culture. Furthermore, if we only take into the account the youth population, due to the multifarious and instable nature of trends, the process of understanding of a culture, would be made obscure.

In conclusion, the culture of any society or any region, is formed and represented by all the individual constituents. The analysis of any specific group, such as the one cited by the author of the prompt, narrows down the area of analysis, and only gives information of a single dimension. To develop an understanding of any culture, information with respect to the various dimensions are required. Therefore, to reiterate, to develop an effective understanding of any culture, all the elements of the culture have to be analysed and examined.