In the Name of Anthropology, I Reclaim Culture!

Today, I determined that the word “culture” is a four-letter word.  I spell it like this:

CLTR

Well, it’s a four-letter word in corporate-speak.  I don’t want to hear it anymore.  As an anthropology major, the use of the word “culture” at work is now officially offensive.  It is a shortcut, a catch-all.  It’s the ultimate scapegoat.  It’s a platitude.  It has lost meaning.  It’s like “synergy.”  That was once a cool word.  Now…not so much.

We need a new word.

I nominate the word “behavior” as the replacement for “culture” for use in all corporate environments.  I reclaim “culture” on behalf of all those who love the anthropological disciplines.  For everyone who struggled for a less-diluted word whilst writing an ethnography, here is CULTURE in all her former glory!  You can have her back.  Take good care of her.  Reform her.  Love her.  Respect her.  Use her responsibly.  

In corporate speak, when we say “culture” what we are really mean to say is “behaviors.”  For example, “Our corporate culture resists outside pressures” can be changed to “Our corporate behaviors resist outside pressures.”  Or “Resistance to change is part of our culture” can be changed to “Resistance to change is one of our behaviors.”  Catch phrases are great for marketing, but they often blur the lines of the truth.  That’s where we get into trouble.  Words like “culture” hide what we’re really trying to say.  That’s the danger of an analogy: you run the risk of losing the original meaning.  That’s what happened with “culture.”

You don’t need fancy punctuation for behaviors.  There’s no analogy.  A behavior is a behavior, period.  It is something that someone does.  It’s deliberate.  It’s personal.  It’s what YOU do.  It’s not some amorphous, undefined…thing.  No analogies.  Live up to what you do.  Own what you do.  Take accountability for what you do.  What you do…your behaviors.  

There, now try using behavior in a PowerPoint deck.  I DARE you.