Culture is probably both the most difficult and the most important idea in social theory. I think of it as the amount of knowledge and habit you have internalized from the outside world; I internalized saying please and thank you, it is now part of "me." (Not so with elbows on the table). I also internalized punctuality, more or less. I have internalized a lot of books and what one more conventionally thinks of as "culture" (classical music, Russian novels, anything the French make).
One might internalize a predisposition to smooth over conflict, or one might internalize exactly the opposite and learn to start fights at the slightest hint of provocation; if you live in a violent society, the latter serves you well and might be necessary for basic survival, but if you are trying to make a career in an office the former is usually better.
There are some wonders with empire wide effects that may be a cheaper way to improve culture. Look into those. One may argue RL Japan has a lot of those: the Shinto shrines, the temples, the castles.
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What the hell is a "cultural level"?
How do I gain additional "culture"?
Culture is probably both the most difficult and the most important idea in social theory. I think of it as the amount of knowledge and habit you have internalized from the outside world; I internalized saying please and thank you, it is now part of "me." (Not so with elbows on the table). I also internalized punctuality, more or less. I have internalized a lot of books and what one more conventionally thinks of as "culture" (classical music, Russian novels, anything the French make).
One might internalize a predisposition to smooth over conflict, or one might internalize exactly the opposite and learn to start fights at the slightest hint of provocation; if you live in a violent society, the latter serves you well and might be necessary for basic survival, but if you are trying to make a career in an office the former is usually better.
I recommend building theaters or deploying Great Artists.
There are some wonders with empire wide effects that may be a cheaper way to improve culture. Look into those. One may argue RL Japan has a lot of those: the Shinto shrines, the temples, the castles.
Probably a better word for it is "civil society": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_society
Civil society is more "structural", while what I mean is more "internal", though (of course) they both complement each other.
Speaking a language other than English, and knowing about a non-US culture.
Yes, that is sarcastic.