I have long thought that biological evolution and cultural evolution were distinctly separate phenomenon. I thought that biological evolution changed the actual individual creatures where cultural evolution only changed behaviors and institutions, largely as a downstream consequence of biological evolution. My view was similar, and possibly influenced by, modern computer technology. We don’t really think about the software and programs we run on computers as changing the hardware. But cultural evolution, it turns out, does make biological changes to the individual.
Joseph Henrich demonstrates this at the start of his book The WEIRDest People In the World. By showing how reading changes brain structures Henrich demonstrates how cultural evolution and biological changes in individuals took place simultaneously. Henrich writes, “learning to read forms specialized brain networks that influence our psychology across several different domains, including memory, visual processing, and facial recognition.”
New technologies enabled reading and reading became a new cultural practice and phenomena. As people began reading more, their brains literally changed. Parts of the brain which had specialized for certain functions throughout human evolution took on new roles and functions. This changed the psychology of many people all at once, changing the culture.
Henrich writes about the ways in which reading becomes automatic and unconscious, showing how cultural evolution, which changes how our brains operate, isn’t always a conscious act. If you see words in English you will automatically read and understand the word, even if you only see the word for the briefest moment. “Although this cognitive ability is culturally constructed, it’s also automatic, unconscious, and irrepressible,” writes Henrich, “this makes it like many other aspects of culture.”
We do not realize how drastic and important culture can be to how our brains function. Our psychology can be shaped by many cultural factors, as a result of changes in brain processes and structures. It is not just biological evolution that can have real changes in humans. Cultural changes can have similar results. This is important for us to think about when we consider how we relate to each other, our ancestors, and to the global species we want to be in the future. I fear more understanding of this type of cultural evolution could be used to discriminate against cultures, but I hope that it is instead used to demonstrate the dangers of oppressing cultures. Instead of a justification of discrimination it can be a bridge and an invitation to help cultures grow and evolve to live on a planet where all humans cooperate and can coordinate for a healthy and sustainable future.
Novel Learning 
Greetings, I’m experiencing cultural discrimination in my own yard, as you know we have 11 languages or more in SA meaning different cultures resulting in different
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opinions, idea’s and beliefs
This really does not work for us as black people I’m not sure about other cultures, cultural differences has driven us a part, some cultures are felt or are provided as dominant, while others are feeling that they are looked down on, this has gone to an extent Where certain cultures are being deprived of getting a job, managers or supervisor are not hiring certain cultures, people have problem assosiating with certain cultures, even at school some teachers don’t acknowledge some students because of cultural difference from theirs and favouritism by teachers towards students who have different cultures, this is happening in town like Tembisa. Diversity is not yet here,some of the people keep them selves to theirs. I don’t why we woory when white people don’t like us as black people, when we can discriminate ourselves because of cultural difference.
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A first step for everyone is to recognize that cultural discrimination exists and that it is driven by power, not by anything real in terms of genetic differences between humans. Even though certain cultural practices can change and re-shape the way our brains operate, that is never a reason to discriminate against another. It will be a challenge to change the way people think in this regard.
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