Cultural Materialism

Typology

Andrea Farias:

"Marvin Harris's Cultural Materialism theory (mentioned in Metacrisis Series by GreenPill Podcast) proposes 3 layers to civilization:

• Infrastructure: The foundation of a civilization is its infrastructure, which encompasses its mode of production (e.g., agriculture, industry) and its mode of reproduction (e.g., family structure, population growth). The infrastructure sets the basic conditions for social organization, such as the division of labor and the distribution of resources. Changes in the infrastructure, such as technological innovations or environmental pressures, can drive transformations in the other two elements.

• Social Structure: The social structure of a civilization includes its economic, political, and social institutions. These institutions, such as social classes, political hierarchies, and legal systems, emerge as a way to manage resources and maintain order. The structure of a civilization is constantly adapting to changes in the infrastructure, while also shaping the possibilities for further technological and economic development.

• Superstructure: The superstructure of a civilization consists of its cultural practices, beliefs, and values. These cultural elements are influenced by the material conditions of the infrastructure and the social arrangements of the structure. At the same time, the superstructure can also shape the development of the infrastructure and structure, such as when religious beliefs promote certain forms of economic activity or when artistic movements inspire technological innovations."

(https://diome.xyz/2+%F0%9F%8C%BF+Leaves/Cultural+Materialism)

Discussion

Andrea Farias on Holistic Cultural Materialism

Andrea Farias:

"I propose an expanded theory I'll call Holistic Cultural Materialism, in which the development and characteristics of civilizations are understood as emerging from the complex interactions between six interconnected elements:

• Infrastructure: The material base of a society, including its technologies, economic systems, and modes of production and reproduction.

• Structure: The social, political, and economic institutions that organize and regulate human activities and relationships.

• Superstructure: The cultural beliefs, values, practices, and symbolic systems that shape individual and collective consciousness and behavior.

• Physiologic Structure: The biological and psychological dimensions of human existence, including human bodies, brains, and behaviors, as well as the environmental factors that influence them.

• Multi-Species Structure: The networks of relationships and interactions between human societies and other species, including the ways in which humans depend on, co-evolve with, and impact the lives of other organisms.

• Planetary Structure: The Earth's ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, and climate system, which provide the fundamental life-support systems for all species and shape the conditions for the development of civilizations."

(https://diome.xyz/2+%F0%9F%8C%BF+Leaves/Cultural+Materialism)

More information

• Holistic Cultural Materialism