The discipline of anthropology is centered on the concept of culture. These elements combine in aggregates such as symbols, rituals, and social structures.

While it is an incredibly useful tool for understanding human social life, the concept of culture is riddled with paradox. What we make, what we do, and what we think constitute the basic elements of culture.

culture — the whole way of life of a society, combining material objects, technologies, social relationships, everyday practices, deeply held values, and shared ideas. ritual — repeated, patterned action conventionally associated with a particular meaning, often incorporating symbolic objects and actions. social structure — the organizational framework for a particular realm of culture, such as the family, the economy, or the political system. Social structures combine material culture with…. symbol — an object, image, or gesture conventionally associated with a particular meaning.