The body may not seem cultural, but it is. Long ago, larger women were considered desirable due to a belief that they were more likely to survive pregnancy and childbirth. Today, many women face great cultural pressure to be thin. Read More …
Category: Book Blog
Master category for all posts of the book content
How Much Culture to Invent
Now that we’ve considered our guiding principles behind culture, it is time to invent the manifestations that reveal it. Our focus will be on elements we’re likely to use, though some of us will need items others don’t. This chapter Read More …
Social Classes
A social class can mean different things depending on the society, but it is a way of defining not only income levels but lifestyle generalizations and expectations. People of each class will think, dress, and act differently than those of Read More …
Cultural Depictions
Culture could be divided into three types of depictions that storytellers and gamers might employ, singly or in combination: what’s only seen, what’s heard, and what’s performed. This organization is mentioned for clarity as we investigate what to invent and Read More …
Culture vs. Custom
Confusion can arise about the difference between culture and customs. Customs are part (italics) of culture, are a way that culture is represented, and are expected behaviors in given situations. When we invent customs, we’re also inventing culture. Since culture Read More …
Cultural Ideas
There are arguably three types of cultural sources: beliefs, values, and morals, with some overlap. Deciding which of each matters to a group depends on what impression feels right to the world builder. Think about the group’s role in society Read More …
The Ideas Behind Culture
The Ideas There are arguably three types of cultural sources: beliefs, values, and morals, with some overlap. Deciding which of each matters to a group depends on what impression feels right to the world builder=. Think about the group’s role Read More …
Cultural Scope
There are so many customs and culture-related items that we could disappear down a research rabbit hole, so we’ll focus on things likely to be useful as storytellers and gamers. In addition to working out details in advance, world builders Read More …
The Chapters
What follows is a brief summary of what’s included in each chapter in Volume Three, Cultures and Beyond. Chapter 1 – Creating Cultures This chapter discusses the differences between a culture and a custom, and that morals, values, and beliefs Read More …
Cultures and Beyond: Introduction
Note: this is the start of Cultures and Beyond (The Art of World Building, #3). With the creating life and places covered in volumes one and two, we turn our attention to everything else about setting that characterizes our world, inhabitants, and Read More …