Hello, my name is Richard Griffiths and this site reflects the interest I’ve long taken in social theory and its application.
This site revolves around a couple of themes in particular:
- How does the world look when seen through the prism of grid-group cultural theory? (Hence the title).
Read an introduction to cultural theory, or see the Wikipedia entry.
- More wide-ranging notes on philosophy, psychology and sociology. Cultural theory has been applied in many areas and disciplines.
From time to time other thoughts pop up.
‘Impulses we attempt to strangle only develop stronger muscles’
(Yahia Lababidi: Quoted in Geary’s Guide to the World’s Great Aphorists).
For more, see ‘How I learnt to stop worrying and love grid-group cultural theory‘.
Contact: fourcultures at gmail.com
Four Cultures 
Gday
I’d just like to say how glad I am that you are running this fourcultures blog.
In 2002 I had a piece up at Online Opinion which mentioned Mary Douglas and in carious Fora and blogs I was accused of esoteric post-modern relativist….
impossible.http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=529
30 Oct 2002 … meika von samorzewski describes how some of his early choices have made later choices .
From there I blogged as “dolebludger” but my heart wasn’t in it
Thanks, meika – happy to be of service! I read your ‘Online Opinion’ piece – very interesting. Your story reminded me of something I read recently about the 1834 repeal of the Poor Law in England. It was claimed this was the first time that it ceased to be accepted that a person had a right to live even if they didn’t work. These days it’s just assumed that we all know and agree on the definition of ‘work’. It’s the structure of society that makes the dominant philosophy of work appear ‘natural’, when it isn’t.
oops, it suddenly submitted! how did it do that, and I thought it was a web form for an email contact…
and why is “impossible” there? where did that word come from?
weird
further thoughts have been swamped by interface oddness
Not sure if comment went through, but hope so…
Sorry Yahia, it didn’t appear. Can you resend it, please?
Brave New Day,
I was just saying that I’m happy to see my words somehow a part of your thoughtful conversation, and I hope you will engage with more of the ideas found in my book: Signposts to Elsewhere, http://www.janestreet.org/press
Cheers, Yahia
Having a hard time posting on this site… Please, write me here if you like: Y.Lababidi@Yahoo.com
[I missed this comment originally, thinking it was spam, but it’s actually a lnk to some rather interesting videos. -fourcultures]
Hi,
I’m writing from the Institute of Art and Ideas in Britain, and I thought I’d get in contact as we’ve just released a video that you might be interested in. Entitled Myths for Modernity (Fictions & Fantasies in an Age of Reason) this discussion examines whether it would be appropriate for us to role of myths in human society and whether they are still “relevant” to our lives in an age dominated by reason and logic.
I thought the debate might appeal to you, and if it does it would be lovely if you could post a link to it on your blog.
Let me know if you have any queries or suggestions
http://iai.tv/video/myths-for-modernity
This is a great blog and I’m looking forward to reading more ! Thanks for pushing the edge of the envelope ! Best wishes to you, Bright Garlick. 😉