Thoughts on culture, heritage and death

Those who saw you being born, their friends, their relatives - all will probably die before you. With them, they will bring their identities, relationships - their shared culture. Left will only be you, and those who came after you. I've always seen society and culture as being steered by the older generation. Culture is something that is placed upon me, for me to embrace or reject. However, I'm not really sure exactly what culture is? I find most eplanations to be quite reductive. Culture isn't just what is written in tourist brochure, culture isn't just the food nor the old buildings nor how much people smalltalk with strangers. As a vauge way to explain my view of culture, I'd explain it as what you expect of strangers. What values do we - me and a random stranger, share? What do we consider virtous and sinful? What folktales have we both heard? What obligations do we have against eachother. Could I trust them with my wallet? Would they open up their home to me in a time of need?…