The document discusses the evolution of culture and society through four overlapping stages - physical, vital, mental and spiritual. It then provides an overview of the history and culture of India, including aspects like marriages, dances, dressing styles, religions, festivals and politics. It notes some limitations of culture in India like gender inequality and education. The impact of culture on society is discussed through examples like corporate culture, advertisement culture and movies culture. Corporate culture helps define acceptable behavior in organizations. Advertisements reflect societal trends and values. Indian cinema has a large impact and history.

5. Physical stage When humans first evolved on earth individuals were mostly focused on their very survival and existence; everything else was secondary. The atmosphere was one of physical and psychological insecurity . Threats were perceived everywhere -- from threats in nature to threats from other tribes or collectives. In this physical stage people's social awareness was limited to the tribe. To think and act outside of the tribe and tradition was considered treasonous. In other words, humans had a very limited sense of their own selves. They were beyond to the concerns and authority of the collective.

6. Vital stage Over time society, the collective, overcame these threats from nature, from the outside.In this stage we see a willingness of people to engage others not of their own tribe or collective. We begin to see the beginnings of trade with other tribes, more interaction with others. This leads to the desire for more travel and exploration to expand trade and resources. Gradually there is an awakening that the individual can improve his own lot, and that he does not have to only focus on the concerns and needs of the collective. In this vital stage there is a broadening of the social interactions, of interchange with others. We could now focus on our own individual self-interests.

7. Mental stage The first thing that we notice about the mental stage is that society begins to value the vast amount of accumulated knowledge of the past. In the modern era this knowledge base of the past began to be organized, codified, and then disseminated to the population. Information that was formerly unfocused and scattered is now distributed through systems of training and education. That in turn energizes individuals to further advancement in work, their careers. And then that in turn accelerates people's achievement in life, which we can see expressed in the vast developments in science, communications, and technology of recent years. Then through that rapidly expanding technology base, through exposure to the vast knowledge base presented in media, in the Internet, people become even more aware of what can be achieved. They become aware of possibilities for achievement; and see that others are doing it. That in turn leads to an era of ever rising expectations ; people want and demand more in their own lives. It's actually been going on for centuries. Freedom, democracy are unstoppable forces that have emerged in the last century or two. These are products of the rationality of the mental age; an acknowledgement of the needs for these essential values in life. Now that same freedom is extending further as we each as individuals become aware of our ability to fulfill our individual dreams, our own self-fulfillment and human potential.

8. Spiritual stage a longing for a unity of awareness and perception that mind cannot hold; an openness to greater truths, greater insights, spiritual knowledge and vision. To an understanding that our individual will, the collective will, and the Divine will are all bound together

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