I've spent years studying different cultures, and one thing that strikes me is how much of our behavior is shaped by collective memory rather than individual choice. When I look at rituals or traditions, they seem to persist not because they're practical, but because they anchor a group's identity. So I'm starting to think that culture, at its core, is more about shared memory than any set of rational practices. Does that mean our own cultural identities are largely inherited, not chosen? I lean toward yes, though I've met people who reinvent themselves across cultures, so maybe it's not so clear-cut.