"In this sense, culture is just so much optional software, enriching perhaps, but hardly essential to the fabulous realities of our day-to-day living."

But perhaps culture is essential; humans are not alone in creating and perpetuating culture within their societies as chimps, bonobos and cetaceans all have recognised cultures which have developed within their societies. Culture as an evolutionary trait?

Does individuality transcend culture? I'm not so sure. In one sense it certainly does as we can choose to change our culture if we wish, but I still think we need to belong to some sort of cultural clade, whether it's influence is positive or negative.

As folk musicians don't we all feel like our music is part of a rich cultural tradition that far from being ephemeral is a living force within our own lives, part of our individual identity but also a response to a fundamental desire to belong and be accepted by our peers?

It might be worth starting another thread about this as we are drifting wide . . .