Abstract

Entropy is a term mostly associated with physics, but some argue that it also carries a vast metaphorically-explorative potential in social sciences. Among several theories that attempted to deploy the concept of entropy to understand the mechanics of diversity in societies, the one that this article chooses to utilize is the idea of cultural entropy, which was proposed by a Croatian sociologist Ivan Cifrić. This concept of cultural entropy is compared to other attempts at entropy deployment in the study of culture and society, such as the concept of social entropy. The outcomes of cultural diversity after the causes brought about by the dominance of global ideologies and the apparent case of cultural imperialism are some of the phenomena that can be studied through this framework. Through this exploratory basis, it is possible to inquire that both cultural entropy ends, a state of low or high entropy, in a horseshoe fashion, virtually leading to the same outcome. This outcome is the state of equilibrium. However, despite the positive connotation, a state of equilibrium does not mean a civilization utopia, but rather a point of stagnation at which no further development is possible. In the final stage of the article, a critical interpretation of current world affairs is given based on the theoretical framework that the concept of cultural entropy provides.