Why is culture adaptive and maladaptive?

Culture is adaptive because it provides frameworks for individuals and communities to respond to their environments, facilitating survival and social cohesion through shared values, norms, and practices. These cultural adaptations can enhance resilience and problem-solving abilities in changing circumstances. However, culture can also be maladaptive when certain beliefs or practices hinder progress, perpetuate inequality, or resist beneficial change, ultimately limiting a group's ability to thrive in new or challenging contexts. This duality underscores the complexity of cultural evolution in response to both internal and external pressures.