I cannot talk about HN folks, but only myself.
I take culture very very seriously. I do it as an independent adult, but I also grew up in a very culturally immersive household.
High culture always had a place in my family. I gave up many things that came with being born in my family, like food habits, the whole religion/spirituality thing, etc. But not culture. I believe that Culture is supremely important to one's identity- whethet self-designed or inherited.
I was made to perform at stage since the age of two. I had no stage fright or test-anxiety in my life. I also noticed many of the skills directly translated to being a good communicator of ideas and concepts. And the social benefits were clear since my infancy.
I also had a very motivated history teacher, and much overqualified literature teacher all my middle and high school. I learned to love social sciences for them, too.
I stuck with it. I read poetry regularly, learn new cultures, and new things in general.
So, the first component would be- immersion due to family, and social and personal benefits clearly visible from childhood.
I am generally a very curious person. Just like I got to know how the nature works, what fusion is, and how Djikstra's algortlithm is better, or what quantum computing or topology is-- I got to know how our country came to be, how and why our culture is the way it is. How our language formed and why people make some decisions they do. Or how Napoleone created some European nation, or what Buddha was about.
So, the second component is about general curiosity of the world around and trying to figure out why. (I am aware of the limits of epistemic knowledge- especially after I read Taleb and got to know about Zen).
Culture is simply beautiful. It makes you feel better. Rather than watching a game show or fake celebrity smile, playing Bach in my piano or talking about a da Vinci or Monet is simply better.
The third component- plain good feelings.
I have learned something on my own. But Cal Newport put words to it- "a deep life is a good life". Getting to be better at something, anything- going deep into it is simply better. It makes me feel good about myself. Whether it is optimization algorithms or the history of Ashoka the Great.
The fourth component is- having a deep life.
The company is certainly better and more interesting than other activities like watching sport. I have made very nice and true friends from my interest in humanities.
It is also a part of my identity. And I certainly felt good about doing the stuff. Culture is not some magical, mystical thing. It also comes from doing things repeatedly that most people don't do. I also wanted to be better, working at skills and nice things, and wanted to avoid the company that came with being "normal". I wanted to be better, generally.
Although I am now a responsible, stable, confident, and content adult, I always wasn’t this way. Outside of my family, where I grew up, the atmosphere wasn’t always uo to my liking. I wasn’t bullied or anything, but I noticed a hostility by some of the majority.
I was insecure. And I had an arrogance and, later a hubris that protected me and served me well. I wanted to become better. Better at- math, science, programming, culture, academics- all of them.