Post by joe on Dec 13, 2006 11:21:07 GMT 7
Culture and the Great Divide Forward
Summary:
Cultural values are built it. And necessarily cultures clash. This can be appreciated intellectually, but not with any greater depth of feeling. Thus, screwed.
Thesis:
Cultural values are built it. One grows up with them, and even if one is able to identify them, one is unlikely to be able to expunge them. If one did remove one or more of ones cultural values, one would become a different person, probably lesser, for the absence of a tool by which the world is viewed, organised and approached. And cultural values are unlikely to be easily substituted, one for another, or one over another. Added to your life they can be intellectually appreciated, but not felt as strongly as those which have been part of a world view for an entire life inside a corresponding community.
And necessarily cultures clash. For example, on the question of the value of work, or the character of endeavour, or the character one should assume in a given situation. If, broadly, western oriented persons find value in individual character, and, broadly, eastern oriented persons find value in group association, it will be difficult to understand and support one another. Goals and approaches will be different, and an encultured person of one kind viewing the efforts of a person encultured in different values will view their efforts as misdirected or misguided.
Culture clash can be appreciated intellectually, but I am gravely concerned that the other side in any clash cannot with any depth of feeling be more generally appreciated. I suggest this because if there is one useful thing my father ever did point out to me, it is that in times of crisis, people fall back on what they always knew. This belief is the origin of my suggestion that ones appreciation of another culture will always remain fragile.
Conclusion:
I'm surrounded by all these people I can get to know but can't get to appreciate at the deepest levels. And they, likewise, suffer my presence without being able to form the stronger of attachments.
It's a bummer, doncha think?
Summary:
Cultural values are built it. And necessarily cultures clash. This can be appreciated intellectually, but not with any greater depth of feeling. Thus, screwed.
Thesis:
Cultural values are built it. One grows up with them, and even if one is able to identify them, one is unlikely to be able to expunge them. If one did remove one or more of ones cultural values, one would become a different person, probably lesser, for the absence of a tool by which the world is viewed, organised and approached. And cultural values are unlikely to be easily substituted, one for another, or one over another. Added to your life they can be intellectually appreciated, but not felt as strongly as those which have been part of a world view for an entire life inside a corresponding community.
And necessarily cultures clash. For example, on the question of the value of work, or the character of endeavour, or the character one should assume in a given situation. If, broadly, western oriented persons find value in individual character, and, broadly, eastern oriented persons find value in group association, it will be difficult to understand and support one another. Goals and approaches will be different, and an encultured person of one kind viewing the efforts of a person encultured in different values will view their efforts as misdirected or misguided.
Culture clash can be appreciated intellectually, but I am gravely concerned that the other side in any clash cannot with any depth of feeling be more generally appreciated. I suggest this because if there is one useful thing my father ever did point out to me, it is that in times of crisis, people fall back on what they always knew. This belief is the origin of my suggestion that ones appreciation of another culture will always remain fragile.
Conclusion:
I'm surrounded by all these people I can get to know but can't get to appreciate at the deepest levels. And they, likewise, suffer my presence without being able to form the stronger of attachments.
It's a bummer, doncha think?