It is this historical clash of cultures which is at the root of culture bashing in the modern
form. Particularly here in America some sort of accumulated guilt has manifested itself in
disliking or even hating modern America and the desire to not only preserve, but just
possibly reinstate these primitive cultures. These folks like to say that there was this garden
of Eden with all in perpetual bliss and environmental coziness. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. These American Indian cultures were just as brutal as all cultures were from
the dawn of time. They killed their neighbors and they enslaved their women. Life was
nasty brutish and short. Why on earth would we want to return to it?
It is also odd that the leaders of the American Indian cultures want the land back -- and
despise the white Europeans who came here and took it -- but want the fruits of the
culture of those Europeans, and later white Americans. If they truly wanted to preserve
their cultures they would go back to living the way they were on October 11th 1492. That
is, no modern conveniences, not even the horse. But that's not what they want. What
they want in a constant tension so as to create guilt so that they can basically get a free
handout.
So what is it about cultures that are so sacrosant? We have this need for modern thought
which seems to say that all cultures are identically worthwhile and that all should be exactly
preserved as they are today. The main problem with this idea is that the ones saying it are
in the so-called advanced cultures and the ones suffering are the ones in the
not-to-be-called primitive cultures. There are plenty of euphamisms for non-advanced
cultures, mostly based on the fallacy that they are somehow closer to our human nature
and our mythical wonderous past. Traditional Cultures seems to lead the pack but there
are others.
We can say that surely peoples have the right as a culture to remain backward, just as
individuals within that culture can change it - or more likely abandon it. But the idea of
peoples is ancient, and the only ideas that truly observes human rights for all the people is
the idea of individualism. The main problem with traditional cultures is that they denigrate
individualism for the preservation of the people.
Concerning primitive or repressive cultures, some one has to say they are bad. There's no
human rights in maintaining that women must live as slaves to men. In order to elevate the
status of women you must destroy the culture that enslaves them.
Cultural preservationists think that these culture should remain -- despite the primitiveness
or repressiveness.
In order to increase life span, cultural change is inevitable. You can't have modern health
care and ancient culture.
Is there any intrinsic reason for cultures as collectives, deserve life in their entirety -- if their
effect on individuals are negative? I.e.. Can't some cultures die?
Engagement with those cultures will keep those people moving out of their culture.
Because repressive cultures are supported by the top elite, while individuals want to
eliminate the cultural backwardness, hence both emigration and revolution or civil strife.
All men are created equal -- does this apply only to the North American continent -- or to
all people's of earth?
form. Particularly here in America some sort of accumulated guilt has manifested itself in
disliking or even hating modern America and the desire to not only preserve, but just
possibly reinstate these primitive cultures. These folks like to say that there was this garden
of Eden with all in perpetual bliss and environmental coziness. Nothing could be farther
from the truth. These American Indian cultures were just as brutal as all cultures were from
the dawn of time. They killed their neighbors and they enslaved their women. Life was
nasty brutish and short. Why on earth would we want to return to it?
It is also odd that the leaders of the American Indian cultures want the land back -- and
despise the white Europeans who came here and took it -- but want the fruits of the
culture of those Europeans, and later white Americans. If they truly wanted to preserve
their cultures they would go back to living the way they were on October 11th 1492. That
is, no modern conveniences, not even the horse. But that's not what they want. What
they want in a constant tension so as to create guilt so that they can basically get a free
handout.
So what is it about cultures that are so sacrosant? We have this need for modern thought
which seems to say that all cultures are identically worthwhile and that all should be exactly
preserved as they are today. The main problem with this idea is that the ones saying it are
in the so-called advanced cultures and the ones suffering are the ones in the
not-to-be-called primitive cultures. There are plenty of euphamisms for non-advanced
cultures, mostly based on the fallacy that they are somehow closer to our human nature
and our mythical wonderous past. Traditional Cultures seems to lead the pack but there
are others.
We can say that surely peoples have the right as a culture to remain backward, just as
individuals within that culture can change it - or more likely abandon it. But the idea of
peoples is ancient, and the only ideas that truly observes human rights for all the people is
the idea of individualism. The main problem with traditional cultures is that they denigrate
individualism for the preservation of the people.
Concerning primitive or repressive cultures, some one has to say they are bad. There's no
human rights in maintaining that women must live as slaves to men. In order to elevate the
status of women you must destroy the culture that enslaves them.
Cultural preservationists think that these culture should remain -- despite the primitiveness
or repressiveness.
In order to increase life span, cultural change is inevitable. You can't have modern health
care and ancient culture.
Is there any intrinsic reason for cultures as collectives, deserve life in their entirety -- if their
effect on individuals are negative? I.e.. Can't some cultures die?
Engagement with those cultures will keep those people moving out of their culture.
Because repressive cultures are supported by the top elite, while individuals want to
eliminate the cultural backwardness, hence both emigration and revolution or civil strife.
All men are created equal -- does this apply only to the North American continent -- or to
all people's of earth?
| Cultures |
| Jim Hlavac |
| Poltics Re-explained |
