Comments on: The Rights and Wrongs of Traditional Cultures

By: N. Chrystine Olson

N. Chrystine Olson — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 20:17:57 +0000

I agree with you Andrew. Most of my travels involve conservation work in attempts to bridge the gap between natural resources (plants, animals, soil, water) conceived as something to exploit and use rather than nuture and preserve. I’m only pointing out it isn’t easy to change people’s practices, no matter the ethical rightness of one’s position.

Hermata Mishra wrote a brillant book that came out in 2008, The Soul of the Rhino, about the one horned Asian rhino and his attempts, as an Western educated wildlife biologist, to teach his fellow Nepalese why it was more inportant to save this ancient mammal than kill it. It is a must read to understand how difficult and delicate it is to balance traditional human culture and the ecosystems they inhabit. Check it out.

(Report comment)

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 15:04:33 +0000

I have worse struggles dealing with this kind of behaviour. I find it difficult – and nor do I consider it necessary – to put the value of human life over that of an endangered rhino. What makes an animal more valuable? If cognition, then supposedly humans. If scarcity, then NOT humans. I don’t know if I can reconcile my belief in the sanctity of human life with my grief at seeing other magnificent species being mauled to extinction. Who says that the life of that African man, his family or indeed his entire village are more valuabe than the life of a white rhino that may be one of hundreds left on the planet?

(Report comment)

By: N. Chrystine Olson

N. Chrystine Olson — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:54:50 +0000

My experiences with “cultural difficulties” both home and away have to do with natural resources, endangered species and how to live sustainably. Asian cultures value traditional medicines that put rhinos, tigers and bears on the cusp of extinction. How do you tell an African man who can make several years salary with the sale of one poached rhino horn that the trade his tribe has engaged in for 1500 years is just wrong?

(Report comment)

By: Marc Latham

Marc Latham — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:29:19 +0000

I think there are always going to be bad things going on in cultures around the world, and people from outside can only pick out a few extreme cases to focus on, but that’s better than nothing.

I think that if it is something that has been inherent to a tribal location for centuries or millenia then it is more difficult to criticise, but if it is something relatively newly imposed, such as the removal of women’s rights in Afghanistan under the Taliban, then it is easier to justify cultural condemnation.

(Report comment)

By: AngelineM

AngelineM — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:21:25 +0000

I think the subheading to the title of this article says it all: “Whether we romanticize – or condemn – a traditional culture’s practices, we are often missing a part of the picture” . That is exactly the point, we are often missing a part of the picture because we are not of that culture and will never fully understand that traditional culture’s practice. It may be a point of discussion with someone from another culture, but after that it is not up to anyone else to romanticize or condemn.

(Report comment)

By: christine

christine — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:04:32 +0000

Did I write that? I don’t think so.

Not with my fantastic editing skills

(Report comment)

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 01:37:57 +0000

“…and both me” – always had that sneaking suspicion there might be more than one of you ; )

(Report comment)

By: JoAnna

JoAnna — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:12:57 +0000

Here’s looking at it from the other side: When people from other cultures view Western / American traditions that are degrading and submissive, what should they do? And why do we continue to do things in our culture that are degrading and disgusting?

I’m talking about wearing things like having plastic surgery and wearing copious amounts of make-up so that we hide who we truly are. In Asia, they used to bind women’s feet because it made them beautiful. How is wearing stiletto heels really any different?

(Report comment)

By: Megan Hill

Megan Hill — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:06:28 +0000

Nice piece! I don’t really have any overarching insights, but I do remember learning that FGM is a result of those in power (men, in this case) trying to regain/assert control in a situation where their power is being taken away by outside forces–in this case, Western colonialists. This is similar to why people likely looted after Hurricane Katrina, trying to carry off huge TVs through flooded streets. It may seem ridiculous or gruesome, but it’s the one chance the underclass had to grab some power in all the chaos. I could be wrong, but it makes sense sociologically to me.

(Report comment)

By: Neha

Neha — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:01:21 +0000

Sometimes it is traditional biases and agendas that are pushed forward as culture.

There is no rational argument for certain acts – FGM, the caste system, etc – but when you say, ‘that’s our culture’ you are somehow handed a free pass. For some reason if it’s part of your culture, it is understood that your God(s) won’t find offense despite the misery and the atrocities committed.

Understand that I am not pitting all tradition into this one bracket. My problem lies with social evils being disguised as tradition and culture, and these acts going unquestioned because of it.

(Report comment)