Cultural Ideaology

[Minnie_Beebe]

As we all know, there are lots of cultural standards and such throughout the world. I wonder why so many people follow them, for some of them don't really seem to matter.

For example, there are certain "proper" ways of eating, such as using a fork and knife (fork always in left hand, knife always in right) to eat almost everything in Germany. In most of the West, it is considered somewhat "proper" to use silverware, while in parts of the Far East, chopsticks are "proper."

Why are such standards even followed? As long as you are not making disturbing noises while eating, why do people even care what utensils (if any) you use to eat it?

Some people defend their cultures as tradition, but as the wheel of history shows, no culture can last forever. Even the seemingly stagnant Asian cultures must one day fall and crumble to dust (just like how the Ancient Egyptian culture finally fell after being around for millenia). Why defend it as tradition and blindly follow it? Why not try something new. If people did not stick to culture so much, people would not think of foreigners as obscure people. Sure, they would still have differences, but with these differences in a dynamic manner, perhaps certain stereotypes could be eliminated.

Any thoughts, death threats, or other issues to bring up for me?

[Beelzebub]

Good question.

I believe it comes down to what "you" believe is right. Take for instance the stringent social etiquette on how you are supposed to eastern at a western table. To eat any other way is to bring shame upon yourself and your parents for not bringing you up in the pre-defined "proper" fashion. It is all linked to shame an embarrassment and of course the shame to your host.

In Thailand, it is an insult to show bare feet in public. (Especially resting them on a table) You simply do not do this because it is a black mark against you and your host.

If you visit a Chinese restaurant, people I know make an effort to use chopsticks because it is considered polite and of course a respect to the Chinese culture.

If you visit somebody's house you tend to follow his or her rules, as it is an insult not to do so.

As for following culture, it is the same as people who follow tradition. It gives you a sense of belonging something you recognise. Take your average tourist; they tend to go to places they have some link with. Parts of Spain are very Anglicised and people from Britain visit these areas because the people and area they recognise.

I found an Irish pub in Dubai of all places. Who visited there? Mainly white Britons, the occasional American and of course the Irish. They did not venture out into the local hotspots because they feel like they do not belong; they do not understand the language or culture and therefore feel alienated.

Essentially, people feel comfortable in their own element. It even happens within a culture, you have your own social group with their own etiquette and rules.

Tradition links in with history, life would be very boring (albeit a lot easier as there would be less internal, external conflict) if we were all the same. This is what globalisation could achieve if we are not careful.