Unpleasantly reminded

[cmdr_zoom]

Female "circumcision" (mutilation, castration) is one thing that makes my liberal tolerance for other cultures and their customs say "no, HELL no", stand up, and walk out.

(Stoning rape victims to death for "dishonoring their families" would be another.)

Comments

[biomekanic.livejournal.com]

One of the things that was seriously discussed in my college anthro classes ( circa 89-91) was the concept of "cultural relativity".

No one culture is superior to another. The goal was to avoid value judgments and just accept other cultures as they are/were. Both of my professors had mixed feelings about this.

They understood that judging a culture created problems in understanding it, at the same time, a lot of cultures practice some pretty unsavory beliefs ( in particular, this came up in the discussion of one particular tribe of New Guinea highlanders who were among the last to give up cannibalism, these charming folks also believed that there was also only so much 'baby making juice' to go around, so it was the duty of every man to make sure all young boys got their lifetime supply, starting at around age 6 ). The debate was still going on when I left, and I've often wondered what, if any sort of resolution was made.

[shadur.livejournal.com]

No one culture is superior to another

Wrong.

[z-gryphon.livejournal.com]

Uh, yeah, like a lot of concepts in academic anthropology, that's charmingly pan-global and all, but also dead bang wrong.

[pyromaniac-ks.livejournal.com]

Actually, from a strictly objective point of view, it would be absolutely correct.

On the other hand, there are no objective points of view. So if you're talking about actually having to work with things in real life, then yeah, stick with the value judgements.

[gwyd.livejournal.com]

I get ritual cannibalism, actually. Apparently it develops in low protein/low trace mineral environments and is survival positive for those cultures pre-contact, despite the nasty diseases that sometimes result. The pederasty? Not so much. I draw the line there, and at female circumcision, and at honor killings/mutilation.

If that makes me a cultural imperialist? So be it. I'm okay with that when it comes to abusive practices, rather than things that either don't matter or make sense in their contexts.