In reading the introduction to our Global Studies book, "Latin America: Myth and Reality" I am reminded of an anecdote from Herodotus’ Histories. If I recall properly, Darius, the Persian King, calls a group of Greeks before his court and asks them what it would take for them to eat the dead bodies of their fathers. They refuse, stating that there is no amount of money in the world which would cause them to do such a blasphemous act. With the Greeks standing aside, Darius then asks a group of Indians (whose custom it was to consume the corpses of their fathers) if they were willing to cremate the remains of their fathers (a practice done by the Greeks). The Indians responded in a horror identical to their Greek peers.
This tale points out the great cultural disparities that can arise between people from different backgrounds and how the customs of one culture can be viewed with disgust by another. The introduction to our book points out that when analyzing a culture different from our own, it is easy to judge it based on what our own culture deems "normal." This is an unfair and ignorant practice which has pervaded human thought throughout history. As scholars it is our responsibility to approach cultures that are different from our own as objectively as possible. I’m not suggesting that you should sacrifice your own beliefs, but instead, try to understand where the other culture is coming from before falling into the stereotype trap.
Approaching a different culture objectively and trying to avoid stereotyping will not only prevent the genocide and imperialism which has stained humankind’s historical record but also bring us a greater understanding of Latin America.
No comments:
Post a Comment