Culture and Respect

[BrokenQuill92]

So I was fangirling on a Xena binge (sushi and chocolate chip!) when I finished season 4 episode 15. In this episode Xena and Gabrielle are in India wandering around. They stop to watch a funeral procession, and my rosy liberal glasses came on almost immediately. The wife of the dead man was going to be thrown into the pyre with her husband, this pisses of Xena and Gabby who stop the mourners. It got me thinking when in a new place as guest where is line in respecting someone's religious or cultural differences? And when do you get to this is bullshit?

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

I'm an anthropology student and this comes up for anthropologists a lot. My professor takes students to Fiji in the summers. Fiji is famous for its former practice of cannibalism. They supposedly stopped this practice 50 years ago, but there are still some Elders left who remember the old ways. If my professor and/or her students found out they were still practicing cannibalism, would it be their moral responsibility to stop it?

It's their job to observe, study, and report their findings on this culture, and intervening would drastically change the behavior of the subjects. The scientific side of what they do actually obligates them NOT to intervene. Cultural relativism (not to be confused with the philosophical position of moral relativism) is supposed to be central to the anthropological method - that is, trying not to judge other cultures by our own culture's standards.

On the other hand, they would most likely have the personal conviction that cannibalism is not just morally wrong, but one of the most heinous things a human can do to another.

Personally, I think either response would be acceptable, if the lack of intervention was for SCIENCE and the intervention was for GOOD.

Most people don't have the professional/scientific responsibilities an anthropologist has. I think in that case, they don't really have a very good reason not to intervene when they see something that strikes them as morally wrong.

[kılıç_mehmet]

So I was fangirling on a Xena binge (sushi and chocolate chip!) when I finished season 4 episode 15. In this episode Xena and Gabrielle are in India wandering around. They stop to watch a funeral procession, and my rosy liberal glasses came on almost immediately. The wife of the dead man was going to be thrown into the pyre with her husband, this pisses of Xena and Gabby who stop the mourners. It got me thinking when in a new place as guest where is line in respecting someone's religious or cultural differences? And when do you get to this is bullshit?

Well, I wonder how two people stopped a mass of people who are going to burn someone alive. Kinda makes me think that its almost a fools errand and puts your own life in danger.
But I guess that's Xena for you.

Sati, the practice you're referring to, is not done by throwing the wife on the pyre, the wife jumps in herself.
In all, if you go to a foreign land with foreign people and foreign customs, its best to accustom yourselves with these and try to be a good guest, as they ought to try to be a good host. Yes, you ought to be respectful.

---

I'm an anthropology student and this comes up for anthropologists a lot. My professor takes students to Fiji in the summers. Fiji is famous for its former practice of cannibalism. They supposedly stopped this practice 50 years ago, but there are still some Elders left who remember the old ways. If my professor and/or her students found out they were still practicing cannibalism, would it be their moral responsibility to stop it?

Well, conquerors and visitors are two different things. Conquerors, as the conquerors they are, do have the right to claim moral superiority and do reserve the right to enact laws as they see fit.
If cannibalism was still on large, and widely practiced, you and your cushy college student types would not be able to make a difference, as no one is going to change their customs just because a few college kids and an old man politely asked them to.

Personally, I think either response would be acceptable, if the lack of intervention was for SCIENCE and the intervention was for GOOD.

The lack of intervention in your case was for your scientific studies, but for most, its just because an intervention would not make a difference.

[Autumnlicious]

Cannibalism has to be halted due to a history of developing and spreading prion based diseases.

Public health overrides cultural defects.

[thesummerqueen]

Conquerors, as the conquerors they are, do have the right to claim moral superiority and do reserve the right to enact laws as they see fit.

Oh, gee, now I understand Africa AND the Nazis! They were right all along!

/s

[Silver]

It's their job to observe, study, and report their findings on this culture, and intervening would drastically change the behavior of the subjects. The scientific side of what they do actually obligates them NOT to intervene.

If only Christians could learn to do that in relation to other beliefs.

[Autumnlicious]

Kilics definition of rights appears to be in the form of "might makes right"

[thesummerqueen]

Kilics definition of rights appears to be in the form of "might makes right"

Yes, and it bears striking similarity to the definitions supported by those who loosed fire hoses on blacks in the Civil Rights era. No thank you.

[Chad32]

If someone is begging for help, and I have the power to help, I would help. If the wife was fine, and jumped in on her own, I'm not going to pull her out. If the guy going to be eaten was already dead, and they didn't flat out murder them (which should be illegal there anyway), then fine.

[Minimalist]

Conquerors, as the conquerors they are, do have the right to claim moral superiority and do reserve the right to enact laws as they see fit.

Oh, gee, now I understand Africa AND the Nazis! They were right all along!

/s

Of course, he was a bit of a dick, too.