Horrible and Strange Practice Under the Context of Our Modern Culture - Essay Example

Cultural Relativism One of the primary tenets of cultural relativism is that different societies have different moral s. Within a particular society, its moral code, which may be different across cultures, determines what is right and wrong. Due to the presence of various cultures and moral codes, there is no objective standard that can be used to pass judgment on the superiority of one society's moral code over another's. As such, one should be amply open-minded in order to tolerate the customs of other cultures. This paper discusses the attitude towards the cultural practice of one society that is far different from one's own. Moreover, this paper points out the universality of cultural principles, i.e. how some sound practices of one society can be adopted by others. Task 1: What is the strangest cultural practice in the world Suttee is a Hindu funeral custom in which the widow becomes a sacrifice and immolated alive with her husband on the latter's funeral pyre. This act is said to be voluntarily done by the widow as an act of utmost devoutness. However, suttee is believed to have been often forced on the widow by prevailing social pressures, sometimes to the extent of using drugs. It should be noted that many Indian communities, which includes the Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, explicitly prohibit the practice of suttee. Even the Tantras strictly condemn the act. In some Hindu societies, specifically the Rajputs and other geographic regions such as Rajasthan, Bengal and parts of the Gangetic plain in India, it is believed that performing suttee cleansed the couple of all sins, warranted salvation and ensured their reunion in the afterlife. Continuing incidence of suttee was rumored to have still existed in rural areas even in the 20th century. In one reported incident in 1988, Roop Kanwar, a childless 19-year old housewife, was immolated on her husband's pyre in Deorala, a Rajasthans village. This event became highly controversial and set modern Indian ideology against the traditional one. A much-publicized investigation led to the arrest of several people from Deorala who participated in the ceremony with 11 people charged with the crime. In 2004, a special court in Jaipur acquitted those accused in the case. The court held that the prosecution had failed to prove charges that they glorified the said act. (Wikipedia. 2005. "Suttee." http://en.wikipedia.com) Task 2: Is it really so strange What is common between the strange cultural practice and our own culture Initially, it would seem that suttee is such horrible and strange practice if perceived under the context of our modern culture. However, the essence of this act bears such a close resemblance to our own values, particularly those pertaining to the level of love and piety of husbands and wives. Both cultures acknowledge the sacred union and celebrate the special bonding of couples. As mentioned, those people believe that suttee purged the couple of all accumulated sins, warranted salvation and guaranteed an afterlife reunion. In our modern culture, people believe that husbands and wives should work together to achieve their familial goals as well as enrich their spirituality. It is in this way that values of the modern and archaic cultures converge. It is in the "Til-Death-Do-Us-Part" concept that the two cultures differ. We believe that couples, those who enter into marriage at least, should stay together in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer. However, in the event that one of them dies, the marriage ties are severed. This means the church and the state grant the other the freedom to marry again. On the contrary, selected Hindu cultures practicing suttee deem that the union of a husband and a wife does not end in death (of the man) and goes beyond the present life. This stems from the Hindu belief of the after-life. Task 3: How much of a cultural relativist are you On a scale of 1-10 (Relativist-Absolutist) where do you fall and why Which of our principles are good enough to the rest of the world Which principles that are held by other parts are good enough to import here On the given scale, I believe that I fall on 3. I think that diversity of cultures should be respected. People should show consideration for the culture and customs of others. This is tantamount to upholding their inherent right as a people to practice their customs and nourish their culture no matter how different these are from our own. One society should not intervene with the culture of another especially if the latter's practices does not have an adverse effect on the former. The United States, European Union or other hegemons should not impose their beliefs or hinder minorities from practicing their own culture and customs especially if they are not directly or indirectly affected. These beliefs make me a cultural relativist. In this regard, I should have rated myself as 1 on the scale. But then again, a rating of 3 better represents my stand on cultural relativism due to some reservations. Although different cultures and customs should be respected and upheld, I believe that intervention should still come in if there is already a violation of life or when coercive force is used to carry out customs to unwilling sacrifices. This is in line with the previously discussed concept that the quality of life is an important principle that should be upheld. Our cultural principle of protecting life is what I think should be adopted by the rest of the world. Eventhough suttee is believed to be a preparation for the after-life; the present life should be given as much consideration. In this regard, no one has the right to take the life of another human being for the sake of carrying out a custom such as the suttee. In relation to our principle of upholding the value of life, we should adopt the principle of being respectful to others particularly the elders practiced in Japan, China and other Asian countries. In these cultures, people show various ways of showing respect to people. For example, they bow their heads when greeting someone or kiss the hands of the elders. I believe that this principle is corollary to our beliefs and enrich our ideology on the quality or value of life. By adopting this attitude or principle, we take a step further from our own principle and improve both the quality and value of the life of human beings. Reference Wikipedia. 2005. Suttee. http://en.wikipedia.com (Accessed: 09 September 2005) Read More