Pages

May 27, 2009

Dear Dominant Cultures,

All around the world, there are cultures that are not your own. Their values may differ with yours. They may eat different foods than you eat. They may even wear different clothes than the ones you wear.

Sadly, you have a history of trying to enforce your ways on those different cultures. You've told them that the way they live is wrong. You've tried to change them. You've tried to kill them. The results are seldom good, and yet you keep forcing your will on them because you think you must be right. Everyone has to be like you, right?

Wrong.

Dominant Cultures, you are big bullies. Leave other cultures alone. If they want to look up to you and be like you, that's fine, but it should be their choice.

Please take your hypocritical, self-righteous ways and shove them up your masses. Thank you for taking a look at your own cultural practices before you try to enforce yours on others.

10 comments:

Jennybell said...

Are you talking about me, by me I mean USA :) We just went through a bit of an 8 yr bullyfest in my opinion. Hopefully it'll get better!
Living in the USA I'm always amazed at how many people will say "if they want to come to this country they should learn the language". the people who come are willing to learn the language. Why aren't we willing to learn anyone else's? Most of the world is bilingual, I believe.
People can eat what they want to eat, as long as they don't expect me to eat it. I won't make them eat hamburger if they don't make me eat boiled chicken eggs with formed chicks inside.
As for dressing. The basically naked men in Africa with the cones on their privates that stick way up in the air, UMMMM that's fine in Africa, please don't try it in December in the Yukon. :)It's all about being appropriate.

Meandering Michael said...

Jennybell, I'm not referring specifically to the USA. Canada had done/does it. Australia has been known to dabble. Russia does it. The EU is doing it. Countries in Africa and Asia do it or have done it. It's not specific to any one country and it seldom ends well.

Meandering Michael said...

Oh, and what's wrong with wearing a gourd in a Yukon winter? A fur-lined one might be quite cozy.

Meandering Michael said...

Just in case anyone wants to more about the penis sheaths of Papua New Guinea:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koteka

Jennybell said...

I just checked back because now I have time to click on all the links!
have you ever watched Rabbit Proof Fence? True story about Australia trying to take children who were 1/2 white 1/2 aboriginee (sp?) and trying to get them to have babies to whites and how many generations and all it would take to breed the native out of them.
I knew you weren't just talking about the USA. It's just a shame we're that way AT ALL! We're supposed to be the melting pot! There's a lot of Native American history around here. Of course you have that all over the US. But the difference here is there's no indians! Ohio is home to Tecumsah and there's absolutely no native tribes! It's a shame! Especially if you consider they were here not too many generations ago.
(note: this part of Ohio also famous for Johnny Appleseed :) not that that has anything to do with anything! HA!

Unknown said...

I still don't understand why Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean's very adventuresome and open-minded act is being perceived as any kind of statement for or against the commercial seal hunt. It seems to be much more of a statement in support of Inuit culture, which should have nothing to do with any controversy whatsoever.

And also... how come us "dominant culture" people think that seal heart is so disgusting when we're chowing down on pig sphincter (albeit in a pleasing, homogenized form) freshly grilled on our BBQ?

Nemmy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Nemmy said...

Hear hear, Rachelle...

And if I might suggest (with all due respect), a better link under "you've tried to kill them" would be this on: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genocide. Since we are talking about dominant cultures, I think it's important to point out that it has happened over and over in all kinds of different cultures - and as recently as 15 years ago.

Although the Holocaust is probably the worst and most clear cut example, it isn't the only one.

Meandering Michael said...

You're right, Nem. That's much better link. As for it happening as recently as 15 years ago...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/burmamyanmar/1492726/Burmas-slow-genocide-is-revealed-through-the-eyes-of-its-child-victims.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Tamil_protests_in_Canada

Shockr said...

Took me many years, but I tripe tastes pretty good these days... haha.