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Cosmopolitanism: Chapter 7

February 12, 2013 //

Cultural imperialism, as described in chapter 7 of Appiah’s Cosmopolitanism, refers to the process of cultures changing and evolving into a larger, more homogeneous culture. Smaller cultures within a larger culture tend to adapt to that larger culture, and in doing so lose some unique and distinct characteristics of the culture. The loss of these characteristics is why Appiah dismisses cultural imperialism.

Appiah’s golden rule comes from a translated line from Terence’s comedy The Self-Tormentor: “I am human: nothing human is alien to me.” He believes that, although some characteristics of other cultures may seem different, we are all human and are more similar than we may think. All of us do what we think we must to adapt and thrive in our respective societies.

Especially in today’s time, no one in the world experiences cultural purity. One may think that how they live their live is completely unique and self-made, but the truth is their life wouldn’t be that way without the lives of countless others both around them and coming before them, shaping the culture and society they live in. Everything a person does was learned from someone else, and taught to them from someone else, and chances are someone very different from them.

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Chapter 5

By andrewrabella

February 7, 2013 //

It’s fairly obvious why we as humans aren’t likely to come to “a reasoned agreement about values.” Simply put, we’re all different, with differing views and values from one individual to another. The differences are much more obvious when comparing individuals of different cultures. What is interesting, though, is contemplating why we still continue to communicate and interact with such individuals whom we will never agree with on important issues.

The reason, when thought about closely, is obvious as well. Our individual success and progress in life often depends on the progress of others, in some cases only slightly and with others quite dramatically. In the 21st century, we can’t live productive, worthwhile lives if we don’t communicate and interact with members of our community, many of whom we will have major differences with. It’s important, then, to understand that sometimes, and in fact most of the time, disagreements will come between people and populations, but working with them will ultimately benefit both parties.

Tags diversity

Categories Cosmopolitanism

Second Life Cosmopolitanism

By andrewrabella

January 29, 2013 //

Second Life has been a great way to experience new perspectives and new worlds as we read about how important it is to do so in Kwame Anthony Appiah’s book Cosmopolitanism. As we’ve read, each of us has a certain perspective that is restricted by where we are from, who we come into contact with, and how we communicate, among many other things. Second Life gives us a way to experience places we wouldn’t have otherwise been able to. We have the ability on Second Life to travel to virtualistic countries like Spain and communicate with individuals in Spanish, or to fantasy worlds like Diagon Alley and play a wizard. In order to try to see someone’s life through their perspective, to truly understand their way of life, we must put ourselves in their situations as best we can. Second Life gives us many possibilities to do just that.