Abraham Contos

Let me say first that I’ve never considered that a person really had mastered a language until he understood the culture and how the language grew out of that culture. The language is really a window to, and extension of, the language, not something separate in and of itself. That said, I detest the mentality that we must demean our own culture to appreciate others. Agar insinuates that culture is all relative and that there is no better or right way. He says we must get over the number-one mentality before we can appreciate someone else’s point of view. I disagree. Culture is not all together something arbitrary.

Culture to me is a collective identity comprised of our individual identities that are made up of our values, beliefs, and perceptions. Part of my identity is my belief and confidence in the American system of democracy, my belief that God established this nation that men might be free and that He still maintains this nation. That is my identity, my culture; it is not relative or arbitrary.

Does this mean I have no tolerance for other cultures? Does it mean I don’t or can’t really appreciate or understand other cultures? I don’t think so. I love the French; I love them for their savory cheese and delectable crepes. I’m fascinated by their architecture and I’m sure their wine is of the best kind. I think every culture has things that make them “number-one” in their own right. But cheese and wine are not part of my identity or culture as an American, democracy is. Thus I maintain the number-one mentality while still appreciating other societies’ number-one-ness as well. We should not abandon our heritage so quickly, especially when that heritage was a gift from God. America is number-one. We are the freest country in the world. There is a reason we don’t talk of French cheese when we talk of globalization but rather Big Mac’s. It is not just Americans who see American culture as number-one. People clamor to come to our country because they see something here that they don’t see anywhere else in the world. Is that something we should write off as arbitrary, something relative? I will not accept my culture to be arbitrary, relative, or subject to opinion and I don’t feel like that position is mutually exclusive with my ability to appreciate French or any other culture. I can agree to disagree without abandoning my position.

Agar argues that we must recognize our own culture as relative or arbitrary because if we don’t, supposedly we won’t ever truly understand another culture. Do I have to abandon my belief in God to understand someone else’s belief in Nirvana? Is God relative? So it is with culture: I’m proud of mine as should the French be of theirs.

Posted in class discussion, class reading, Learning Journal