Ethnocentrism - judging others based on our own worldview/social norms/culture
Individualism - a way of being that puts self/the individual ahead of the group/social responsibilities - people within an individualistic culture are more likely to see themselves as distinct from others - individual identity comes before group identity
Collectivism - a way of being that puts the group/social responsibilities ahead of self/the individual - people within a collectivist culture are more likely to see themselves as defined by their relationships with others - group identity comes before individual identity
Prestige Bias - human tendency to emulate/be attracted to people and cultural practices that are of high/higher prestige within a culture
Ethics - a system of moral principles
Ethic of Divinity - "a system of values that emphasize sanctity and the perceived 'natural order' of things (Heine) definition
Ethic of Autonomy - "a system of values that views morality in terms of individual freedom and rights violations with an emphasis on personal choice, the right to engage in free contracts, and individual liberty" (Heine definition)
Ethic of Community - "a system of values that emphasizes that individuals have duties pertaining to their roles in a community or social hierarchy" (Heine definition)
Principle of Need - principle asserting that those with the most need should receive the available resources
Principle of Equity - principle asserting that resources should be distributed based on contributions made (those who contribute the most should receive the most)
Principle of Equality - principle that asserts resources should be shared equally among all group members (regardless of need or contribution)
What is "good" for America?
In my Psychology and Culture classes this week, we had many conversations about cultural variations as we attempted to make our own cultural norms more visible to us. Anthropologist Clyde Kluckhohn's quote nicely shapes these conversations, "It would hardly be fish who discovered the existence of water."
Consistent with Kluckhohn's assertion, we often remain naïve to our own ways of being until we are confronted with something different. And, when confronted with something different than what we are used to, we are at risk of automatically perceiving what is new or different as being wrong or bad. It takes purposeful critical thinking to take in someone else's "normal" and then giving it a chance of being considered "reasonable" within their mental framework - a system different from our own comfort zone ... different from our own water in which we swim.
What variations in cultural expectations are bombarding each of us right now? What is challenging us to assess our values and beliefs as well as the values and beliefs of others who also consider themselves "good" Americans? Here are some current samples ...
- Is it brave or good to kneel in the presence of an American flag?
- Is looting defensible as part of protesting societal wrongs?
- Who can say which lives matter and how should this be said?
- What is "too bad" to be protected under the First Amendment?
- Should college students be protected from hearing things that are troubling to them? Should college students be allowed to protest/suppress the speech of others with whom they disagree?
- What forms of health care are a right and what is a privilege? How should health care be funded?
- Who should receive and/or pay for higher education?
- How do we want to honor our immigrant/melting pot history and sustain a United States of America?
- What do those statues from different times in American history really mean?
- Is abortion "healthcare" or "murder"?
- What has been/will be considered Presidential behavior?
- How should the United States engage with North Korea?
- What role(s) is/are proper for the United States in other parts of the world?
- Are there any universal morals or are all "rights, wrongs, goods & bads" culturally variable?
The news outlets and our us-them approaches to problem solving, I believe, lull us into simplified narratives (if we let them) with cleansed edges so that we don't have to deal with ambiguity that requires critical thinking and (maybe) accepting that there is no perfect answer that all wise people reach when they are properly enlightened.
Are there only bad, good and best choices within how we weight different variables and predict the implications of our choices through our personalized calculations that ignore, discount and/or disrespect others' weighting systems? Maybe?
Are the gray areas the beginning of exciting intellectual gymnastics and a move toward positive social change or evidence of weak and cluttered minds unable to converge on an available right answer? Depends?
We have some serious thinking to do.
* some definitions from Steven J. Heine's book Cultural Psychology
* some definitions from Steven J. Heine's book Cultural Psychology
