Cultural Superiority?

I like your prose, Torus.

 

Ah together. There is the rub.

 

Why not? Superiority is a relative status, not an absolute one. By way of example, I would say modern day Saudi Arabia has a culture superior to that of Nazi Germany, but that does not mean SA’s culture is objectively good.

 

Why not? For example, if forced to choose, and let’s suppose your female, would you prefer to live under the cultural norms of Finland or India?

 

It would be racism if I said one race was superior to another, which I most certainly am not. I do not believe all cultures (or rather, cultural behavior) is equal, and those differences can lead to very different outcomes, including outcomes that dictate quality of life. Do you not agree with that?

 

Why?

 

Race is not the issue here.

To your question, I would say Italian and American cultures are quite similar, both having their roots in a larger European culture, but I would put American culture slightly higher. Better work ethic. Stronger commitment to human rights. Stronger commitment to the rule of law.

When it comes art, food, and wine, well, that’s another matter.

 

Agreed, painting an individual with the broad brush of a cultures norms is an error in judgement. It’s fair to say, for example, Palestine is often ranked among the worst places to be a woman, but it would be unfair to assume that a Palestinian man you meet on the street considers women to be inferior.

 

Your correction makes no sense. Saying “it’s a matter of what is better and what is worse” is absolutely no different that saying “it’s a matter of being better”. By definition, something cannot be “better” unless it’s compared to something that is worse, so all you’ve done is repeat the same concept with more words.

Back to the point, I am also not saying a superior culture is superior in all things. There is a stronger commitment to the rule of law, for example, in Denmark than Italy, but I’d say the food and art in Italy is better.

One can debate overall superiority when cultures are close, but not when the quality of life the create is so remarkably different. If one can’t acknowledge there is something superior about, say, northern European culture than that of, say, Northern African culture, then one is denying reality.

 

At the moment, you are.

 

Gosh, have any particular culture in mind?

 

Really? What culture are you referring to then?

No, they are quite different as are Italian vs English, or Swedish.

What culture are you referring to in your OP?

 

Even as the Pope ordered his flock to take the shots, only one Bishop that I'm aware of had the courage to speak out against it.

Archbishop Viganò Writes Stunning Letter On Vaccine Program | Algora Blog

I would hope that he has also spoken out against the transgender agenda. It's possible he is the only man of conscience in the hierarchy of the Roman church.

 

Cultures in general.

And I never said those cultures are the same. I said they’re similar — more specifically, comparable — because they are.

 

If cultures really don’t matter, can anyone explain why, historically, Jews — no matter where they’re placed and provided they’re not actively persecuted — always seem to rise to the upper economic levels? That they thrive so is often the reason for that persecution, and it’s happened nearly everywhere they’ve gone. Are they just economically lucky? Or might it have something to do with their culture’s commitment to both family and education?

 

The marvelous thing about America is it's culture. We are a country that has evolved from the immigration of other countries. Each with different customs and attitudes of what moral fairness encompassed. In the beginning we were ruled by English, French and Spanish laws as different colonies. The first 13 colonies were under English law and the King. After much abuse the people ridded their selves of the shackle's of economic tyranny and declared their independence. They fought a war and beat their enemy and formed their own government. They wrote and passed a Constitution for the land. It wasn't perfect but it had provisions for change which over the history of our country has been implemented many times. As we acquired the rest of the known parts of the country under Spanish and French rule we became a country of United States. One of the great parts of the Constitution is FREEDOM as long as it does not infringe upon the rights of others. We have property rights and a rule of law. There are those today who do not agree with our form of government and would like to undermine our Constitution in the name of fairness. They do not believe in individual rights and the right's too property should be divided and limited. They wish to criminalize not only FREE speech, descent but also thought. As an American I do believe we are superior over all other forms of government. Race is a tribal trait and I have no problem with any race feeling superior about their culture or customs as long as they don't infringe upon my American rights and customs. It is time for us, as a country to claim our race as American if we are born here, no matter what color we are.

 

Most cultures are blends. You mentioned England’s, while older, it’s’ a blend of the Celts, Saxons, Danes, Normans, and dozens of other influences over the last ~1500 years.

 

So, which cultures do you see as superior?

 

That's true. What I was pointing out is that we are country of diverse groups also . People born in Scotland consider themselves as Scottish, Ireland as Irish, England as English, Australia as Australian etc. People born in Italy are Italians, France are French , Greece are Greeks etc. For some reason Americans want to identify themselves as Germans, Italians, Africans, etc. if if they are born in America. Maybe it's a generational thing and with more cross breeding we will identify ourselves as Americans in couple hundred more years. It is one reason reparations are such a joke. I don't know of one single American who was held as a slave. Their are some who have a right to redress from our government for falsely incarceration (Japanese in WWll) and native Indians on reservations.

 

I think it’s more than our culture is younger, and the immigrant influences are still strong. Those differences will fade over time, IMO.

 

On a global scale, I would say The West is superior to Islamic nations and authoritative states like China.

 

Those that respect human rights.

 

you are thinking linearly, and that is your problem. Finland can get very cold. So a person born into warm weather will not choose Finland to live in but will choose India because they are comfortable in warm weather. India has deep roots in its British colonial history and they do speak English. It is in fact required to learn British English there along with whatever dialect from their caste or region. But if one is an egalitarian, then one may find Finland more familiar than India even though they both share common Western European ideas. This is assuming equal income, job opportunities, same education, etc on this choice.

 

~ If you have to ask there is no point ...

 

And you’re n to reading clearly. I didn’t say Finland’s climate or its language. I said Finland’s cultural norms. Those could be practiced anywhere.

So perhaps try again?