Question

Define/distinguish the difference concepts of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. Provide and discuss an example of each concept.

Answer 1

ETHONOCENTRISM:

Ethonocentrism is the concept of viewing the world from one's own cultural perspective. That is the individual tend to judge, perceive, think about others based on their own cultural beliefs, and own cultural standards. Ethonocentrism is said to be present in almost all individuals and appears predominantly in the them as the individuals are more aware about their own cultural standards and beliefs than others. Ethonocentrism is the major cause of division among human kingdom based on their colour, ethinicity and religious backgroung.

CULTURAL RELATIVISM:

Cultural relativism is the concept of stating that an individual's beliefs, activites must be considered in terms of that person's own culture. This maintains the view about seeing all cultures are equal in values and beliefs and no person can be judged based on another cultural perspective. The cultural values, beliefs a person posses within himeself is fully based on his own religious, ethical, normative behaviour, customs, political view, etc are unique and specific to his own culture and society.

EXAMPLES OF ETHNOCENTRISM AND CULTURAL RELATIVSIM

Eg for ethonocentrism:

• The beliefs and pride the American whites has on their own culture as superior to other countries and they are the dominant authority of the world.
• judging people based on the dressing sense and their attitudes in daily life as in western countries dressing in modern and western clothes is acceptable in their culture, but asina countries may perceive it as a major sin and tries to judge them as bad or disgusting according to their cultural beliefs.

AN ETHONOCENTRISIT MAY VIEW AS HIS OWN CULTURAL VIEWS AND BELIEFS ARE SUPERIOR AND JUDGE PEOPLE AROUND THEM BASED ON THEIR OWN CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE RATHER THAN UNDERSTANDING OTHER PERSON CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE.

Eg for cultural relativism:

• In some countries having heavy meals and sea foods early in the morning for breakfast is culturally acceptable whereas in some other countries having just liquid food as breakfast in culturally acceptable. Even then people accepting it rather than seeing them as bad or something disgusting
• The practice of kissing and being close with one and others is culturally accepted in western cultures, but the same thing is more strictly prohibted in traditional cultres of india.

A CULTURAL RELATIVIST WILL UNDERSTAND THE CULTURAL DIFFERENCES EXISTING BETWEEN DIFFERENT CULTURE AND TRY NOT TO JUDGE AN INDIVIDUAL BASED ON HIS CULTURE RATHER SEE THE SITUATION IN THAT PERSON'S CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE. SEEING CULTURES ARE RELATIVELY EQUAL FOR ALL AND NO ONE CULTURE IS SUPERIOR TO OTHER.