Quite a unique view Dennis, though to be honest to me what I find
interesting about any culture that is not my own is not necessarily the
basic facts of who killed who for what, but things like different beliefs or
ideas.
As I said, this is why i found the history of medicine such a fascinating
subject to study, sinse instead of just dealing with who ruled over which
bit of rock and how they clobbered anyone living on another bit of rock, it
actually dealt with the way people thought about the world around them.
Indeed, many universities in britain, as opposed to Philosophy teach a
separate course called history of ideas which is exactly what it sounds
like, ---- though the extent it covers ideas of specific peoples rather than
the ideas developed from the diciplin of didactic philosophy originally
begun in ancient griece I'm not sure.
So, to me it is far more interesting why! a war like the first world war
happened and what people were thinking at the time, than the basic mechanics
of how, and on this basis I do think studdying the history of just about any
people, even small groups is probably worth while.
Of course, this isn't to say anything ridiculous like everyone is right!
sinse ethics is quite another matter entirely and there are plenty of
practices that just about every people in history have thought were fine
that any reasonable person would have an issue with, however a considderable
amount of human history also comes down to ignorants of people's ideas as
well as beliefs in superiority, ---- and looking at the way a lot of western
society is going, this is something that we really need to think about at
the moment before we prove Aldous huxly right, and the way to start doing
that is! considdering other perspectives, people's reasons for doing what
they do etc.
For example, take the practice of arranged mariage.
Like a lot of people, I pretty much assumed this was a completely
exploitative and self centered practice in which people (especially women),
were forced into relationships against their will, with people they utterly
disliked often for financial or social gain.
Yet, when i questioned a friend of mine who was a soophi muslim (actually an
Iraqi), I found her perspective utterly different.
According to my friend, "arranged" is really the wrong word to use, sinse it
would still begin with a boy and girl meeting and becoming attracted. once
however they decided to get married, their respective parents would get
together and decide what the two partners were like, what their interests
were, whether they would get on etc.
After that point, the couple would live together (though not sleep
together), for several months before getting married. During this time both
families would be around, and if there was an arguement or a major issue,
would attempt to help the couple in resolving it.
After that time, the couple would then get married.
So, according to my friend, "arranged" meant more assisted and aided by both
families, than "you will marry someone whether you liek it or not!"
Yes, there are times it doesn't work, when say parents were! unscrupulous.
However equally, there are plenty of mariages in Western society that
involve spousal abuse, coercion and other such evils, and considdering how
many people get married at the drop of a hat, are left alone and then regret
it later, this doesn't seem quite the evil system of exploitation I thought
it was.
This is exactly what I mean about understanding a little more about
different cultures and ideas, sinse it's easy to dismiss anyone who doesn't
think the same way you do as "wrong" or "primative" or whatever, when in
fact there might be perfectly good reasons behind their actions, and
something worth learning.
Beware the grue!
Dark.
---
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