When Columbus discovered America he didn’t expect to conquer a whole civilization. They destroyed the Native American culture to the point it was even mandated that they change their hair, wear certain clothes and not speak their language. The same was true for Africans taken from their home and broken into submission to the point they were not considered people. It happens in the Middle East too, one culture dictates what a person should do. Even the Dali Llama had to leave Tibet because of his religion and relationship of not becoming the complete Chinese way. Let’s not forget the Yanomamo in Rain Forests forced out do to deforestation. These cultures were thriving societies and in encountering development they were squeezed out of knowledge of their cultural heritage because it was condemned. Much of their world destroyed except for things kept secret or remembered. I see that occurring now and I am despondent and freaking out over it. I love culture, all cultures, different cultures, and many ideas. I will say that not every culture is perfect but we can learn and incorporate, celebrate, even understand we are different but the same. We all have families and want to live decently and for the future generations to live even more perfect then this generation. We want the best but it doesn’t mean putting certain cultural ideals aside. It means to allow people to encourage everyone to live beside each other in harmony. Yes that sounds gooey, idealistic but does it really? Everybody has the ability to love thy neighbor. Which is what the pilgrims should have done after the Native Americans taught them how to get through the winter.
-Jennie Nawrocki
An Addendum:
If you choose to flatter those around you by being one of them is the whole point of accepting a culture without pressure.