Why do we other and is there an ethical way to live with the other in an increasingly diverse world? In Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers, Kwame Anthony Appiah considers otherness as coming from two interconnected concepts: first, the other are those who are not local or related to us; second, we perceive the other to have a conflicting set of values to our own. However, Appiah contends that the values between a group and an other are not significantly different. As for an ethical means of living together with the other, Appiah puts forth the concept of cosmopolitanism, which has two fundamental ideas: that we have an obligation of concern for others; and a respect for what he refers to as “legitimate difference” (Appiah: xv). …show more content…
He describes how in Akan culture, the culture of his father, the oldest brother was not responsible for the raising of his own children, but rather for the children of his sisters, and his own children were the responsibility of his wife’s oldest brother. Contrast this with fathering in American culture, where men are responsible for their own children, not those of their siblings. Both groups are interested in responsibly raising children, but they go about it in very different ways. Says Appiah, “there are thin, universal values here – those of good parenting – but their expression is highly particular, thickly enmeshed with local customs and expectations and the facts of social arrangements” (Appiah: 49). The activities that surround a value are dependent upon the locality in which they are enacted and the culture in which they have been brought …show more content…
There are two parts to Appiah’s idea of cosmopolitanism: an obligation of concern for others, including those who are not of our own group, and a need for respecting “legitimate difference”. Legitimate differences, for Appiah, are those behaviors and beliefs that accrete around values but are different because of the locality and culture within which they are created. He believes that these differences are desirable, rather than necessarily causing conflict. “Because there are so many human possibilities worth exploring, we neither expect nor desire that every person or every society should converge on a single mode of life” (Appiah: xv). In respecting legitimate difference, we acknowledge that groups have the right to have their own practices and beliefs, though the fact that it is considered a legitimate difference suggests that the difference needs to allow the group to find ways to work with other groups within
The dependency on their mothers can negatively impact their relationship with their fathers. In many cases, the father is no longer part of the family unit, putting the young man in the role of the ‘man of the house’. This in itself has a whole new set of problems. Their mothers teach them to be kind and helpful; yet as young as Kindergarten they are taught to avoid their mothers’ ideas and emulate their fathers’. Why? A mother’s ‘negative influence’ can make them compliant and possibly question manhood. Kimmel states, “Boys learn that their connection to their mother will emasculate them, turn them into Mama’s Boys” (547). No male wants to be perceived as soft or emotional, they want to be tough and brave, perhaps even feared. If they hang around their mothers, they possess the idea they will develop into babies and do “woman” stuff. Kimmel shares a story of a mother saying that her husband took their three and a half-year-old son to a barber shop to get his hair cut. The barber used hot and painful chemicals in his hair, when the boy began to cry the barber called him a wimp and informed the father that his son had been hanging around his mama too much and that needed to change. The father went home upset and announced to his wife that the boy would be doing sports and other activities with him. Boys learn at an early age that involvement
Think of the term ‘globalization’. Your first thought may be of people from all corners of the Earth exchanging ideas, views, products, and so much more. Appiah introduces his article by describing a scene of a traditional Wednesday festival in the town of Kumasi. He allows the reader to visualize the traditions held by those in attendance, but begins his case by providing details of men on their cellphones and holding conversations on contemporary topics such as H.I.V/AIDS. When Appiah speaks of “contamination,” he highlights the way one culture is influenced by another accepting an exchange of ideas. In his article he asks, “why do people in these places sometimes feel that their identities are threatened?” (Appiah). This question raises a topic that is central to the unification of peoples’ ideals and cultures...
We have movement in today’s society. With lateral movements we remain inactive and with upward movement we upgrade ourselves in getting education, practicing sports, etc. Both movements are caused by many factors in our daily life, yet they are the effects of what we experience in the past. Misguidance, love, affection, neglect and leadership come from our nearest cluster or family. In “Justice: Childhood Love Lessons”, Bell Hooks points out that “when children are overindulged either materially or by being allowed to act out”(463), it is an example of a form of neglect. Mary Phiper also portrays the effects of lack of love, parenting and neglect within our most fundamental base in our society, the family. In “Beliefs about Families”, Pipher argues that “family need not to be traditional or biological” (379). Although, a family does not need to be traditional or biological, it has tremendous effects on communication, love, misguidance and neglect. Thus, if parents do not guide their children well, dysfunctional f...
Is everyone an outsider? We have been looking the concept of outsiders but are we also outsiders? “Othello”, by William Shakespeare, explores the idea of an outsider from the very beginning of the play. Equally so, “The Boat People-Big Trial” is a short story written by Herb Wharton and follows the concept of outsiders as it is about the Europeans coming to Australia and misjudging the Aboriginals again. The quote written by Meshell Ndegeocello “any ideas of ‘other’ are complicated, and otherness is relative to personal ideas of ‘normal’”, shows that to certain people ‘other’ can be totally different and non-conforming whereas to another group of people ‘otherness ‘ may be normal for them. People often get portrayed differently because of personal opinions and as a result derogatory and demeaning terms may be used. Therefore everyone is an outsider even though they may not know it. Both successfully explore the context of otherness as it relates to outsiders.
In his conclusion, he states that differences need to be recognized, respected and understood. He states that the United States needs to have a “pluralistic community“ . (22) He quotes Robert Bellah, “one which involves a sense of bond and connection stemming from shared activity, condition, task, location, and the like-and grounded ultimately in an experience of shared humanity- yet recognizing and valuing cultural differences (and other kinds of differences as well). (Blum 22)
Joseph is an awful, unjust father to David due to his physical and verbal abuse towards David. David feels uncomfortable when in his father’s presence, whereas he welcomes Uncle Axel’s company. Contrary to Joseph, Axel shows his care for David through actions and words. David and his uncle are a lot closer to each other compared to David and his father, whose admonishments are his only words spoken to David. A son should love his father, rather than fearing him. Every child should have the right to have a healthy relationship with their parents.
Nearly a century before the beginning of "multiculturalism," Jane Addams put forward her conception of the moral significance of diversity. Each member of a democracy, Addams believed was under a moral obligation to seek out diverse experiences, making a daily effort to confront others' perspectives. She believed that morality must be seen as a social rather than an individual endeavor and democracy as a way of life rather than merely a basis for laws. Failing this, both democracy and ethics remain sterile, empty concepts (www.semcoop.com).
However, a cosmopolitan would argue that the ethical value and rights granted should apply to every individual, instead of communities or nations. Even David Miller recognizes that it is natural to believe we have a certain obligation or responsibility to others outside our own nation, such as the world’s poor. This is because we are all human and have a humanitarian impulse inside us that makes us concerned with the well-being of others.
The framework question, “What do we owe to each other?”, addresses complex issues of human existence. No matter the response, the answer is subjective, related to one’s own personal experiences and their understanding of morality and inequality. Yet, an individual’s answer can be further influenced by academic study and helping others in need. Philosophy, theology, and service influence the understanding of the question, “What do we owe to each other?” by allowing one to explore problems of human morality, experience human connection through theology, and feel sympathy for others.
In this paper I will be arguing that racist beliefs are cognitive problems according to Appiah’s account of racisms. In order to defend this position, I will first explain Appiah’s account of how racism is heritable through genes, focusing specifically on what he thinks the connection between extrinsic racists and intrinsic racists are. Then, I will define what Appiah takes a extrinsic and intrinsic racists to be, and show how his definition of what an “insincere” extrinsic is distinctive by contrasting it with other ways one could interpret or define as an “insincere” racist. I will then present an objection that explains why I think that racialism is not heritable through genes and that an “insincere” extrinsic racist should not change their minds.
...e treated his family. The kids were raised in an environment of fear and punishment. This affected every relationship, even with other children, they had established. Being bound to one’s culture is not necessarily a bad thing. The kids are disciplined and respectful, at least in the presence of other adults. The problem with the father was not understanding that some values are expired and do not fit society's norms. Traditions that bring families together should be kept not the opposite. Since society's norms are constantly changing, we have to keep traditions alive that correlate. Good traditions and cultural values should be passed on from generation to generation not the traditions that bring children down.
Through the novel of Little Bee, I realized that we should know more about ourselves, and the sence of pride of our own culture; standing on the point of a global perspective. Remove prejudice, narrow-minded and limitations, and learn to observe the different nation, different social, different cultural customs, traditional idea. Make us more rational, and have a more comprehensive, more understanding of the human society. We need standing on a higher level to regard ourselves and others. On the whole, all the people are the member of human and the society after all. If both the oppressed and the oppressor can try the best, the oppressor can help the oppressed as unconditional, and the oppressed can identify with their cultural background and self-awareness. Then, I think that cosmopolitanism is not an especially difficult to accomplish.
When looking at normative theories of politics, the main distinction is between cosmopolitanism and communitarianism. In this essay the term community shall refer to political communities, or more specifically, states. It is important to note that these political communities have been defined territorially, and not necessarily by culture, although this is taken for granted to an extent by communitarianism. Communitarians say that each community is different, and therefore should act accordingly with each other. In other words, state autonomy should be absolute and law and moral standards should be self-determined by the community itself alone. Furthermore, communities should have no obligations to other political communities or any sort of international law. Contrastingly, Cosmopolitans say that there should be an overriding universal moral standard to which all states (or communities) should adhere. If a state is infringing on the rights of the individual or humanity, then intervention is appropriate and just. (Steve Smith, The Globalisation of World Politics: An Introduction to International Relations p. 173A)
To gain a better understanding and develop a positive attitude and acceptance of the varying ethnic and cultural differences we have in society today in the modern world, we need to step back and examine and study the philosophical views of ancient philosophers and attempt to modify the traditional mind set of today’s population in regards to racism. We are in fact all human, all cultures, all ethnic groups, all races, all skin color and cannot be compared to other living creatures, we can make judgments, we know right from wrong, we all have the opportunity to succeed. We as the human race must re-evaluate our morals which define our personal character and strive to make healthier and better decision in our lives on issues that affect our fellow man, as well as being ethical in our social lives and activities.
Living in a diverse world should be something a person should be proud of. Getting to know a person’s culture and their beliefs should be a wonderful ability. Respecting one another is important, even though a lot of people still disregard that, which should discontinue. We should all start to learn how to make this world a better place,