Topic for the Ethics panel discussion was Westernization and our culture. Basically the effects of westernization on our culture. In the panel discussion me and my colleagues, we played roles instead of being ourselves. My role was an Indian Ambassadors role and my views on my travel around the globe as an ambassador. We were all put forward two questions each to which we had to give our own opinion and answers based on the role we chose. In this week’s reflection I would like to include my answers to the questions which I based on my research and also a little more on the topic as my opinion.
First and foremost after an introduction of having been to many different countries of the world I was asked, as a person who has been to those many countries what can I tell about the different cultures I have seen? Thanking the moderator and sending peace and blessings to all, my answer to it was as follows: Having been to many different countries and after seeing many different cultures I think each and every culture is very rich. Each cultures has something new and attractive or from the differences in how you greet to how you serve someone else. For example In México it is customary for the arriving person to greet the others. For instance, someone who walks into a group of persons eating would say “provecho” (enjoy your meal). In Chile, women often greet both other women and men with a kiss on the cheek. In Russia women often walk arm in arm with their female friends. There are cultural and ideological differences and it is good to have an understanding about a culture’s customs and ways. But as our topic westernization can be found anywhere in the world today. And it has not just influenced our government but also has gone so deep that our new generations are being built western education and western ways of living which as a result is erasing our culture and tradition slowly and in an unnoticeable manner.
Second question proposed was: being ambassador what are the ethical problems I faced living in different cultures and societies? Before answering to it I added to my friends answer which was about science being western, I added that often people get carried away by the notion that science is western. But the reality is that science is a universal thing and not western and it never will be. Coming back to the question, some of the things like I’ve seen many Indians abroad and other Asian people who in order to mix with their surroundings adapt to western ways of living. Without even considering it as good or bad. I have seen people doing things they would never do in their culture. Just to mix with the crowd, and this is what saddens me. People abroad often consider their culture inferior to western ways of living. They start dressing their way, eating their ways. For example, I have seen my own people (particularly women) dressing in a very exposed manner, dating very openly in the west which is something which is considered very obscene and bad back in India. So, these youngsters who return back to their country and implement that way of living within the family
Third, after finishing the discussion we were asked the same question from each, which was how westernization effects our cultures. My answer to it was more based religious wise as Maldives is 100% Muslim country and the influence or effect of westernization effects the way of living and the Islamic trend Maldivians have been following since forefathers. First the way of dressing changed to western. The past known 300 years and more of Maldivians since conversion to Islam, they have been dressing modestly in long dresses which is national and also traditional dress. However the dressing changed which was the same even after colonization of Portuguese. Women wearing jeans and tight cloths and the Islamic way of dressing changed and people started to follow their own ways rather than religion or trend which used to be their first priority before.
To conclude westernization has brought up many different changes to the world in every part of the world in different challenging ways. Talking of westernization one of the major thing I learnt is everything I had studied in the name of science as inventions by the western people are not true. Taking Philosophy class has opened door towards the reality and trying to find the truth, while in ethics classes I have learnt how to go by it in the right way. Education is one of the main stream of westernizing tactics western has used to promote their ways to be more modern and developed than those of our culture. However in fact western people admire the beauty and richness of the other countries and the different cultures around the world and we are blindly imitating them. An own unique identity is what makes each and evry one of us different from others and culture is what brings that uniqueness in us. So we should always admire and believe our own cultures to be superior to western culture.