Introduction
Societies, cultures, and individuals change because humankind continually advances, creates new things, and adjusts to various situations. When social relativism is applied, the capacity to develop and adjust is energized, as the meanings of moral and immoral, or right and wrong, can change as individuals age. Cultural relativism affects the rigid nature that societies have established regarding conduct, reasoning, and ethics.
It also means that no clear definitions are established for the general public. Cultural relativism advances an individualistic perspective that examines how an individual demonstrates character, responds to actions, and thinks about ideas. Everyone can establish moral principles that they consider right and follow. This paper will argue and describe the advantages of relativism, such as promoting cooperation and helping individuals focus on strengths, while the disadvantage is that it allows violations of human rights. Cultural relativism helps increase cooperation and violates human rights; it is not a satisfying picture of ethics because it leads to confusion and could lead to increased suicide in society.
Benefits of Cultural Relativism
Cooperativeness
Cultural relativism is important because it promotes cooperation in a society. Humankind is solid as a result of the distinctions or diversities of individuals. Each individual has an alternate perspective that depends on their childhood, personal thoughts, and experiences (Chimakonam et al. 1711). When individuals embrace the numerous distinctions among them, the collaboration creates the potential for a stronger community. This means there is general well-being, the society will remain united, and peace will likely prevail. Peace keeps individuals from hurting each other, and trust must be maintained.
For instance, if somebody has a set of standards that others do not respect, they will reject these individuals from their group, and working with them would be impossible. This is because community members may not be interested in cooperating with those who have different lifestyles and ways of thinking. Subsequently, cultural relativism promotes cooperation in society and allows cultures to change when necessary.
Focus on Strengths
Cultural relativism is vital because it helps focus on individuals’ strengths rather than their weaknesses. It emphasizes society’s strengths and encourages people to view one another as individuals, rather than as part of a group (Chimakonam et al. 1712). This means that individuals will be appreciated rather than despised because they belong to a specific group. This enables different people to appreciate their strengths and maximize their potential to reach their maximum goals.
For instance, if an individual is from a specific culture, while another is from a different culture, both individuals are evaluated based on their character, rather than their race or place of origin. This would benefit all members of society because they can focus on breaking down these barriers and working together.
For example, when two people from different cultures work together, they appreciate each other and develop strong relationships, thereby contributing to the development of society. This way, racism will not exist in society; hence, people will be confident enough to pursue their dreams. Subsequently, cultural relativism helps a society to stress the strengths of individuals, hence reducing discrimination and bringing out the best in everyone to develop the society.
Cultural Preservation
Cultural relativism also helps preserve the culture of various groups. Nations have frequently been influenced by external forces, leading to a decline in their cultural identity. However, cultural relativism does not support this because different cultures exist for various reasons. If this thing is interfered with, these cultures will be eroded (Chimakonam et al. 1712). For example, in Mexican culture, a festival is held on the day of a person’s death.
However, this activity has changed due to outside influences, and it is now a masquerade festival. In this case, their culture is eroded due to foreign influences, and cultural relativism does not collaborate with this situation. When there is external interference with culture, individuals will be unable to adapt, which can be dangerous or even lead to the extinction of lives or ideas. Hence, cultural relativism is significant because it helps preserve societal culture and prevents it from becoming extinct.
Dangers of Cultural Relativism
Human Rights Violation
Cultural relativism is disadvantageous to society since it allows violations of human rights. In the case of immigration, cultural relativism may allow a country to accept immigrants regardless of their background or religion (Chimakonam et al. 1711). It promotes cultural inclusion when foreign cultures are accepted into society. Consequently, individuals from other religions and cultures can coexist with native peoples within the same space and still be considered part of the society. This is not wrong because it does not violate their native culture, but rather, there is no real difference between people from diverse cultures.
Cultural relativism does not permit individuals to judge other cultures. This means that when one society supports racism and gender-based violence, another group should not oppose that. On the other hand, human rights promote equality among the human race and the freedom of fundamental human rights, regardless of gender, age, or race. Human rights protect people in various societies, ensuring they are not banned from a state because of their specific religion or culture. Subsequently, relativism allows human rights violations, which is against human rights.
Ethical Ambiguity
Cultural relativism is not a satisfying picture of ethics because it leads to confusion. It can confuse one by suggesting that there is no right or wrong way of thinking, which means there is no concrete way to respond or think. Sometimes, people become confused about whether there is a right or wrong (Chimakonam et al. 1714). For instance, in the case of a pregnant woman, few individuals will be sure of the decision they should take if the woman is considering having an abortion. This reduces the likelihood of making informed decisions, as there are no established standards to follow.
Subsequently, cultural relativism eliminates all ethical principles and recommends an individualized perspective on morality. Meaning that if an individual considers rape moral, other people see it as a sin, and no one knows which category it belongs to. Consequently, cultural relativism does not provide a clear picture of ethics, as it confuses individuals under certain conditions regarding morality.
Devaluing Human Life
Additionally, cultural relativism could lead to increased suicide. Cultural relativism can cause increased suicide rates, clarifying that individuals have no right or wrong way of living (Chimakonam et al. 1716). For instance, if human rights are not respected, individuals may feel they should kill themselves for various reasons, such as making mistakes. In the United States, suicide is a criminal offense because it violates a person’s right to life.
In other nations, however, suicide is not considered a crime since there is no punishment for it. For example, if an individual believes that there are no consequences for suicide, they will feel more comfortable taking their own lives to avoid the pain they might suffer in the future. Consequently, whenever people in society feel that the world has become unfair and unbearable, they would settle for suicide.
Conclusion
In conclusion, cultural relativism is crucial because it promotes cultural inclusion and cooperation and preserves the culture of various groups. However, cultural relativism can cause chaos and discomfort in society, as there will be no clear right or wrong. Additionally, it can prevent moral progress since it allows people to follow any ethical code without limitations. Cultural relativism is not an ideal theory, as it does not consider an individual’s personal beliefs or values.
This is because it is an ethical system that encourages the violation of human rights, and it can lead to increased suicide rates. Although cultural relativism has various advantages, individuals are still confused about what is right or wrong. In this case, individuals will still commit suicide regardless of anything else because they do not feel comfortable in their world. Therefore, cultural relativism is not a satisfactory ethical theory because it does not provide concrete ways of thinking and can lead to chaos in society. This means the world would be a better place without cultural relativism.
Work Cited
Chimakonam, Jonathan O., and Ada Agada. “The Sexual Orientation Question in Nigeria: Cultural Relativism Versus Universal Human Rights Concerns.” Sexuality & Culture 24.6 (2020): 1705-1719. Web.