> Samantha Atkins wrote: > And if we bring them to these technologically more
> advanced levels
> > quickly then we are guilty of "cultural imperialism" and have murdered
> > their culture and folkways...
>
> Spike Jones wrote: <One cannot murder the willing. The term would be
> facilitating their
> <cultural suicide. ...<I have nooooo problem with this brand of cultural
> imperialism. If we
> <build it, they will come.
>
> Mihail Faina wrote:... a bit more specific. Who are the "willing"
> people that will "CHOOSE to trash their culture and folkways"?
Well, for starters (I will fondly hope) the Taliban. There is one "culture"
that I would be most pleased to help kevorkian into oblivion forever.
If we provide them with knowledge of the alternative, especially
the young and those with the most to gain, perhaps we can help
break their chains. Of course, they must *choose* to overthrow
their oppressors. Granted, providing technological advance
will be to the detriment of *some* members of that society. Tough.
> ..that you don't have a problem with this "brand of cultural imperialism" is
> no
> more surprise for me than calling a 30 years object an "antique".
Hey, I can take you downtown in the city where I live and actually
*show* you buildings that are *over* 30 years old! Why they
havent ripped that rickety mess outta there and replaced it with
something new is beyond me, but there is no accounting for taste.
I have actually *seen* items in people's homes that are said to be
aged nearly 30 years. I myself still own a 4 function calculator. {8^D
Actually, when I read Samanthas original post, I don't think she
was necessarily *objecting* to cultural imperialism. *Any* culture
would be imperialist, given the opportunity. The fact that the
west has the communications media expertise to seize that opportunity,
to aggressively export its culture, is a matter that causes me to lose
no sleep, not one minute, not a second.
Let the west provide the movies, the television, the cell phones,
internet and all the knowledge that goes with it, and the world will
follow. Mihail, share the vision: we will all live in peaceful economic
competition and mutually beneficial struggle for advancement, to
the detriment of superstition, religion and cultural oppression. spike
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