(This is not my idea, but I’m elaborating on my understanding.) I read a book by a gent called Patrick West. The first problem being that reading something that attacks liberalism, elements of democracy or the reality (rather than the ideal) of free speech suggests that you fit into the negative connotations of fascism, being “right wing” (whatever that is), a “neo-con” (even more ambiguous) or generally showing favour to absolutist or authoritarian government. This is absurd. “Labels” should be put to one side for the time being and cynicists should bear in mind that religious people should allow their faith to be tested (rather than following blindly) in the same way that people of certain political persuasions should know the contrary arguments thoroughly.
This book had amassed negative connotations because of political prudes being unable to ignore these “labels” – it was in fact a pragmatic and intellectual reality check of things as they stand with a disregard to the controversy that truth creates. I appreciated the tone – whilst disagreeing with many of his points.
The fundamental point is one which, for me at least, sums up a lot of the frustrations that arise when sociology meets reality. In order to “assert that no culture is better than another [the basic idea behind a multiculture], they [the government] happily elaborate that Western culture is actually inferior, and shy away from celebrating it for fear of causing offence”. One example being the traditional nativity play being removed from use in primary schools (I am an atheist but at my school we learned about the story of Hanukah as well suggesting there is a secular element to putting on a play in general). This is the difference between cultural toleration and cultural promotion. The book could easily be misinterpreted as a reassertion of our country’s nationalism: but it is in fact quite to the contrary. It suggests that culture overall is loosing out – not any specific culture but the fact that multiculturalism in reality overshadows individual cultures in favour of tolerance.
If interested the book is called "The Poverty of Multiculturalism" by Patrick West. Perhaps prepare for funny looks on the tube (although reading "And then there were none" by Agatha Christie was maybe a little more awkward - because my copy had the original title).
The irony is that the Western world’s predominant cultures are the ideas of social liberalism, freedom of speech and democracy: arguably the very things that are allowing the Western world to eventually lose its own identity. Whether this is a good or bad thing is another story.
This book had amassed negative connotations because of political prudes being unable to ignore these “labels” – it was in fact a pragmatic and intellectual reality check of things as they stand with a disregard to the controversy that truth creates. I appreciated the tone – whilst disagreeing with many of his points.
The fundamental point is one which, for me at least, sums up a lot of the frustrations that arise when sociology meets reality. In order to “assert that no culture is better than another [the basic idea behind a multiculture], they [the government] happily elaborate that Western culture is actually inferior, and shy away from celebrating it for fear of causing offence”. One example being the traditional nativity play being removed from use in primary schools (I am an atheist but at my school we learned about the story of Hanukah as well suggesting there is a secular element to putting on a play in general). This is the difference between cultural toleration and cultural promotion. The book could easily be misinterpreted as a reassertion of our country’s nationalism: but it is in fact quite to the contrary. It suggests that culture overall is loosing out – not any specific culture but the fact that multiculturalism in reality overshadows individual cultures in favour of tolerance.
If interested the book is called "The Poverty of Multiculturalism" by Patrick West. Perhaps prepare for funny looks on the tube (although reading "And then there were none" by Agatha Christie was maybe a little more awkward - because my copy had the original title).
The irony is that the Western world’s predominant cultures are the ideas of social liberalism, freedom of speech and democracy: arguably the very things that are allowing the Western world to eventually lose its own identity. Whether this is a good or bad thing is another story.
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