Culture plays a significant role in human life, especially it is reflected in the formation of the worldview and ways of interaction with people. To study this connection, the concept of cultural relativism was introduced, which examines how the cultural environment shapes the human point of view. Consequently, the thesis of this paper is to focus on the fact that the study of this aspect is valuable for gaining an understanding of the impact of culture on the beliefs and practices of individuals. This is also due to the fact that this phenomenon is found in everyday life and can make a great contribution to limiting prejudice and false judgments about another’s culture.
First of all, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of what constitutes a topic under study. Research stated that cultural relativism is “the principle that cultures should be allowed to define their own values” (Eriksen, 2017, p. 1142). In other words, it implies that culture has a significant impact on how one’s worldview and point of view are shaped. It is valuable because it promotes awareness of the need to set aside prejudices and personal judgments about the culture of others. For example, an Englishman might consider holding hands in public as a sign of a romantic relationship, when in India this gesture is an indicator of close friendship (“Ethnocentrism and cultural relativism,” n.d.). This instance shows that acquiring knowledge about other countries can limit possible contradictions and misunderstandings in society. Thus, cultural relativism promotes awareness of cultural differences and peculiarities of nations and peoples. This is due to the fact that this phenomenon focuses on the influence of such an aspect as culture on the formation of personality and perception of the world.
References
Eriksen, T. H. (2017). Global citizenship and the challenge from cultural relativism. Etnoantropološki problemi/Issues in Ethnology and Anthropology, 12(4), 1141-1151. Web.
Ethnocentrism and cultural relativism. (n.d.). Web.