Introduction
There was a radical change in all aspects of life, such as intellectual, political, and cultural values, during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The transformation in the way of life marked a turning point in Western society to a new era characterized by intellectual movements. Modernization in Western countries comprised the development and growth of cities and rapid industrialization. The essay will discuss how modernization transformed and undermined the cultural values of Western society.
Discussion
Western society’s cultural practices were undermined due to transformation and intellectual development. Some of these cultural values comprised religion, the political environment, the role of gender in the community, and technology. Christianity influenced the cultural values of Western society, as per the Roman Empire, Greco-Roman culture, and Germanic culture.
After World War 1, art shifted to the modern way of life, neglecting some key traditional values. The revolution of philosophical ideas made most Western people start practicing borrowed practices and ideas. In the early 20th century, intellectuals and artists rejected the ancient art forms and adopted the new era. For example, the theories of Albert Einstein and other notable researchers gave physics a new look.
Furthermore, during the modernization period, scientific methods threatened the social laws in the Western community. The perspective of transforming Western society into an intellectual and modern society can be referred to as positivism, as it was associated with good impact. According to intellectuals, social laws are inconsistent because people’s experiences constantly change. Max Weber argued that the sheer volume of data used in the policy-making process could make it impossible for bureaucrats to make decisions.
Several philosophers contributed to the shift in human perspectives and changed the cultural values in Western society. A German philosopher named Friedrich Nietzsche played a vital role in transforming the cultural practices in Western countries (Bixby, 150–155). In his philosophical works, he argued that truth could be understood as a human representation of reality other than a certainty.
There is a need to consider human perception in society to understand and know nature. Therefore, the 19th century lacked truth in the natural way of human life, especially in religion. Their belief in god as a supreme being forms the basis of religion in society. This transformed into a Christian way of life, transitioning from traditional beliefs (Horii, 27-34). However, being a Christian was based on an individual’s commitment and sacrifices made in spreading the good news.
It was believed that there was no truth in traditional beliefs in the 19th century. Different philosophers found that traditional beliefs could not lead to a valid conclusion about the nature and life of human beings. Therefore, advancements were made to embrace technology, which the radioactivity inventions of Antoine Becquerel in 1896 can illustrate (Rubel et al., 20). Furthermore, the French Chemist’s discoveries in Marie Curie undermined the traditional belief that atoms were solid.
Conclusion
Conclusively, the philosophers of the 19th and 20th centuries promoted the transformation of Western society into modernization. Modernity influenced a shift from some traditional values to a new era characterized by technology. Different philosophers and intellectuals formulated new ideas that undermined traditional reasoning. However, modernization helped transform society in terms of industrialization, development of technology, and change in cultural beliefs and Christianity.
Works Cited
Bixby, Patrick. War: “the Duel between Nietzsche and Civilisation”. Manchester University Press. 2022, pp. 150–155. Web.
Horii, Mitsutoshi. “Historicizing the Category of “Religion” in Sociological Theories: Max Weber and Emile Durkheim.” Critical Research on Religion, vol. 7, no. 1. 2018, pp. 24–37. Web.
Rubel, Chakravarty, et al. Radioactive Elements for Use in Human Healthcare. 2019, pp. 10–30. Web.