1 Running head: MYTHS AND VALUES 3 MYTHS AND VALUES Myths and Values Student’s Name Institution Dates Myths and values Cultural Relativism Introduction Relativism is the idea that claims that truth is a conditioned notion that does not go behold cultural boundaries. This idea came to existence since the Greek era about 2400 years ago. I chose this topic because its cultural relativism has a wrong claim that each culture has its own equal and distinct valid modes of thought, perception as well as a choice. The truth is that moral truth is universal and objective. It is not right to maintain that man’s opinion in a given society will define what is wrong and right. This work is meant to look at the importance of multiculturalism in the whole world. This will facilitate curbing of virtues such as racism, political correctness, and postmodernism (Donnelly, 1984). It will as well do away the philosophy of social engineering that tends to show western culture as the most superior when compared with other cultures. Cultural Relativism is a mistaken idea claiming that there are no objective standards to judge our society because each culture has its accepted practices and beliefs. It is a wrong idea because no one can reflect the intolerance of society reflecting its indigenous world overview. There is no objective truth about every person at every time. No one moral code that is worse than or better than any other. Following cultural relativism is like objecting to Hitler and Nazism, South Africa’s Apartheid, Genital mutilation in African young girls, Mayan infant sacrifices. This is because each of these practices was justified by the worldview of the society in which they were practiced. By accepting cultural relativism, we would be prevented from criticizing our cultural practices like slavery because our culture recognized them at that time. There would also be no need for, or argument for, social progress (Teson, 1984). This would deter societal development. Racism, Multiculturalism, deconstructionism, social engineering, and political correctness are the descendants of cultural relativism. Multiculturalism The central idea of multiculturalism is that there is no culture that has higher values than the other. Multiculturalism, which is a politicked form of cultural relativism, does not accept the idea that there are general truths, rules or norms with respect to both morals and standards (Steinberg, 2009). Enlightenment beliefs in objectivity, principles of freedom and reason and evidence that equally apply to all are time gone. Multiculturalism dismisses the world overview of Eurocentric Western perspective that is based on the contributions of the white males that are dead. It also rejects the western civilization significance because it claims that the western traditions are mostly racism, elitism and sexism thus they cause most of the current problems (Donnelly, 1984). On the other hand, it accepts the Romantic view of nature as bei.

1. 1
Running head: MYTHS AND VALUES
3
MYTHS AND VALUES
Myths and Values
Student’s Name
Institution
Dates
Myths and values
Cultural Relativism
Introduction
Relativism is the idea that claims that truth is a
conditioned notion that does not go behold cultural boundaries.
This idea came to existence since the Greek era about 2400
years ago. I chose this topic because its cultural relativism has a
wrong claim that each culture has its own equal and distinct
valid modes of thought, perception as well as a choice. The
truth is that moral truth is universal and objective. It is not right
to maintain that man’s opinion in a given society will define
what is wrong and right. This work is meant to look at the
importance of multiculturalism in the whole world. This will
facilitate curbing of virtues such as racism, political
correctness, and postmodernism (Donnelly, 1984). It will as
well do away the philosophy of social engineering that tends to
show western culture as the most superior when compared with
other cultures.
Cultural Relativism is a mistaken idea claiming that there
are no objective standards to judge our society because each
culture has its accepted practices and beliefs. It is a wrong idea
because no one can reflect the intolerance of society reflecting
its indigenous world overview. There is no objective truth about
every person at every time. No one moral code that is worse

2. than or better than any other. Following cultural relativism is
like objecting to Hitler and Nazism, South Africa’s Apartheid,
Genital mutilation in African young girls, Mayan infant
sacrifices. This is because each of these practices was justified
by the worldview of the society in which they were practiced.
By accepting cultural relativism, we would be prevented from
criticizing our cultural practices like slavery because our
culture recognized them at that time. There would also be no
need for, or argument for, social progress (Teson, 1984). This
would deter societal development. Racism, Multiculturalism,
deconstructionism, social engineering, and political correctness
are the descendants of cultural relativism.
Multiculturalism
The central idea of multiculturalism is that there is no
culture that has higher values than the other. Multiculturalism,
which is a politicked form of cultural relativism, does not
accept the idea that there are general truths, rules or norms with
respect to both morals and standards (Steinberg, 2009).
Enlightenment beliefs in objectivity, principles of freedom and
reason and evidence that equally apply to all are time gone.
Multiculturalism dismisses the world overview of
Eurocentric Western perspective that is based on the
contributions of the white males that are dead. It also rejects the
western civilization significance because it claims that the
western traditions are mostly racism, elitism and sexism thus
they cause most of the current problems (Donnelly, 1984). On
the other hand, it accepts the Romantic view of nature as being
beneficent and benign before it was corrupted by western
ideology that were flawed as well as western culture.
According to multiculturalism, ethnicity, race and sex have
a significant effect on the way people think as well as the
values they hold. There are various systems that are closed to
thought, perception and feelings with each being affiliated with
some biologically defined group. Multiculturalism destroys
people’s confidence in their culture by allowing his group to
tell him on what to believe.

3. The primary goal of multiculturalism is to change the
United States from a society that is culturally assimilated to
unassimilated multicultural society that has a broad range of
cultures as well as subcultures with each accorded equal status.
It is meant to promote quotas instead of competition, allocation
of resources rather than earning them as well as a cabinet that
looks like American rather than the one has an adequate
background of doing the required job. It does not see the
diversity methods used in finding and creating diversity
dividing the country (Norton, 2012). Multiculturalism results in
a widespread societal tendency towards revenge, hatred, and
even belief in the innate superiority of individual group thus
leading to a feeling of solidarity as well as self-righteousness.
Racism
This is the idea that one’s race determines his race. It is
also a belief that one's ancestry mainly determines one's beliefs,
values, and characters rather than one’s mind judgments. Many
Americans are always taught to base their sense of self in their
ethnic or racial identity. There is no reality independent of the
ethnicity of a person, no objective facts, and no universal logic
rules, according to the critical race theory (Norton, 2012).
Racial preference is universal in any diversity movement.
Many people do not realize that we cannot cure racism with
more racism. Others are always taught to think in racial terms
instead of according to individual character and merit, on the
other hand, some groups are identified as having special status.
This results to warranted resentments and indignation (Teson,
1984).
The purpose of diversity movement is to produce tolerance
differences through the eradication of racism. To me, this is a
mere pretense. This is because one cannot teach that identity is
determined by one’s race ant at the same time expecting people
to view each other as individuals. The idea of an individual's
identity from his race is depraved. Today people have minds
that are competent, efficacious intellects as well as free wills
that enable them to judge as individuals (Teson, 1984).

4. The only way acceptable alternative to racism is
individualism. We should recognize each person as a sovereign
entity with a power of choice and independent judgment
(Steinberg, 2009).
Western Culture Is the Superior
Many intellectuals today claim that western culture is not
any better when compared to other cultures. They also add that
there no objective standards that can be used in evaluating the
moral demerits or merits of various cultures (Steinberg, 2009).
In real life, the western superiority can be demonstrated by
appraising cultures on the basis of only befitting standards for
judging a culture or society that is the core values of anti-life or
life affirming. Various cultures recognize and honor the nature
of man as a ration being who should produce and discern the
circumstances required for his flourishing and survival. Such a
culture would facilitate the promotion of man’s natural rights,
science, productivity as well as the technology. Western culture,
which is the prime example of such a culture, promotes high
levels of freedom, wealth, health, innovation, comfort,
opportunity, technology and life expectancy (Teson, 1984).
Western civilization represents the best of a man. It
embodies all the values that make the life a man secure such as
individualism, freedom, reason as well as the natural rights of a
man. It promotes self-reliance, self-responsibility, and
capitalism. This is mainly based on free will and free
achievement. The need for republican representative
government, and rule of law which is limited; language,
literature and arts that depict man as an efficacious in the
world. Science and technology, the idea of causality and the
rule of logic in a universe that is governed by natural laws that
are intelligible to a man (Herskovits, 1972). These values,
western civilization values are the values needed by all men
cutting across geography, gender and ethnicity.
Conclusion
Multiculturalism, Racism, and western culture superiority
proves that in real life cultural relativism cannot overcome logic

5. boundaries. Different races have differing cultures. There
should be no culture which should be seen as more superior to
the other. All individuals should respect one’s culture and race.
This would help to bring harmony and peace in the community
because cultures of different races and cultres.It cannot also
overcome morality sense that is inherent to mankind. We all
know well that some things are not right, but cultural relativists
try to tweak their philosophies so as to fit their needs. To
declare some actions as mostly wrong and others like the mostly
right are nothing but making rules as one goes. Saying that
some morals are better than others implies an ultimate standard
that are being used in making such judgment. By firmly stating
that something is always wrong, is by itself a rejection of
relativism (Herskovits, 1972).
References
http://www.quebecoislibre.org/younkins26.html
http://www.gotquestions.org/cultural-relativism.html
Herskovits, M. J. (1972). Cultural relativism; perspectives
in cultural pluralism.
Donnelly, J. (1984). Cultural relativism and universal
human rights. Human Rights Quarterly, 400-419.
Steinberg, S. R. (2009). Diversity and multiculturalism: A
reader. New York: Peter Lang.
Gutmann, A., & Taylor, C. (1994). Multiculturalism:

6. Examining the politics of recognition. Princeton, NJ: Princeton
Univ. Press.
Teson, F. R. (1984). International Human Rights and
Cultural Relativism. Va. j. Int'l L., 25, 869.
Norton, D. E. (2012). Multicultural children's literature:
Through the eyes of many children. Boston, Mass: Pearson.
Hill, J. H. (2009). The Everyday Language of White
Racism. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
Sue, D. W. (2003). Overcoming our racism: The journey to
liberation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Nelson, C. A., & Nelson, C. A. (2004). Racism, Eh? A
critical inter-disciplinary anthology of race and racism in
Canada. Concord: Captus Press.
Day, R. J. F. (2000). Multiculturalism and the history of
Canadian diversity. Toronto [u.a.: Univ. of Toronto Press.
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Running head: MYTHS AND VALUES
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yth
s and Valu
es
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tudent
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s Name
Institution
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7. 1
Running head: MYTHS AND VALUES
Myths and Values
Student’s Name
Institution
Dates