Discussion Class

Discussion Class Topics

- Friday the 28th of November -

(12pm)

- Are all cultures equal? -

We are often told we should respect other cultures. That just because something is different, that doesn't mean it is bad or wrong. Different cultures developed out of the situations and conditions of the place they came from. But should we accept all cultures, and especially should we accept them as equal? Is it morally right to say one culture is better than another?

This conversation was sparked recently by a YouTube who went to an Indian village and filmed a cow dung festival, in which the local residents roll around and throw cow dung (poo), because their god was born in cow dung. Many western people are looking at this and saying "wait a minute, that is a backwards culture, and our culture is definitely better than theirs'" and more specifically "why are we accepting people into our country from places that have these backwards cultures?". Another example is the Bacha bazi, from Afghanistan, where adult men get young boys to dance for them, before they rape them. It's their culture, and has been practiced for possible a thousand years by some estimates. Is it right for us with different cultures to day that other cultures are good or bad, or right or wrong? What justification do we have? And if we have that authority, what is stopping other countries and cultures from saying that our cultures are bad and wrong? How would you feel if a foreign person said one of your cultural practices was strange or bad?

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Let's discuss this!

- Friday the 28th of November -

(8pm)

- Are all cultures equal? -

We are often told we should respect other cultures. That just because something is different, that doesn't mean it is bad or wrong. Different cultures developed out of the situations and conditions of the place they came from. But should we accept all cultures, and especially should we accept them as equal? Is it morally right to say one culture is better than another?

This conversation was sparked recently by a YouTube who went to an Indian village and filmed a cow dung festival, in which the local residents roll around and throw cow dung (poo), because their god was born in cow dung. Many western people are looking at this and saying "wait a minute, that is a backwards culture, and our culture is definitely better than theirs'" and more specifically "why are we accepting people into our country from places that have these backwards cultures?". Another example is the Bacha bazi, from Afghanistan, where adult men get young boys to dance for them, before they rape them. It's their culture, and has been practiced for possible a thousand years by some estimates. Is it right for us with different cultures to day that other cultures are good or bad, or right or wrong? What justification do we have? And if we have that authority, what is stopping other countries and cultures from saying that our cultures are bad and wrong? How would you feel if a foreign person said one of your cultural practices was strange or bad?

Link 1

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Link 3

Let's discuss this!

- Sunday the 30th of November -

(11am)

- The Ukraine Peace Plan -

Recently, President of the United States, Donald Trump has released his new proposed peace plan for Ukraine. In summary, this plan treats Russia as the winner of the war and has Ukraine cede territory to Russia. While many are concerned with the precedent this will set, rewarding countries that invade others with territory, this war has been going on for over three years and has reached a natural stalemate. While Russia has been quite receptive to this plan, Ukraine has until Thursday to sign it.

What do you think? Should Ukraine sign (or rather have signed) the peace plan? What would you do?

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Let's discuss this!