In reference to this question:

  1. What is it about western society that is so distasteful that it would be characterized as "sick?"

  2. Is the notion that western society is sick such a generally-accepted idea that it no longer requires explanation? Where does this attitude come from?

  3. Are there sociologists that have declared western society as ill, and if so, where are their views documented?

asked 20 Apr '10, 17:35

Vesuvius's gravatar image

Vesuvius
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edited 20 Apr '10, 17:42


A couple of popular misconceptions come to mind, based on discussions I have heard or taken part of, and things I have read here in the United States (or the year I lived in Europe)

  1. Many Chinese people are keepers of ancient and superior wisdom. (T'ai Chi, Qigong)

  2. Many Japanese people are keepers of ancient and superior warrior/martial arts knowledge. (Karate, Samurai...etc)

  3. Oriental students are naturally smart, and learning comes to them more easily.

  4. Indians (re: the nation of India) have an ancient, superior knowledge of medicine. (Ayurveda)

  5. The Tibetans have an ancient and superior knowledge of all things spiritual.

  6. The Chinese have superior skills and practices for room furnishing and decorating Feng Shui)

And so-on. Forgive me if I mis-spelled any of those disciplines. My point is that we Westerners have sold ourselves short at times. There is nothing wrong with learning from other cultures, but sometimes we have failed to value our own. We look elsewhere for answers and assume that ways from the other side of the globe are superior to ours.

Meanwhile, most of the other side of the globe doesn't want to learn anything from us, and many of the countries proudly post "anti-western" banners in their town squares. Our culture is no more sick, or no more healthy, than the rest of mankind. It has its good points and bad.

So in answer to your question, I think we have contributed to the attitude ourselves, and I think in many regions it is just a pervasive school of thought that western society is sick.

link

answered 20 Apr '10, 18:51

LeeAnn%201's gravatar image

LeeAnn 1
17.0k1519

edited 20 Apr '10, 18:55

Vesuvius's gravatar image

Vesuvius
32.7k851201

Couldn't have said it better myself.

(20 Apr '10, 18:56) Vesuvius

Nice answer LeeAnn :-)

(20 Apr '10, 22:41) Michaela
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