What are the best arguments that Western culture is superior to all others?
Well, I can't say subjectively superior but its certainly been the most dominant, objectively. A few reasons could be :-1. AccountabilityPeople are held accountable for their actions and presence much more than in other countries. Human lives matter and are responsible.2. Emphasis on CommunicationWestern Culture value oratory and communication over many other cultures. Result is, people love to talk and they talk well. They can argue well, make their point heard and gossip well. Which puts a slight linguistic superiority over others.3. Authority/OrderlinessWesterners follow orderliness much more earnestly than others. And not just because it suits them for a time, but because they have made a habit of behaving in an orderli fashion4. Open to EverythingWestern culture takes everything to its logical end. You want to enjoy uninhibition, u drink and party like crazy. U can take anything to its extreme end with no restrictions.5. Risk TakingRisk is almost like a passion here. People don't get a kick out of anything that does not involve a substantial risk.
What are the best and worst aspects of modern western culture, in your mind?
That is an involved question and some the “best” is the result of or cause of some of the “worst.” For example, individuals are “free” compared to traditional cultures, but that also correlates to less family linkage and support. Goods are abundant, and comparatively cheap. But supporting that abundance and low price point demands consumerism, disposable goods and poor quality goods which ensures consumption. That also places a heavy demand on natural resources. We are also heathier and long lived - about twice as long lived on average and with comparatively low infant and maternal mortality rates. But that comes with a rapidly growing population and and increased resource stress.However, there never was a “Golden Age,” when things were the way they should have been. People were never uniformly healthy, wealthy and happy. We seem to be nearing the end of an historical anomally where a large middle class generated wealth on a scale never seen before and where personal individual liberty was a paramount value. The middle class is fading and cultural patterns are shifting to a heavily class structured society with economic and social privilege correlated to class.
What aspects of western cultures should be adopted by people living in eastern cultures and vice versa?
I have lived in US for almost 2 years and now living in UK. The things I want to adopt are -Privacy - people in US respect your privacy and don't try to invade it in any ways. When I was working in US, I was never been asked about the reasons I want to take leaves, which is not the case in India (at least not in my workplace)Personal life - again related to work culture. People here give importance to their personal lives. Thee working hours are less here (US- 8 hrs a day, UK - 7.5–8 hrs a day). Most importantly people don't generally work beyond this time. In India we tend to work 9–10 hours a day and some times more than that without any overtime. Here people enjoy their life.Independent- people in western countries are very self dependent. Children work for their expenses, travel alone etc. This gives them a good exposure of the world and they are more confident compared to the children in India of same age.Every job is treated with respect. It may be because the quality of life is better here. But people don't have any shame in doing any kind of work here, whether it is working in a pizza place or serving tables.Personal care - people of all ages take care of themselves. I have seen elderly people spending money in skin treatments which is rare in India. People here work on themselves irrespective of their age and are tend to be more active.That's all I can remember as of now.
Why is Western culture good?
It’s not necessarily good. Western culture has been put in the most advantageous position: booming economy, expansionist postcolonial agenda, industrially fueled dominance and control of mass media. Cultural texts are written or translated into their language. English is enforced as secondary language or official language in the Crown’s former territories (that’s a quarter of the world). All of this was ripe for America’s foray into the global scene in the start of the 19th century. The foreign and indigenous is Americanized. Their perspective cemented as the correct point of view. Their grasp of popular culture then is the reason why we watch Hollywood and why we still listen to The Beatles now.
Advantages of Western Culture?
You should also know that those that were slow to take up Western culture or couldn't take it up as fast as others were labelled "backward". So it wasn't always that others were very eager to take up Western culture but had to in order to get anywhere in life in the Western world order. An example is the British education system that was introduced in many of the former British colonies. The advantage that is very clear is the reduction of manual labour through the introduction of modern techniques. The back side of this however is that due to lack of the discipline required to be able to physically exercise in a gym, many people are becoming overweight (through a combination of high calorie intake and lack of exercise). There are also health problems like diabetes which come with this life style. There are several advantages of Western culture but the problem is that they seem don't seem to be long term/sustainable but rather work better as short term solutions .
Politically what aspects of Western culture did Peter the Great emulate in Russia?
(a)Parliamentry government (b)Aristocratic control of the beureacracy (c)Streamlined buereacrcay and reorginized the military (d) Seperation of church and state
What are the characteristics of western culture?
Western culture is varied, depending on what part of the country they are living. A New Yorker is very different than a Californian who is very different from a Georgian. There are pros and cons to each area and they can be very different. There are some overall characteristics, but remember you cannot judge the whole culture, but each individual as there are so many differences. Overall, Western culture is very individualistic. Accomplishments are done for the individual, rather than for the group and/or community. Decisions are made not for the best for the group, but for the individual.Western culture is also known to be very generous and also very forgiving, as well. However, as generous as they can be, they are not known to show gratefulness any where close to the Japanese or Korean cultures.Westerners are typically very blunt. They say what they mean and mean what they say, sometimes very loudly. There are usually no hints as is typical of the Asian cultures.There really is no class distinction, although you can generally tell by speech. In a society where the poorest have opportunities to raise their social standings to the highest possible, everyone is treated fairly, overall.They do not take bribes, but generous tipping is looked upon very favorably.Overall, they dress casually, the Western states much more so than the Eastern states.People in the United States are very helpful to tourists, although the East Coast people can appear to be outwardly rude, they will be willing to help and even go out of their way to help a stranger/tourist.People in the East coast, Northern and Southern states are much more in control of their time. Be punctual! However, the West coast is pretty laid back socially. If they give a time of 6:00 for dinner, it is customary to arrive 10–15 min late.I hope this helps!
What would a culture that combines only the "best" traits of East and West be like?
Whatever answers we come up with are going to be gross oversimplifications, but as a child of Asian immigrants growing up in North America, here’s what I have observed.The “best” (and arguably the most fundamental) aspect of Western culture is individualism. The idea that every person has the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. That pursuing individual happiness and fulfillment is a worthy, even moral, endeavor. This is a powerful and liberating mindset to someone who comes from a culture that emphasizes duty and honor. In excess, howeer, it can lead to mindless hedonism and indulgence. Another important aspect is meritocracy. Equality of opportunity. The lack of an explicit hierarchy and the idea that anyone can become successful if they’re willing to work hard, which leads me to my next point.The Asian piano prodigy/math whiz/Ivy League graduate is not just a stereotype. Almost every child of immigrants from Eastern culture has heard a speech about the salvation of hard work. Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld nail it in their book The Triple Package. Ethnic pride, insecurity, and the ability to delay instant gratification; these traits (particularly the last one) explain the overwhelming success of certain cultural groups over others. From my limited view, hard work and discipline are the defining characteristics of Eastern cultures, as well as a more holistic worldview. On the flip side, Eastern cultures tend to be collectivist and somewhat authoritarian.So a “best of both worlds” culture would be one combining the individualistic ideals of the West with the Eastern grit to execute them.