Cultural Relativism

Introduction
Are there universal truths and absolute objective realities? It would seem that such is not
the case because our exposure and knowledge about the different cultural realities tend to provide
us with ample evidences that there are other ways of thinking, believing and manners of living.
This implies that there is not one single existing culture but different cultures existing side by side.
Cultures of different people each having its own origin, practicing its own codes and standards and
having its own traditions are proofs of such co-existence.

Is there such a thing as universal culture? What is evident is cultural diversity. Cultural
relativism is undeniably present and the best people can do of their differences to mutually respect
one another. People coming from different origins and traditions will have to treat each other as
equals and co-exist in mutual respect and understanding. If such is the case, we need to understand
the implication of living our culture in the midst of other cultures.

In this topic, we will elucidate cultural relativism, its weaknesses and criticisms. The
enlightenment we can derive from the discussion might help us develop a critical attitude not only
toward other cultures but also toward our own culture.

Learning Outcomes
1. Define cultural relativism;
2. Analyze the criticisms and limitations of cultural relativism; and
3. Discover the alternative ways of treating our own culture and others’.

Activating Prior Learning

Students may be grouped or individual student may answer the questions: What is
culture? What are those practices that you notice in other cultures different from your own? What
is your reaction to other practices other than your own?

Presentation of Contents
What is cultural relativism?

Nowadays, exchanges with and exposures to various cultural practices are not rare. Modern
technology allows people to travel faster and more conveniently that attract more people to do just
that and consequently experience living in another culture. Technology has made possible what
was unimaginable a few decades ago – information explosion. Information has been made readily
available through the internet connection. In terms of exposure, communication technology has
done more than what is needed and essential as we can be connected to access information about
different societies and cultures. These make us all the more deeply aware of the various ways of
thinking and valuing different from our own. The contacts people have with others and exposures
to different ways of life have significant consequences in the way they understand others and
themselves. On this basis, people easily conclude that it is normal to be different; it is the same
with ethics. This means to say that what is ethically or morally acceptable or unacceptable is
dependent on a particular culture. This manner of considering what is right or wrong based on
cultural standard is known as cultural relativism (Bulaong Jr. et al., 2018).

Culture has now become the sole basis or morality; what is right or wrong is judged on the
basis of culture and its standards or codes. This implies that what is moral or ethical in one culture
may not be necessarily reflected in another. The rightness and wrongness of an act or decision is
entirely a cultural affair. Hence, something that is morally accepted in one culture may not be in
the case of another culture or what is wrong in another might be acceptable in another. This is
cultural relativism. Morality or ethics depends on the valuations of each specific culture.

If this is the way how morality should be understood, authorities question whether this is
sound. Rachels (2003) asks whether it is alright that each culture makes its own judgment of what
is right or wrong. But what about if cultural practices in one culture allows genocide to take place?
Should we be silent about the genocide committed by the Nazi Germans to the Jews during the
Second World War? Or, should the excision of women in a particular African culture which is
extremely painful with certain irreversible biological and psychological changes in the life of the
African women be allowed to continue without criticizing the practice? Is there not one right
concept of how should things be? What is the answer?

If it would seem that the mother Eskimos of the north did not feel remorse killing their
baby girls and did it as if it were the most natural thing to do when there were too many girls in
the family, it would be the most shocking discovery in the life of an outsider. It is total disrespect
of human life and dignity and absolutely aberrant manner of treatment for the innocent and helpless
beings. However, much to our amazement, what these Eskimo mothers were doing was exactly
the protection the life of the entire family and their clan. Their natural and physical environment
was such that it was too harsh and unfriendly that people cannot afford to have more liabilities or
more mouths to feed as there was almost nothing to live on. Should everyone be allowed to live,
paradoxically; everyone disappears from the face of the earth. Baby boys were favoured because
they were potential hunters when they grow up but the girls were definitely liabilities in such kind
of extremely unfavourable geographical conditions.

Why Cultural Relativism is Appealing

1. It gives us the freedom to act in the way we want to act. It means that we need not
adjust in a given situation knowing that there is diversity of valuations.
2. Cultural standards give us a basis for judging the rightness or wrongness of our own
action.
3. Cultural relativism allows us to be tolerant of others from other cultures.
Consequences of Cultural Relativism

1. We could no longer say that the customs of other societies are morally inferior to our
own.
2. We could decide the rightness or wrongness of our actions by consulting the standards
of our society.
3. The idea of moral progress is called onto doubt.

Difficulties of Cultural Relativism

Bulaong Jr. et al. (2018) citing James Rachels presents some of the difficulties of cultural
relativism in the following terms:

1. We cannot say that any one moral valuation is the right one?
2. It is no longer possible to render any kind of judgment on the practice of another
society. But what if their practices strongly suggest and call for criticism.
Example, in the case of racism, genocide, etc.
3. It means also that under cultural relativism, we cannot question even our own
culture and the prevailing practices. This means that as if moral perfection is
achieved.
4. Cultural relativism as noted by Bulaong Jr. et al. (2018) can only be maintained
by assuming that there is only a single and fixed culture while it is increasingly
becoming evident that it is difficult to determine what exactly determines one’s
culture.

Why we cannot absolutize Cultural Relativism

1. It is a contradiction in itself. When we insist on cultural relativism, we have made it

absolute, there, it ceases to be.
2. The differences are in our belief system, not in our values. If we look closely at our
values, there are more similarities than differences.
3. Other values tend to be more or less universal, e.g., telling the truth.
4. There are some moral rules that all societies must have in common.

Summary
Cultural relativism is happening. The evidences of cultural diversity are undeniable as
evidenced by the multitude of cultures around the world. People live in many different ways and
that these differences range from being almost similar to being radically different. The purpose of
the study of cultural relativism is not to point out that peoples around the world are different and
as such they will remain different and should be treated differently. And that means also that other
people have nothing to say about others’ ethical standards being different. That the only way we
can deal with each other is by mutual respect which is respecting the differences that there are in
each culture including the existing moral valuations honoured by each culture.
 Rachels (2003) obviously wants more than simply mutual respect. He believes that there
is something that binds different people better than mere accepting or allowing other cultural
practices without questioning them or that others would do the same. He suggests that more than
mutual respect for the differences he proposes that we should go farther and recognize that there
are more commonalities that bind the people of the world. He believes that the values behind the
practices of different cultures are more important to consider as they are basically the same.

When he points out that the Callatians practiced the eating of the dead bodies of their
fathers while the Greeks burned them, he actually meant to point that despite the utter differences
in their practices, both were meant to express the same value in quite amazing differences – that
of respect for the dead fathers. If we know more of the values behind our practices, we can establish
the highest form of respect that is based on the inherent similarity of values found in each of the
cultures. Cultural relativism is not the promotion of antagonism between and among cultures but
to seek for the elements that can unite and tie up harmoniously what seems to be different and
separated. This is the best alternative because deep down the different practices are common
universal values. People of different cultures may have different practices, but remain the same
because of the inherent common values behind and beyond their practices.

Assessment

Short Answer Questions. Answer the questions thoroughly:

1. Explain why cultural relativism is self-contradictory.

2. What makes cultural relativism appealing?
3. Expound: Different practices and traditions from different cultures are closer than they
appear.
4. What is the effect of cultural relativism to moral valuation?
5. Is the idea of cultural identity possible within the context of globalization?

Reflection
What are the universal values found in every culture that can unite the people of different
cultures? Consider honesty or care for the needy. What are the values that you care about and those
that you don’t but you believe people can’t live without?