Neutrality

My last post discussed perspective and the importance of diversity. I’d like to make a clarification. I stand by my point that it is very important to embrace our differences and to always try and see things from another perspective. While this is important, it is also imperative that we do not become too comfortable. By too comfortable, I mean becoming so neutral that we do not question any actions or policies made by our peers or out government. In philosophy, this is called cultural relativism. This belief claims that nothing is empirically right or wrong. Something is right or wrong based solely on if a society deems it as such. Therefore, one society has no right to pass judgment on another society.

I strongly disagree with this philosophy. It is very important to be tolerant and understanding of other people’s cultural practices. For example, if one culture eats ants, we shouldn't label them as morally inferior. If they don’t wear shirts or don’t bathe every day, we shouldn't judge them as wrong. If, however, a society believes it is a just practice to take children into the back yard and burn them alive for fun, I feel it is our moral obligation to say that that practice is wrong. Simply staying neutral and saying that burning children isn’t wrong because that society doesn’t deem it so is a cop out in my opinion. It is silently aiding in an evil act. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Neutrality is cowardly support for the status quo.” He was referring to all of the people who saw racial discrimination, and yet did nothing to stop it. It is possible to become too neutral. Complacent, if you will. It is important to be understanding of others, but never stop questioning. And when you see an injustice, stand up to it, because by not doing so, you are contributing to it.