Why I'm not a cultural relativist. I know ours has its warts. I know _I_ have my warts. Some customs are not worthy of respect. For instance, quoth Charles Napier:
"This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pile. But my nation has also a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property. My carpenters shall therefore erect gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let us all act according to national customs."
I've also heard the end quoted "You practice your custom, and then I shall practice mine."
This is difficult to watch, although some of the images I love. The Goya painting. But an old memory came back, I wonder if it is true. It's about an alleged fundamental distinction between the sexes. "Most women define themselves by saying, 'I am like her.' Most men define themselves, "I am NOT like him."
It struck me, that if a video like this were put together about men, my gut would be angry. "I am not like any one of these. I am not like any of them at all."
Society treats women sometimes as though they were interchangeable. The atrocities in this video, make me think of human brutality that says everyone's equal who I can torment. I hate that idea. Part of why brutality is wrong, is because no one can be made interchangeable or a vehicle. She is unique in herself. Women can be considered in terms of attributes but I argue no woman can, she is more than a collection of perspectives she is unique in herself.
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"This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pile. But my nation has also a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property. My carpenters shall therefore erect gibbets on which to hang all concerned when the widow is consumed. Let us all act according to national customs."
I've also heard the end quoted "You practice your custom, and then I shall practice mine."
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It struck me, that if a video like this were put together about men, my gut would be angry. "I am not like any one of these. I am not like any of them at all."
Society treats women sometimes as though they were interchangeable. The atrocities in this video, make me think of human brutality that says everyone's equal who I can torment. I hate that idea. Part of why brutality is wrong, is because no one can be made interchangeable or a vehicle. She is unique in herself. Women can be considered in terms of attributes but I argue no woman can, she is more than a collection of perspectives she is unique in herself.
Reply
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