Cultural Relativism

Understanding other cultures without making judgments about the way they do things or the way they understand and react to things is the basic concept of cultural relativity. The importance of this idea is demostrated by Richard B. Lee in his story about the Christmas feast with the !Kung.

In this story Lee, a social anthropologist living with the tribe, experiences a misunderstanding that almost caused him to pack his belongings and leave the bushmen which were the subject of his study.

The basis of the misunderstanding centered around the idea that after a year of using his supplies to gain leverage Lee would show his generousity by providing a large robust ox for the Christmas feast. Generousity he expected, as a westerner, to be greated by praise gratitude and general appreciation. What he didn't realize was that praise was not the way of the !Kung people.

For if you take an action in your own culture the reaction is generally predictable, but if you take that same action exercised in a different and unknown culture the reaction is entirely unknown leaving room for misunderstandings. And vice verse.

The !Kung came to the conclusion that in order to thrive, survive and keep the peace they must instill an air of humility within each tribal member who is blessed with success. This is to keep any individual from becoming consumed by pride and arrogance which would make them feel above the other members of the tribe and it's ways. They do this by insulting the man and painting his perceived success as a failure. This is their custom and it has allowed them to survive.

It is also that custom that made Lee feel shame for the ox he bought because they told him that it was old, boney and only good for soup. That is were the misunderstanding insued. Westerners feel that people should be grateful when they receive gifts because of ingrained ideas like, reward what you want repeated and treat others the way you