Howard G.

Sumayang PHILO 1
BS-CRIM Mr. Joey A. Cabrera

Cultural Relativism
Strengths Weaknesses

1. It is a system which promotes cooperation. 1. It creates a system that is fueled by personal bias.
● For the most part, humanity is strong because of ● Every society has a certain natural bias to it
the differences we all have. Every individual has because of how humanity operates. People tend to
a different perspective that is based on their prefer to be with others who have similar thoughts
upbringing, experiences, and personal thoughts. and feelings, so they segregate themselves into
By embracing the many differences we have, the neighborhoods, communities, and social groups
cooperation creates the potential for a stronger that share specific perspectives. When people are
society. given the power to define their own moral code,
2. It creates a society where equality is possible. then they will do so based on their own personal
● In any society, people rise by climbing on top of bias. There is no longer a group perspective.
other people. It is a socially acceptable way of People follow their own code at the expense of
creating discrimination. We see this today in the others.
wage gap that women face, the educational 2. It would create chaos.
opportunities that minority groups face, and the ● People who can follow their own moral code
violence we see because of political oppression. because there is no “wrong” or “right” would be
3. People can pursue a genuine interest. allowed to pursue any life they preferred under
● In the modern society, people are funneled toward the theory of cultural relativism. If you’re upset
certain career options because of their with your neighbor, then you can kill that person
circumstances. If you can’t afford to go to without consequence if your moral code allows
college, then you pursue a vocational career or for murder. Instead of purchasing something, you
some sort of entrepreneurship instead of a career could steal it if you see stealing as “right” to do.
that requires a graduate degree. If you can’t afford 3. It is an idea that is based on the perfection of
to buy a house, you go rent an apartment. In humanity.
cultural relativism, you get to pursue your own ● Many people strive to do good every day. Most
interests without restriction. want to see everyone have the chance to pursue
4. Respect is encouraged in a system of cultural happiness in some way. That is why the idea of
relativism cultural relativism often seems to be inviting. The
● People come from different cultures. They have only problem is that people are not perfect. We
different ideas. They pursue different definitions can be forgetful. We can lie.
of success. Because such a system promotes the 4. It could promote a lack of diversity.
individual’s definition instead of a group ● Cultural relativism promotes an individualistic
definition, a society can evolve because there is a point of view, so although it seems to promote
natural level of respect built into the process. diversity, it actually removes it from a society.
Cultural relativism would allow slavery to return
5. It preserves human cultures. to the US South. It would allow men to exclude
● Humanity is a very diverse set of thoughts, women from voting once again. It would stop
traditions, ideas, and practices. Many times, the employers from paying someone a fair wage – or
traditions of humanity are set aside so that a even paying them a wage at all. The only
group set of standards can be appeased. standards that are in place are those which are set
by the individual involved, which means
6. Cultural relativism creates a society without everyone is pursuing their own position of
judgment. strength. We cannot create diversity when the
● We are so trained to judge others in today’s world emphasis of a society is individualistic gain that
that we don’t even give it a second thought. can come at the expense of others.
Looking at someone and saying, “Glad that isn’t 5. It draws people away from one another.
me,” is a judgment. Under the theory of cultural ● Although cultural relativism can promote people
relativism, judgment goes away. The only person coming together to share their strengths, it can
that judges you is yourself. also encourage people to draw apart from one
another.
7. Moral relativism can be excluded from cultural 6. It could limit moral progress.
relativism. ● When we look at the idea of moral progress, we
● Each culture can be treated as an individual under think of becoming more inclusionary instead of
the theory of cultural relativism. This means the exclusionary. This inclusion is reflected in the
moral codes of a culture can be defined and an laws and customs of the culture.
expectation implemented that people follow it.
Although other cultures may not set up such a
restriction, and others might say such a restriction
isn’t a true form of cultural relativism, people in
 such a system can do what makes the most sense
for them. 7. It could limit humanity’s progress.
8. We can create personal moral codes based on societal ● We often think of the concept of cultural
standards with ease. relativism as progression, but it isn’t necessarily
● To determine if a decision would be “right” or that way. When you remove the ability to judge
“wrong,” cultural relativism allows individuals to one standard from another, then the comparative
consult with the standards of their society or process of placing a current society or culture
culture. It is a simple test to determine the course against a past one is removed as well. No
that a person should take in such a circumstance. definition of success can be implemented because
9. It stops cultural conditioning each is successful in its own way.
● People tend to adapt their attitudes, thoughts, and
beliefs to the people they are with on a regular 8. Cultural relativism can turn perceptions into truths.
basis. This is cultural conditioning and it prevents ● It’s a dark night and it is warm outside. An
people from having an individualistic perspective. African-American teen is walking down an alley
Cultural relativism stops this. wearing a hoodie and the hood is up. His hands
are jammed into his pockets and there is a bulge
in one of them. In this scenario, some people may
automatically assume that the teen is up to “no
good.” The bulge might even be a weapon under
that assumption. In the world of cultural
relativism, that bias becomes a truth that can be
acted upon. It doesn’t matter if the bulge is a gun
or a package of Skittles. The decision to act
becomes a righteous one because of the individual
truth that the culture allowed through the bias it
perpetrates.