Re: Is language necessary for preservation of culture?
Shannon Adams (shannon_adams@byu.edu)
Thu, 09 Jan 1997 08:24:24 -0800
CharlesDexterWard wrote:
>
> > Identity is important, retaining "past" culture is a method of retaining identity.
>
> So then, one could correctly infer that people tend to have an inherent
> fear concerning their loss of individualism or *cultural* identity,
> correct? Why is this so?
I don't think it is so much a *fear of identity loss* as is it a fear of
assimilation? Do you see the difference. It is true that many
minorities (or conquered peoples) do not want to loose their identity,
but this would not be of concern under other circumstances.
> What is it about conforming that disturbs people?
Adherence to any culture requires some level of comforming. So
conforming is not the problem. It's which culture to conform to.
> I don't disagree with your statement, but am curious to see you explain
> it in more detail.
> Identity is very important, just as you stated. However, one would think
> that an equal force would be exherted by any given population towards
> "fitting in" to a pre-established group.
Again the *pre-established group* is usually the native culture (from
the first post the Asain group, I'm sorry was it Chinese?). Just
because there is an *American culture* does not mean this is the culture
to which the individual desires membership.
>
> The original posting about language was a good catalyst for this
> discussion, I think.
Shannon
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