What is Cultural Pluralism?
Please note, we will be updating a lot of information in the coming few months, we have to copy and past 20 years of work that was scattered to post it here.
It encompasses a variety of day to day activities in how people, eat, drink, wear and live their daily lives. Pluralism means respecting the otherness of others.
Thus, if you take your friend to a steak dinner, he or she eats well done stake while you eat medium rare steak. Each one could be thinking;
You: Gee, how does she eat the burnt out hard piece of steak? She is missing the taste of a medium rare steak.
She: Oh God, how does he eat the bloody steak?
In reality, both of you enjoy your steak.
Your attitude ought to be, nice! I am so glad you enjoy your steak well done, and I have learned to enjoy it medium rare. Life can be enjoyed in so many different ways!
How many of us catch ourselves looking down or up when people wear “weird” or “nice” hair styles? Have you asked how that is weird? Look at George Washington’s hair, that will not be acceptable in a main office today, was he weird? In the Sixties and seventies look at the every one – men wore long hair and women had something under their hear to give them 4″ more inches of height. Who sets the standards? Why should one be better than others? Each one is unique and must be appreciated, at least not denigrated and sulk about it.
How many of you are prejudiced against Hijab, Sarees, Arab dresses, Orthodox Jewish beards or Sikh beards or Native costumes? Why? What makes your costume superior?
We will be producing short documentaries about Pluralism in Cuisine, Costumes
Mike Ghouse
expert in Cultural Pluralism.