Reply #71: That's funny, Absolutists disgust me. Here is a humble idea to consider. [View All]

Half joking here--

I don't know if there is a cultural relativist manifesto, but I have not really found a single definition of that. Xtian fundies are very upset about it for their reasons, and yet anthropology depends on a certain amount of that to be internally consistent in its methodology.

Obviously, coming into a culture to study and being disgusted at their food or songs or religion is one thing - beheadings and lashings quite another. While I might be a proponent of CR in the first instance, my respect for human rights trumps that principle on the latter, which I consider a "higher" principle.

Since I would suspect there are different views on degree and implications of the term, it would be pointless to argue.

I do think we agree the point that respecting human rights being a higher principle.
So rather than discussing our relative disgusts, what do you think about this as an admittedly idealistic model:

1. Obviously, we need to get over the dealer/junkie relationship
2. Some standard, perhaps The Universal Declaration of human Rights should be the MINIMUM standard of behavior for any respectable nation, and trump ANY cultural standards (I realize that our country has far to go on this as well)
3. Carrot/stick formulations in trade and other forms of international agreement are put in place to enforce these agreed upon standards.

I will admit again that this is pretty pie in the sky, but pushing toward these goals is perhaps a way of moving in the right direction. I would welcome your thoughts, and hope that none of this nuanced view makes you ill in any way.