We constantly see reference to Muslims being anti western, but the truth is that they are not alone in resenting western cultural imperialism.

For some time now I have been saying that the ethno religious conflicts we are seeing globally are probably leess about religion, and more about cultural imperialism (in one way or another). Here is an example. I couldn't find the original article I saw re this a few days ago, in which several young Hindus were voicing much stronger criticisms of Valentine's day than what you would gather from this article ... but I have psted this one as a starting point.

I am wondering - do posters on this forum actually understand WHY it may be that groups in other cultures might resent/object to western cultural values 'invading' their societies?

Can their objections in any way be seen as having any validity?

I am curious about what people think ....

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/G...ow/1606384.cms

Oh gosh.

Some malcontents in a turd-world country don't like us.

Boo hoo. Now we will never win the UN Beauty Pagent.

I guess it will go to Iran again.

Damnit.

__________________
"Send a salami to your boy in the Army" Jerky Boys.

[quote=daisym;923774]I am wondering - do posters on this forum actually understand WHY it may be that groups in other cultures might resent/object to western cultural values 'invading' their societies?

Can their objections in any way be seen as having any validity?

I am curious about what people think ....

QUOTE]

Makes sense to me. Where they lose me is translating this into hatred of us.

initially, from what I understand, its about keeping out western influences.

when it becomes impossible, or, as in the case of some countries, their governments (unelected) are seen to be in league with the west ... or in some cases are seen as puppets of the west ....then it turns to hatred of the west.

especially where people who oppose the west/the government are tortured - as happened under the Shah, (and yes it also happened under the Ayatollah), and as also happened to people like Sayd Kutb, who later influenced bin Laden's right hand man, Zawahiri.

Most of the time it is clashes between local groups, especially victimisation of 'westernised' individuals. These are the people who are most likely to be victims in many middle eastern countries, and they are also the ones who will be beaten by cultural fundamentalists in India.

The next most vulnerable group are political figures - and there have been a few assassinations over time that have been related to these issues.

When it begins to overflow into attacks on western interests this is usually because they are available (eg occupying troops, KFC outlets).

The fourth level is attacking 'at source' - eg 9/11. This was most likely a one off, but was calculated to, and DID inspire attacks by homegrown groups, enabling the conflict to spread to the west. A sense of alienation from mainstream society combined with religious/cultural identity and a 'victim' interpretation of their situation (its more complex than that, but to keep it brief these are the main points) makes certain people vulnerable to extremist interpretations, and more likely to make 'sacrifices' in the name of belief.

We are still a lot safer than people living in the regions where these conflicts originate, and for the most part the hatred of the west isn't the driving force behind people's day to day actions. Its mainly a protectiveness of what they identify as their own culture, values etc.

There has been tension between India and the US ever since Nehru decided to be one of the non-aligned powers (with Tito and Nasser) and we assumed that meant he was a soviet, and in essence drove him to the USSR. In hindsight an oddity that we ended up siding with the dictatorship over the democracy, and probably not the best of moves.

Every change has its reactions. Hell you don't even need to look outside the US to see this. Are we going to stop recognizing gay rights because a few radical churches in the south bitch about it? Perhaps evolution should be ignored, because some evangelicals don't like it.

No. Fact is, if their culture had appeal to the members of that culture, the US's culture wouldn't be a threat. At best this whining is merely annoying, for example, the Quebecois, at worst it is used to ignore horrible abuses of human rights, using the excuse that 'our culture doesn't recognize individual rights'.

Quite frankly I couldn't care less about culture, there are no group rights, merely an amalgam of individual rights.