Ignorance of other cultures?

[PurrfectPeach]

Is anyone else just amazed by how little the typical person (I am American but I'm sure this is common in other places too) knows about other cultures? And also, by how we assume that things that are common in OUR culture are the "normal, natural" way things are for humans in general?

The reason I ask is I was just reading a question about why men like large breasts. The answers basically fell into 3 groups: because men are sexist pigs, because breasts are just sexy and all men like them, or biology explanations about big breasts being a sign of fertility.

None of these answers mentioned anything about culture or showed any awareness of the fact that breasts are not as big a deal in other cultures as they are in ours.

In many cultures, for example, a woman's thighs are considered the most arousing body part and breasts are considered mainly for babies.

Thoughts? Do you think this ignorance of other cultures and tendency to assume all people are like one's own culture contributes to many of the world's problems?
I'm not trying to suggest that other cultures' sexual differences are the most important or interesting part of cultural diversity. That just happened to be what the question which spurred this train of thought was regarding. It would probably be an interesting conversation though if neither person was uptight about it.

 

[Plain Simple Girl L]

yeah just look what Hitler's ignorance did

 

[Robert]

I'm all for learning about other cultures - I have good friends who are always teaching me things about theirs - but at the same time we're not going to sit there and talk about what body parts are the things that turn them on. I can find much more interesting things to talk with them apropos their culture than that.

 

[keemo]

Yes because our culture enforces stupidity. Along with an unrealistic "were the best attitude."

To go against the mainstream in America means to commit social suicide...even if you are indeed well aware of stereotypes and other cultures, to acknowledge truth means you are the "bad guy" or a "crazy wing nut."


The ignorance of other culture's along with fears played on by mainstream media cause popular opinion to be a filled with BS and assumptions i.e. "The war on terrorism" Arabs are treated like suspects, popular media always portrays them as radical and Muslim.

Media has the most significant effect...because we not only take on conscious things..it also helps shape or thought process and how we react to different cultures subconsciously.