America: The Superior Culture…really?

Taylor Scott’s rant on the superiority of American culture is a hideous display of ethnocentrism at its worst. When we throw away multiculturalism, the idea that no one culture is inherently superior or inferior to another, we achieve nothing more than the breeding of greater ignorance and intolerance, leading to hatred, violence, and in many cases war. When we allow ourselves to see our own values and beliefs as the “right” and “only” way of doing things, we jump into the arena of “us” versus “them” – we are good, they are evil.

I would venture to guess that most Indians today would laugh at the statement that British rule “was the best thing that could have happened to India.” While Scott shines light on the fact that British rule outlawed “suttee,” he fails to mention the extreme exploitation of India’s natural resources under British rule. Tell me Scott, who benefited from India’s gold, jewels and silk? Was it native Indians or perhaps Great Britain? I wonder what attracted the British to India in the first place. While wealth may be one factor, I am sure it is much more plausible to say that Great Britain simply wanted to help better a people by ridding them of the harmful practice of “suttee.” And if British rule was so beneficial to India, as Scott implies, why did Indians revolt in 1857? Yes, clearly Indians are too inferior and simple-minded to understand the great and many benefits bestowed upon them by their British colonial friends.

Scott’s idea of American culture is also blurred. It is my view that America’s poor lead rather difficult lives. Scott, however, seems to sugarcoat the grave reality of poverty in America by explaining that, hey, at least the poor are fat! Talk about a warm and fuzzy feeling. Scott also mentions that here in the U.S. people get married by falling in love. We also seem to fall out of love quite quickly, leading the world with the highest divorce rate. And isn’t it sweet that in America children are actually asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Although a recent study conducted by UNICEF ranked America No. 18 of 24 nations in terms of the relative effectiveness of its education system, at least all young American boys and girls are growing up with the notion that anyone can become president.

Scott’s far-reaching generalizations of American society are also hard to ignore. I am interested to know what “do it all” really encompasses. Say I, a female, wanted to legally marry another female. Is this part of Scott’s “do it all” philosophy? Scott is correct, however, that only in America do people say “sir” to their waiter. I believe in France they say “monsieur.” It was also enlightening to learn that only in America are those who stray away from the norm “tolerated” and “accepted.” In my high school I do not remember the kid who was dressed in all black and had multiple piercings as equally accepted by everyone.

If you’ve read this far, I am sure many of you have already written me off as one of those liberal, fanatic Michael Moore types. Go ahead. If I am not mistaken, liberal is synonymous with tolerant, freethinking and open-minded. Open-minded . that probably is counterproductive to the belief that multiculturalism is wrong. My intent is not to show what a horrible place America is. I love my country and believe it provides one with many opportunities not found in other nations. But let us not forget America is not without error. Do Japanese Interment Camps, Jim Crow laws or the Battle of Wounded Knee sound familiar? And refresh my memory, what year was a black female elected as President? I seem to have forgotten.

The United States also leads all industrialized nations in the gap between the rich and everyone else. Does each individual have it best in our country? If American culture is superior, have we always been the superior culture? And if so, have we reached ultimate superiority? My argument is simple: Multiculturalism is good. Tolerance is good. Extreme nationalism is bad. Arrogance is bad. Our values are rooted in our culture, and what may be considered morally wrong by one culture is not to another. Now I am sure Mr. Scott can ramble on all day about America being the best country on Earth, but how does that help us strengthen relationships with our neighbors? Besides, no one likes an egomaniac.

Carly Fox is a liberal studies freshman and a guest columnist for the Mustang Daily.