EDF 2085 Reflection Paper #7

Jackie Lawrence
EDF 2085
Reflection Paper #7

Different cultures celebrate a child’s maturation into adulthood with a plethora of diverse traditions. Whatever these customs may be, they all serve one main purpose, and that is to recognize and appreciate the younger generation’s arrival into respectable replicas of the culture. In many cultures outside of our own, these rites of passage parallel closely to our own system of formal education, even if we don’t necessarily understand them.
For instance, clitoridectomy is still a common practice in many societies around the world. To these people, circumcision teaches children about tribal law, morality, and religion. Many others, including the Church of Scotland Mission and several European delegates, strongly disagree with this practice and want it abolished promptly. However, does that necessarily mean that they are correct in their feelings? Is it proper to impose on someone else’s strong belief and outlaw their practices? Nobody can enforce that the Poro Society Bush School or the Sambian tradition of regular fellatio be outlawed. Many people may want to dispute these initiations, but there are religious reasons they are practiced that we don’t fully comprehend. Cultural relativism teaches that all cultures are of equal value. Furthermore, we cannot truly have a handle on why other people believe what they do until we study their entire culture in depth. And even then, according to Frank Boas, we shouldn’t be judgmental.
Conversely, when it comes to our own culture, do we change traditions and customs that may be unhealthy or socially unethical? Personally, I think that when it comes to our school system, it is absolutely imperative to make suggestions, corrections, and reform when things are not right. Children undergo initiation rites throughout the world to learn what being a good adult in their society is all about. Every single impression they get comes from their surroundings; family, friends, educators, and social groups. The older generations need to make sure they are raising the future of our world as well as they can. We might not be able to change other country’s laws regarding education and rites of passage, but we can sure focus on our own issues.