Identity Is That Which Is Given - (On self-creation and cultural preservation) (1 Viewer)

[KFunk]

I came across an interesting essay today called Identity is That Which is Given by a public intellectual called Kenan Malik.

Malik identifies tension between the desire to respect autonomous self-creation and the active preservation of culture. An extract:

Multiculturalists ... exhibit a self-conscious desire to preserve cultures ... In the modern view, traditions are to be preserved not for pragmatic reasons but because such preservation is a social, political and moral good. Maintaining the integrity of a culture binds societies together, lessens social dislocation and allows the individuals who belong to that culture to flourish. Such individuals can thrive only if they stay true to their culture - in other words, only if both the individual and the culture remains authentic. Modern multiculturalism seeks self-consciously to yoke people to their identity for their own good, the good of that culture and the good of society.

...

An identity is supposed to be an expression of an individual’s authentic self. But it can too often seem like the denial of individual agency in the name of cultural authenticity.

I found it to be an interesting read given the present context of culture wars, Koori Courts, debated English syllabi, the 'dangerous relativist', and so forth.

 

[Trefoil]

This is GREAT NEWS for JOHN MCCAIN!!!

 

[Silver Persian]

Ooh I'm writing an essay kind of about this...about how multiculturalism's attempt to "protect" an authentic culture against Western influence conflicts with the goals of feminism

 

[Captin gay]

This is GREAT NEWS for JOHN MCCAIN!!!

* This is great news....... FOR JOHN MCCAIN!!!!!!

 

[Trefoil]

* This is great news....... FOR JOHN MCCAIN!!!!!!

* This is GREAT NEWS!!! for JOHN MCCAIN!!!!!