01.12.08
Defending Culture
Last night our church held its monthly Coffee House. This time a poet came and read some poetry that he had recently written, and a guitarist came to play some classical guitar pieces (she was incredible!).
At a certain point during the evening I found myself feeling kind of defensive. During the discussion following one of the poems, several people began to lament the fact that people don’t understand or know how to read poetry anymore because of the “hurried” lifestyle that America exports. It was said in a kind way, but the speaker directed his comment directly at the Americans in the room, as if we were somehow responsible for invention of Day Timers.
I’ll be the first to admit that there are parts of American culture that I wish wouldn’t spread into other countries’ way of life. But somehow I took it differently when someone outside of American culture began to criticize. Another friend on mine rightly observed that many cultural things that America “exports” are actually things that people want to copy. A subtle, but important, difference I think.
I think part of what I felt was the straw that broke the camel’s back. With the American primaries making the headlines even here, it seems like every person on the street wants my take on things - and wants to get a subtle jab in as well. So perhaps this series of subtle jabs has made me a little sensitive.
It’s made me think a bit. Where did the defensiveness come from? Why do cultural criticisms that come from someone who has lived in your culture seem more palatable, while those from outside seem like a judgment from someone who couldn’t possible understand all the angles? Which then made me wonder what judgments I have made of Italian culture that could seem offensive to them. Perhaps even more importantly, shouldn’t we, as Christians, identify with a Christian culture more than an American culture?
sqjtaipei said,
01.15.08 at 10:56 pm
Good observations. I find that I’m the same way here in Taiwan. The fact that you struggle with it and are introspective about it is a good thing, IMO. It indicates that you are probably handling the situation well instead of ignoring it. The cross-cultural aspect of missions is toughest for me. Not the actual Taiwanese cultural ways… but trying to discern what is actually cultural… what is sinful… what should be preserved… confronted… etc. Then, of course… there’s the loyalty I feel to America. I’ve noticed that the parts of “American culture” that people seem to appreciate or maybe ignore (not bash on) ARE the parts that overlap with what you call “Christian culture”. I’ve also found that most AMERICANS don’t have an accurate impression of what the USA is doing in the world (and what she’s responsible for)… why should we expect that people living in other countries would understand? Some do… but most don’t… and just repeat misconceptions that were passed on to them.