Sunday, November 11, 2007

Multiculturalism as an Escape from Reality

Here's an interesting look at cultural malaise in Europe. From the piece:
Cultural relativism is an interesting highlight of Europe’s neo-leftist disposition. It’s generally touted as an umbrella to shield the mostly Muslim immigrants from cultural scrutiny but in reality it’s largely a self-serving construct. It serves as an outlet for collective neurosis through escaping reality. ... The core of Europeans’ passion for political correctness lies in their psychological need of escaping reality, of hiding their heads in the sand, of refusing to acknowledge their ideological failures, and avoiding a much needed objective assessment of their situation.

Many Europeans channel these repressed needs by applying the sophistry of cultural relativism to their backward immigrants, but in reality it’s themselves they are trying to shield and protect. When the clash between their culture and the savage Islamic influx is truly shocking, most Europeans don’t know how to react. They are so invested in cultural relativism that the path of least resistance is often appeasement.
Much the same situation in Canada I would say. "Appeasement" takes on the form of the loss of freedoms: freedom of speech and association, where speech against Islam is snuffed out. So really the cultural relativism of multiculturalism doesn't end up tolerating all expressions of culture: only those that agitate for recognition from the multicultural enforcers, with violence or threat of violence (implicit or not so). And indeed you see this take on the implicit form very often, like: "Sacred Islamic topics mustn't receive any insults or there could be extremism." Such a sentiment is already too extreme for me.

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