Sunday, November 16, 2014
"American" Ethics
One of the key topics we discussed in class this week in the question "Should public schools instruct students in American values?". First of all, I think it is necessary to define the word "american" and what it means to have "american value". I think that "american values" should be any set of ethics that is present in any person living in America today, but society has, as society often does, manufactured a universal stereotype of what being american should mean. In my point of view the american stereotype often includes being financially stable, white, christian, and consumer oriented. Some may disagree with me but this is what I usually see throughout the media. This stereotype obviously nowhere near encompasses the culture of every american and it is unfortunate that this is considered the standard. Therefore, my answer to the question "Should public schools instruct students in American values?" is most definitely no because I believe there are no true American value, and only values manufactured by others and believed to be the values of all. If you were to teach the ethics of all of America you would not have enough time in a lifetime. I also disagree with teaching someone someones else's ethics because I believe that ethics, morals, and values are meant to be learned and discovered by the individual uninfluenced by those around them. I believe that it is someone's jurisdiction to determine their belief of right, wrong, and the purpose of life.
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I completely agree with you. Teaching 'American values' would mean that there was a specific set of values that every American follows, and that isn't true. Every person is different and has their own views and morals on life, putting the label of that moral being necessary in American culture is wrong. I also agree that learning about different views and lifestyles should be something that people experience on their own by meeting new people. Not everything is meant to be taught in a classroom, and when it comes to learning about different cultures and perspectives it's very important to actually come across people who are part of that culture and can explain it from the inside.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your standpoint. I also believe that one's culture is their own culture and that no one should eliminate one's access to their culture as the whites did with the Native Americans. Why do you still think that people of the other races, such as hispanic, African American, Asian etc. try so hard to fit the stereotype "white girl" or "white boy"? Do you think this a recurring theme throughout history?
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