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10 Questions for Multiculturalists: Answered

27 September 2016   15:14 Diperbarui: 27 September 2016   15:25 23
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Metaphysically speaking, culture can be thought of as an aggregate of expressions under the progression of desires, i.e. the ways in which people act out their carnal and spiritual needs and everything in between. Inside the cave, every person has desires and must act these out either inclusively or exclusively. That's a trait shared by everyone. A culture is a combined expression of a group of people acting out their desires. But these desires must be acted out in a fashion that allows you to move forward under the progression of desires.

The acceptable price tag would be if multiculturalism allows all groups to move forward under the progression of desires. The price would be too high if even only one group stagnates, not to mention regresses, under the progression of desires.

Having said that, it is your job as an individual to assure that you keep moving forward (you make your own luck, as the saying goes). The only way I know you can achieve that is by cultivating an understanding of yourself as a human being. You understand yourself, you understand everyone, and differentness is transformed. The job of the nation state is to see to it that its nation moves forward under the progression of desires. It can do so with the tools that it has at its disposal, e.g. the education system.

2. Why is it only us who need multiculturalism? Shouldn't strict monocultures such as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, or Afghanistan need it much more?

The question is an expression of grievance as you perceive that your need to quench your egoistic desires has been compromised. But by hitting out at the world you're tilting at windmills. Nobody needs multiculturalism. Not in the cave anyway. You may don't want those migrants in your country but how sure are you that they want to be there in the first place? The way I see it, exclusive policies have resulted in those migrants regressing to the desire for survival. And to make matters worse, host communities have come to perceive these people as a threat to their own desire for survival. If the nation state does not take due action fast, i.e. by tending to the desire for survival of both sides, things can get ugly. Think fascism.

What the nation state can do at this instance, however, is to make changes in the physical world only, which don't count as real changes. Real change, as I have mentioned, can only be brought about in the mind and that is up to each person individually. You make your own luck.

3. Did you end up with your ideology by evaluating arguments and evidence, or do you find yourself believing in multiculturalism in spite of them?

I ended up with my world view by evaluating personal life experiences which I then applied to more general contexts.

4. Do you believe that any culture or religion no matter how anti-liberal or anti-democratic is suiting material for peaceful coexistence in a multicultural society?

Peaceful coexistence in a multicultural society can only take place if each of the components making up the melting pot—no matter how exclusive some may be—are allowed to progress along the progression of desires. The main responsibility to progress, however, lies with you. Think of what Plato said about the most important purpose in life.

5. If all cultures are equally good why is it only our culture that needs changing?

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