Following my reading of James Rachels’ article “The Challenge of Cultural Relativism,” I cannot help but to agree with many of the statements that he made throughout the composition. His argument that there can be more than one right answer can be applied to any aspect of life, from traits as trivial as fashion sense to differences across cultures.
As I read the article, I tried to think of my own example where I could relate to the situation of having a different opinion than somebody else. Immediately, I thought of clothing. If I wore an outfit that I viewed to be cute or flattering on myself, it would not guarantee that everyone around me would feel the same way. This is simply a matter of personal opinion. I believe that by referencing the Eskimos, Greeks, and Callatians, Rachels was proving the same point. One group may have a different opinion on a certain practice than another, and neither of those opinions are wrong. This is similar to asking two people their opinion on a dress. One may love it and want to purchase it in every color possible, and the other might want to put it immediately back on the rack and leave the store.
The article easily relates to many of the practices mentioned in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Practices such as yam planting and the sacrificing of humans are unquestionably distinct attributes of the African culture. These practices are highly unlikely to ever take place in more developed areas of the word such as the United States. However, the absence of these rituals is not entirely based on morals. Yam planting, central to African survival and culture, is simply not practical to participate in in the United States because of the climate- and this holds true for many other places in the world.
Other occurrences, such as the sacrificing of human life, are most definitely a moral and religious issue. This practice would never be accepted as an ethical practice in the western world today, because we do not believe in sacrifices to the God’s as the tribes of Africa once did.
I think that the world has made great strides in removing the prejudice that could result from cultural relativism. Not once during my reading of Things Fall Apart did I have negative thoughts toward the African practices mentioned. It is easy to understand that the culture I have grown up with living in the United States and the African culture in the novel have innumerable differences- and that is perfectly acceptable.
