{"id":3981,"date":"2021-06-05T12:27:20","date_gmt":"2021-06-05T06:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/?p=3981"},"modified":"2021-11-10T00:22:13","modified_gmt":"2021-11-09T18:52:13","slug":"embracing-diversity-and-respecting-differences-at-renaissance-sri-lanka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/3981\/embracing-diversity-and-respecting-differences-at-renaissance-sri-lanka\/","title":{"rendered":"Embracing Diversity and Respecting Differences at Renaissance Sri Lanka"},"content":{"rendered":"

Claude L\u00e9vi-Strauss, a renowned anthropologist,\u202fsigned a remarkable account,\u202fRace and History, which brilliantly summarizes some fundamental key factors Renaissance Sri Lanka is built on: the intimate power of diversity<\/strong> and the meaningful importance of inclusion<\/strong>, under the form of coalition\u202fwith other different human societies; accepting\u202frather than fighting diversity, is the first step to reconcile ordinary differences<\/strong> between human societies, bearing in mind that\u202fno human society or culture\u202fcan be considered\u202f\u2018better\u2019 than the others. In this article, we explain you how we embrace diversity and respect differences at Renaissance Sri Lanka<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Author<\/strong>: Silvia\u202fRicciardi<\/p>\n

Human Cultures: Differences and Similarities\u202f<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Claude L\u00e9vi-Strauss\u202fstarts his journey\u202fclearly stating that the term \u2018race\u2019 has no practical meaning. He continues\u202fasserting that, to better understand the concepts\u202fof\u202frace\u202fand culture,\u202fit is vital to\u202ffocus\u202fon human cultures.<\/p>\n

However, an obstacle comes in the way: it is not possible to have a comprehensive overview of all the different human cultures. The main point\u202fsubsequent to\u202fthis affirmation is that not all human cultures differ from one another in the same way.<\/p>\n

\"People
People crossing the road in Paris, France \u00a9 Jacek Dylag Unsplash | People in Bali, Indonesia, \u00a9 Surya Prakosa Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Human societies: Coexisting in Space, Connected in Time<\/strong><\/h2>\n

All human cultures are different from\u202fone another,\u202fand their differences don\u2019t follow the same pattern.\u202fThis\u202foccurs in as much as several societies coexist in space, they are contemporary to one another, therefore they can mingle with each other and be considered as two (or more) facets of\u202fthe same coin.<\/p>\n

\"Co-existence
Co-existence of different modern human Societies, in West Papua, Indonesia \u00a9 Dhafi Fimbay Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another important factor that comes to mind when speaking about human cultures is that social systems, from which human cultures are born, have followed one another in time and we, as historians, can\u2019t trace back to accurate details characterising vanished civilizations. What we can learn resides in fragments left behind by the societies we can\u2019t have a direct contact with, such as written documents and witnessing monuments.<\/p>\n

And if we look back, far away from our civilization, we can understand that\u202f\u2018primitive\u2019\u202fsocieties were preceded by other forms of gatherings and we can\u2019t have any sort of contact with them, not even indirectly.<\/p>\n

By ultimate consequence, we can do nothing but celebrate human cultures\u2019 diversity, rather than yearn for their similarity.<\/p>\n

\"Ruins
Ruins of Machu Picchu, an ancient Inca city in Peru, remnants of a past human society \u00a9 Tomas Sobek Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Different Societies: with or without common Roots<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Societies are dissimilar, but the way they differ from one another may change in respect to specific factors.<\/p>\n

If societies had no form of contact during their development, they would differ in a more vibrant way than societies which derive from a common stock. For instance, Claude L\u00e9vi-Strauss points out the divergent differences between the Ancient Inca Empire in Peru and the Kingdom of\u202fDahomey\u202fin Africa, which were too far away\u202ffrom each other to be contaminated, while England and the United States are much more alike in the present context\u202ffor\u202fthey have common roots.<\/p>\n

\"Common
Common roots, similar cultures. Photos: Soho, London \u00a9 Zach Rowlandson Unsplash | Toronto, Canada \u00a9 Matt Quinn Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Proximity of Human Societies leading to Similarity\u2026 or Diversity<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cForces working in contrary directions -\u202fstates Claude L\u00e9vi-Strauss -\u202foperate simultaneously in human societies, some being conductive to the preservation and even the accentuation of particularism, while others tend to promote convergence and affinity\u201d.<\/p>\n

If we focus on the study of language, we can concretely see how languages originating from the same branch tend to develop distinctive traits and accentuate peculiarities, while languages which don\u2019t have a common origin but are spoken in adjacent countries end up developing familiar aspects. It\u2019s the case of Russian. Despite sharing the same origin as other Slavic languages, Russian has developed more similarities with the Finno-Ugrian and Turkish languages than with the other Slavic forms because of its geographic proximity with the former.<\/p>\n

Claude L\u00e9vi-Strauss goes\u202fon specifying how\u202fthe proximity of human societies brings to diversity. Diversity is an ordinary consequence of the inter-relations existing among societies. \u201cHuman societies are never alone; when they appear to be most divided, the division is always between groups or clusters of societies […] The great section of mankind […] consists of a multitude of societies, great and small, having very close contacts\u202fwith one another\u201d.<\/p>\n

No visible necessity, but voiceless fear leads human societies to accentuate differences comparing one another and the reason\u202fis concise and simple to formulate: each group doesn\u2019t want to be left behind by the other close group which pointed at rules the first one hadn\u2019t come up with.<\/p>\n

\"Native
Native Americans lived in close proximity but were extremely diverse. Photos: A Sioux native American, a Ponca native American, a Cheyennes native American \u00a9 Boston Public Library Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Ethnocentric Attitude\u202fand the Common Mistake to distinguish between \u2018Primitive\u2019 and \u2018Civilized\u2019 Societies<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cThe diversity of cultures has seldom been recognised by men for what it is – a natural phenomenon resulting from the direct or indirect contacts between societies; men have tended rather to regard diversity as something abnormal or outrageous\u201d.<\/p>\n

If\u202fwe identify ourselves with specific ethical, religious, social or aesthetic beliefs, we instinctively reject everything that doesn\u2019t belong and is not compliant to what we, as individuals, think is the right and only option to evaluate.<\/p>\n

Barbarian\u202fand\u202fsavage\u202fare two negative\u202fepithets, commonly used to identify a culture\u202fwhich is\u202fvery different to what\u202fthe individual is\u202faccustomed to.<\/p>\n

Both\u202fbarbarian\u202fand\u202fsavage\u202fare terms strictly connected with nature. If we analyse the word\u202fbarbarian, it is etymologically associated with the inarticulate confusion of birdsongs, which is in vivid contrast with the articulate clarity of human speech. If we consider the adjective\u202fsavage, it literally means \u2018of the woods\u2019, reaffirming the intimate connection with the natural realm, again in opposition with human civilization.<\/p>\n

\"San
San people in Namibia \u00a9 Jessie Crettenden Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the other hand, a barbarian is that individual who believes in barbarism.\u202f Nowadays there are still societies\u202fwhich are erroneously regarded\u202fas\u202f\u2018primitive\u2019 while other societies claim to be \u2018civilized\u2019.\u202fThere is no human society which can be taken as a role model since all the distinctive traits characterising different cultures are all\u202fequally valuable\u202faspects of human societies.\u202fCultures like\u202fVeddas in Sri Lanka, San people in Africa (or\u202f\u2018bushmen\u2019), Huli people in Papua New Guinea\u202fare all examples of different\u202fbut equal societies which cannot be labelled as \u2018primitive\u2019.<\/p>\n

When Social Evolutionism theory was divulged, it stated that human societies could be divided into two separate categories, primitive and civilized.\u202fSocial Evolutionism\u202ftook Darwin\u2019s theory\u202faround\u202fthe\u202fEvolution of\u202fSpecies and\u202ferroneously applied it to human societies, attributing to\u202fWestern\u202fones the appellative of\u202fcivilized\u202fleaving the others as primitive, considering them as less evolved.<\/p>\n

Science was and still is wrongly considered as an achievement reached primarily by Western civilizations, while it has to be said that all human\u202fsocieties have their own repertoire of science and knowledge.<\/p>\n

\"Masai
Masai dance in Tanzania \u00a9 Ramon Sanchez Orense Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The True Idea of Progress<\/strong><\/h2>\n

No\u202fhuman society\u202fhas\u202fever been static, but has evolved constantly in\u202fdivergent\u202fdirections, according to different\u202fsocial, economic and environmental factors.<\/p>\n

To this regard, the idea of \u2018progress\u2019 acquires a different meaning in relation to the culture it is applied to. In the western culture, progress embraces all activities around writing, engineering and material comfort,\u202fwhile for other\u202fsocieties\u202fit is anchored to a\u202frich social structure\u202fin favour of a\u202fstrong cooperative society.<\/p>\n

The fact that the concept\u202fof progress is so hard to quantify and qualify\u202fmakes\u202fit impossible to determine which human society is the best or most evolved.<\/p>\n

\"Is
Is food abundance a criterion for a civilized society? \u00a9 Phuong Tran Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"In
In many cultures, medicines come from plants. \u00a9 PhotoMIX Company Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Coalitions between Cultures: the Additional Value of Diversity<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Human cultures are never alone, but they often act as if they were.<\/p>\n

If human societies manage to positively interact, then what Claude L\u00e9vi-Strauss defines as \u2018cumulative history\u2019 takes over, which is \u201cthe type of history characteristic of grouped societies, social superorganisms\u201d. In this view, coalitions aiming at collaborating\u202ffor the common purpose of evolution prevail rather than paving the way to \u2018stationary history\u2019, the latter being described as \u201cthe distinguishing feature of an inferior form of social life, the isolated society\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"Holi
Holi Festival in \u2026 Spanish Fork, USA \u00a9 John Thomas Unsplash<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The\u202fRenaissance\u202fera in Europe is a concrete example of a flourishing coalition,\u202fa melting-pot of Greek, Roman, Germanic and Arabian influences, whether they were cultural or scientific.<\/p>\n

What brings in an additional value to the work of collaboration is the peculiar effort of each society involved, namely the most insightful contribution of a culture resides in its peculiar difference from others. \u201cThe\u202fsense of gratitude and respect which each single member of a given culture can and should feel towards all others can only be based on the conviction that the other cultures differ from his own in countless ways\u201d. In this respect, individuals not only give credit to diversity, dwelling upon its forms, but also grant its additional value in the long journey towards evolution.<\/p>\n

References<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cRace and History\u201d, Claude-Levi Strauss, UNESCO. https:\/\/bit.ly\/3oJys2K<\/a><\/p>\n

Read more<\/strong><\/p>\n

You want to grow your business, bond with other Sri Lankans and Sri Lanka enthusiasts? With Kumbuk, branch out, learn more here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Renaissance Sri Lanka builds thriving ecosystems that cover 15 out of the 17 sustainable development goals embraced by the UN, learn more here.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Want to learn more about the beautiful Island of Sri Lanka, read this article about the history of Sri Lanka.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Claude L\u00e9vi-Strauss, a renowned anthropologist,\u202fsigned a remarkable account,\u202fRace and History, which brilliantly summarizes some fundamental key factors Renaissance Sri Lanka is built on: the intimate power of diversity and the meaningful importance of inclusion, under the form of coalition\u202fwith other different human societies; accepting\u202frather than fighting diversity, is the first step to reconcile ordinary differences…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3982,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[104],"tags":[488,506,504,487,511,492,513,503,483,484,516,497,493,491,509,499,502,494,501,490,498,510,500,489,485,514,515,106,505,508,507,512,495,68,85,486,496],"class_list":["post-3981","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-our-success-stories","tag-anthropology","tag-barbarian","tag-barbarism","tag-claude-levi-strauss","tag-coalition-between-cultures","tag-coalition-of-societies","tag-cumulative-history","tag-differences","tag-diversity","tag-ethnocentricism","tag-evolution","tag-gatherings","tag-human-cultures","tag-inclusion","tag-knowledge","tag-language","tag-mankind","tag-modern-societies","tag-native-americans","tag-power-of-diversity","tag-primitive","tag-progress","tag-proximity","tag-race-and-history","tag-racism","tag-renaissance","tag-renaissance-in-europe","tag-renaissance-sri-lanka","tag-savage","tag-science","tag-social-evolutionism","tag-social-superorganisms","tag-social-systems","tag-sri-lanka","tag-sri-lanka-traditions","tag-sri-lankas-identity","tag-written-documents"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3981","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3981"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3981\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3982"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3981"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3981"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.renasl.org\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3981"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}