Robert Ingram wrote:
> Diana wrote:
> > I don't believe we can build
> > a better world with people of diverse cultures, if we do not set about to
> > agree on what we consider to be fundamental truths.
>
> Diana, the very belief that there ARE fundamental truths is itself a
> cultural assumption, specifically a Western cultural assumption. People in
> Asian and Native American cultures believe that truth is relative, not
> absolute. Harmony is a much higher priority to these people than "truth."
> I agree that the success of diversity rests partly on finding common
> ground, but I would not call these "truths," and I believe that it is
> equally necessary to respect our differences.
Robert,
The harmony or integrity issue is very strong with my particular
NA people (Keetoowah Cherokee) but I was taught that the translation into
English divided two ways on this issue. The mutual agreements we chose to
call facts and were what we all agreed about a particular "doing",
however, truths are relative to each group and are the pillars of the
culture. To move a truth is to change the universe (our's of course).
Laws may be changed given a particular circumstance and agreement
therefore a law is a "fact" but not a truth. English has more problems
then you can shake a stick at. I don't know how it is going to survive
the web unless it gets its structure more in line with reality. It is a
slippery language, although I enjoy it most of the time.
Ray Evans Harrell, artistic director
Magic Circle Chamber Opera of New York
mcore@soho.ios.com
--ray evans harrell <mcore@soho.ios.com>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>