How do we as a society decide what is disgusting and wrong? What makes us decide if something with a history of being socially unacceptable should suddenly be alright?
If you were gay 50 years ago (for example), you'd be evil, disgusting, and a filthy Communist. What changes society's mind the way it does?
2006-11-20 08:00:40 · 5 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I believe that as a society, and speaking narrowly just upon the AMERICAN society, that it goes back to the roots of the country. It is that way with every place on earth, though. In our case...the roots of the society we live in were set by people following a Christian religion. This isn't right or wrong, this is just fact. The Native Americans had their forms of practice and religion practically shoved aside. All of our rules, our social limitations, laws, perceptions of society and proper etiquette; these were all established for the country by those before us.
We're lucky enough to live in a place where we have outside influences flowing in. We're constantly exposed to other cultures and ways of thinking. I think this may be why we are changing as a society on our views (I know, it seems to be so slow!). People challenge pre-concieved notions. We see other ways of viewing the world and can either decide to allow our minds to expand and accept new things, or to remain on the paths of thinking that those before us followed.
On the other hand...majority of humans DO just follow in the steps of those before them. There's a large part of the human mind programmed to "fit in with the rest of the tribe", which is why for some people it's so damned hard to just be different and think differently.
I was just thinking about all of this last night, actually....
...there are still places in the world where they eat their dead, let the vultures pick the bones dry, then allow the mother to hold the bones for her grieving period of a few days before burial.
...not to mention places they eat live bugs.
...but then again...Americans have weird costums, too. ;)
Thanks for a thought-provoking question!
2006-11-20 12:47:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We grow .... we get smarter ... we educate ourselves?
Evil and digusting and filthy is all in the mind of the beholder. Fifty years ago as well as today.
Broaden your horizons and come out of your small dark world.
2006-11-20 17:12:19 · answer #2 · answered by MyPreshus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Government, new interpretations of society and people, psychology, more people coming forward with their sexuality. There is so much more of us out there.
2006-11-20 16:25:55 · answer #3 · answered by Dweet 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
We all have our own opinion about things and the key is learning to keep it to ourselves . I don't care one damn bit about gay , lesbians, lesbian marriages . I wish people would worry more about their own life and keep it to themselves .
2006-11-20 16:46:56 · answer #4 · answered by IT'S JUST ME ! 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
being gay is sick. stick to girl, guys.
2006-11-20 16:04:26 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 5⤋