Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Native Americans

Program on NPR about claiming Native American ancestry or heritage. Interesting phenomenon is that many native Americans do not have a culture of proselytizing their religion or seeking to convert or induct members into their tribes. One of the commentators mentioned how unseemly western religions are for doing this.

Yet it's all about balance. If you were a minority and a non-member among a large society of Native Americans and felt excluded, you would find this approach to be elitist. Currently with our demographics this isn't a concern.

On the other hand, it is human to proselytize. We think our tastes, whether its music, food, style or entertainment choices are the end all and be all of fine living. When we abandon this desire to make all men in our own image, we will cease to by human.

Conversely, it is also good that there are cultures and groups that stand as unambitious refuges for those that are confident in their unique isolation from pop culture.

Loren M. Lambert © June 7, 2012

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