I am still quite new here (well, I've lurked for years, but I just started posting again), but I want to share this story. I'm taking a Literature class this semester, and we recently read a short story about a sweet, placid little country town. It opens up with a beautiful morning, crisp fall air, and happy children playing outside. By the end, this perfect town - children included - has convened for a yearly meeting and chosen to stone a perfectly innocent woman. They draw a name, and then they kill the person. This is modern day - at least fairly - they have a post office and cars and electricity, of course. Anyway, it's a tradition in the town, and although there are a few dissenters, the majority believe that their crops will fail and terrible things will happen if they don't sacrifice someone each year.
So, this opened up a discussion in my class about culture and tradition and how it can evoke intelligent, typically kind people to commit unspeakable horrors. Many people discussed examples from other countries/continents of present day real examples of this phenomenon. Others expressed relief that they live here in the US where such things NEVER happen. So, of course, I had to point out that they do happen - we cut apart the genitals of baby boys for no reason other than culture (and misinformation) every day.
It was an interesting discussion. I expected some disagreement - and got it - one person even later complained to the professor. However, others spoke up in agreement, and the professor agreed that it is, indeed, a legitimate example.
I never thought I'd be discussing circumcision in Lit class!
So, this opened up a discussion in my class about culture and tradition and how it can evoke intelligent, typically kind people to commit unspeakable horrors. Many people discussed examples from other countries/continents of present day real examples of this phenomenon. Others expressed relief that they live here in the US where such things NEVER happen. So, of course, I had to point out that they do happen - we cut apart the genitals of baby boys for no reason other than culture (and misinformation) every day.
It was an interesting discussion. I expected some disagreement - and got it - one person even later complained to the professor. However, others spoke up in agreement, and the professor agreed that it is, indeed, a legitimate example.
I never thought I'd be discussing circumcision in Lit class!
Awesome. What a great way to get the message out, to the age group that really matters.
