Lot Changes In Terms Of Culture example essay topic

329 words
With misperception of Indians, the colonists of the New World tried to gain prosperity through so-called-abundance in the region. In the journals of Christopher Columbus, Cabeza de Vaca, John Smith and Samuel de Champlain, we see that the colonists not only exploited the natural resources but also enslaved Indians despite their hospitality. This colonization period, of course, created a lot changes in terms of culture, environment, and economy. These changes unfortunately did not help Indians acquire reality of the colonization as a useful matter but a misery after the permanent settlements. When we look into the journals, it is evident that Indians were believed to be savages, primitive and uncivilized people in the eyes of the colonists without seeing through their cultural features.

This is a worldwide issue to ignore the other cultures and declaring one's culture superior to the others: Ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the belief in the superiority of one's own ethnic group. What is seen in the journals is no different from absolute ethnocentrism. They looked for ways for assimilation of Indians and converting them a Christian European. Ethnocentrism is seemingly a different version of Eurocentrism.

As Europeans are regarded as the most modern and civilized society they constantly try to impose their culture on people who are not powerful in terms of economy and politics. This, of course, takes us to the psychological imperialism, which can be certainly observed in today's America. Ethnocentric ism is a kind of justification for unreasonable battles and invasions and the starting point of imperialism and cultural degeneration. In conclusion, it is certain that as long as the idea of ethnocentrism exists, imperialism and humiliating the other cultures will continue. These are the inevitable results of ethnocentrism. What we need today is an objective approach towards the cultures and more realistic judgements that will not humiliate the origin of the people and respect for the others..