Cutural psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cutural psychology - Essay Example All countries have not arrived at the same compromises in these respects, but global consensus is a pressing need. Variations in culture can distinguish nations from each other (Heine). The theocratic countries of the Middle East stand out in sharp contrast, with a dominant cultural form all of their own. It is not language, dress, and customs, which define culture entirely: the overwhelming predominance of one faith puts its own stamp on how people behave and interact with each other. The Hindu Kingdom of Nepal and the Vatican are other examples of cultural uniformity through faith within territorial boundaries, though they are marginal in the political equations between countries. There is little room for variations and minority expressions in such societies, for the pressures to conform are irresistible. People tend to be conservative, and much importance is attached to observing customs in the ways of ancestors. Individual rights recede in to the background, and faith is used to suppress even relatively minor dissent. There are strong moral undertones to regimentation in such countries. It would be unfair to blame organized religion for putting culture in straight jackets. Totalitarian states have the same effect, and even put religion down with heavy hands in order to establish the unitary authority of governance and ideology. Petty dictators and monarchs tend to strike some kind of understanding with religious authorities, but political establishments are not inclined to share power. The extent to which such bigotry was practiced by the erstwhile Soviet Union is not visible in the China of the 21st century, but the primacy of the State is essentially a Communist phenomenon. People with liberal minds may rejoice at the modern culture of Europe and the United States, given that individual freedom has such priority in these