Understanding Culture and Ethnocentrism

Culture encompasses a set of values, beliefs, and habits that evolve over time and across different locations, developing historically and being passed down through generations. Ethnocentrism is the belief that one's own culture is superior, leading to prejudice and intolerance. Individuals with an ethnocentric perspective often disregard cultural differences, resulting in discriminatory behavior. On the other hand, cultural relativism promotes the understanding and respect for cultural differences, positing that moral values are social conventions that can differ between societies. An action deemed wrong in one culture may not be perceived the same way in another.