[Xmca-l] Re: Thoughts on culture & liberty

[HENRY SHONERD]

Huw,
Can culture be like cancer? Growth, as opposed to development. How much of GNP is cancer? If the growth were benign, just sort of crowds other things out, that’s bad enough. But if it is toxic, cannibalistic? 
Henry
  
> On Feb 9, 2015, at 6:49 PM, Huw Lloyd <huw.softdesigns@gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I'm not sure if this is related to Paul's inquiry.
> 
> I have been considering some of the fundamentals and prerequisites for
> developmental education and related issues.  In his articles, Vladimir
> Zinchenko refers to culture as that which fosters (and stimulates)
> psychological development.  It seems to me that Zinchenko includes "liberal
> relations" within this remit, e.g. to delegate responsibility and authority
> in equal measure, relations of trust, zpd dynamics, an open regard for
> possibilities and encouragement for independent thinking -- the sort of
> interpersonal regard that may be summed up as a regard for liberty.
> 
> Correct me if I'm wrong, but are these relations not the essence of culture
> as opposed to, say, the man made parts of the environment or the collective
> memories of a society etc?  For example, does it make sense to describe a
> dogmatic society, or a institution run by administrators, as a culture?
> Might it not, actually, be more correct to describe it by its relative
> absence of culture?
> 
> Huw