cultural variation
Mike Cole (mcole who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu)
Tue, 26 May 1998 15:51:07 -0700 (PDT)
The recent set of messages between John and Naoki, with various of us as
side partners, about the comment "Have a reflective memorial day", illustrates
important properties of our attempt at an international discourse that uses
English as its common linguistic medium. The built in dangers of this situation\
are known in a general way by all of us because of the various silencings that
it causes.
Sometimes more subtle aspects of this problem show themselves.
Such was the case with "memorial day."
What and when one remembers is very much a part of identity. The in
junction to "think globally and act locally" can get pretty mixed up
in this medium.
It seems essential to me to work from a presupposition of the basic worthiness
of those involved in the discussion as human beings.
mike
mike