Cultures differ, and there are even subcultural and caste
differences within culture by age, gender, class, etc. regarding:
1 - what aspects of behavior are subject to control
2 - how strict the control is, how wide the allowed deviation is
3 - what means are used to enforce control
I am NOT talking about 'cultures' here as reified agents or as
abstract systems, what I mean is individual people, organized
institutionally or not, enforcing cultural norms of behavior.
My claim is that my own cultures are by and large controlling
too many aspects of behavior (1) to too strict a degree (2)
and by too coercive/violent/pain-inflicting means (3) compared
to some other cultures and to what I think would be tolerable
and healthy, and nice to live in, for a culture otherwise
moderately like mine in other respects (though that might
change if coercion is currently maintaining behavior patterns
and social linkages that otherwise would shift, like say
power relationships).
I would like to see a diminution in all three of these
aspects of control/coercion. JAY.
JAY LEMKE.
City University of New York.
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