Cultural genocide is the systematic destruction of traditions, values, language, and other elements which make a one group of people distinct from other groups.

As late as the mid-twentieth century our planet was blessed with great cultural diversity with thousands of distinct languages, hundreds of unique religions, and thousands of variations in traditions and ways of life.

Of course not all traditions were worthy of admiration and respect. Cannibalism, infanticide, female circumcision, slavery, suppression of women, exploitation of children, ritual slaughter, and tribal warfare were among the cultural traditions practiced by some groups, the loss of which would not be mourned.

Tragically however we have tended to destroy the beautiful traditions which made the world a bright, colorful and cheerful place to live in and explore.

We have been in the process of homogenizing the world and imposing our materialistic consumerism upon the earth’s inhabitants and in the process we have in many cases almost completely annihilated the uniqueness and individuality which gave diverse groups of humans their cultural identity.

In many cases this forced imposition of our way of life upon others has led to the impoverishment of entire country’s culture and quality of life.

This cultural genocide is in far too many cases unethical and in others downright evil.

Following are just a few examples of how we are turning our planet into a cultural and environmental wasteland:

1. American fast food restaurants are supplanting traditional restaurants which served locally grown fresh fruits and vegetables in traditional recipes. As traditional diets change to the massive consumption of ground beef and saturated fat, the overall health of the population usually decreases.

2. Discarded clothing from charities as well as factory mass-produced clothing items are replacing traditional costumes, which in many cases were not only beautiful but adapted to the local climate.

3. Traditional family farms with their wide variety of produce are being replaced by industrial plantation agriculture. Hundreds of genetic variations of traditional crops are being forced into extinction and self-sufficient farmers become the virtual slaves of the plantation system.

4. Traditional music and musical instruments are being replaced by canned Western music transmitted by radio worldwide.

5. Native forests are being clear-cut and replaced with huge industrial cattle operations to supply meat to the fast food industry.

6. Self-sufficient rural families are being forced off the land due to environmental degradation and thus must flee to huge urban slums where their lives become hell on earth.

Cultural genocide is in most cases terrible and cruel. Alcoholism, disease, poverty, depression, suicide, domestic violence, crime, and a loss of identity and self-worth are legacies of cultural genocide.

Ethicians believe that we have an obligation to work toward the improvement of the quality of life of all the earth’s inhabitants, both human and animal. We believe that diversity, both cultural and genetic, are beneficial to a healthy and beautiful planet.

If you lived in a traditional society which would you prefer?

1. A cool and comfortable thatched-roof home or a cinder-block and hot-tin-roof oven-like structure?

2. A refreshing salad of mangos, oranges, bananas, and other tropical fruits or a salad of pesticide saturated iceberg lettuce?

3. A beautiful tropical rain-forest with thousands of species of birds, animals, and orchids or a mono-culture cellulose plantation?

4. A light and cool hand-made garment or some ragged hand-me-down from the industrial world?

5. A religion which respected all the life-forms of Creation and which allowed for much singing, dancing, and celebration or a harsh imposition of ‘Christian’ guilt and the fear of eternal damnation for not wearing a hot, sticky shirt in a tropical environment?

6. A life-style which allowed for leisure, social interaction, song, dance, and siesta throughout the day or a rigid work schedule in a factory making throw-away junk for American consumers at the rate of $2.00 per day?

ETHICIUS I

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