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Self,
Culture, and Society
Name
Institutional
affiliation
Date
In
Western society, culture is defined based on different themes such as work,
leadership, child rearing and language. The article by Dorothy Lee titled the ‘Individual Autonomy and Social Structure’
argues that through understanding the different aspects of culture the Western
society establishes alternative approaches or resolutions in conflict (Lee,
1959). In the American culture, people uphold the principle of respect for
individual integrity which is not a new element to those working in areas of
interpersonal relations. However, just like any social setting the Western
society is affected by social problems that influence how people relate to one
another.
Key social problem
In
her article, Dorothy Lee addresses the conflict between personal autonomy and
society as the most significant social problem that faces the American culture.
According to Lee (1959), Western society is characterized by the principle of respect
for individual integrity. In the American culture human dignity is not
independent of external influence; however, this is not the case in other
Western societies such as within the Navaho Indians, the Balinese people, and
so on. This situation is elaborated by the example of the Chinese babies who
are get toilet training without the influence of their mothers.
Dorothy
Lee believes that in any given society the established cultural framework is
responsible for supporting the principle of respect for human dignity. This circumstance
results in individuals being given personal freedom regardless of their age
just like in the Navaho tribe. However, the implementation of the principle of
personal autonomy in American culture has been affected by the heterogeneous
nature and the increased levels of induced change. It is hard for people to
define how exactly the principle of human dignity involves. As a result, Lee
(1959) asserts that American society encounters various issues concerning the formation
of personal autonomy.
Resolution to the critical social
problem
To resolve the conflict between personal autonomy and the society, Dorothy Lee uses the theme of child rearing to depict how societies can realize respect for human dignity. Child rearing assumes specific forms; for example, in the Chinese tribes' children are shown respect from the time of birth. According to Lee (1959), American...
