Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id PAA06420 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Wed, 20 Jun 2001 15:05:38 +0100 Message-ID: <2D1C159B783DD211808A006008062D3101745F21@inchna.stir.ac.uk> From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk> To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Subject: RE: World Language Losses at a Glance Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 14:36:02 +0100 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain X-Filter-Info: UoS MailScan 0.1 [D 1] Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
>> I've always been bemused by the concern over the loss of
languages.
<There are close parallels between cultural diversity and biological
> diversity.>
>
In what sense though? Biological diversity seems absolutely
essential for the survival of quite a lot of organisms on the planet
(although I suppose many bacteria could "care less" whether other organisms
existed or not), but I'm not sure whether cultural diversity deserves the
same kind of concern.
OK, at one level we may be losing alternatives to established
beliefs, different ways of seeing, etc. etc., but these different ways of
seeing often underpin some of the most wretched disputes between peoples
around the world, allowing people to find artificial differences between one
another thus justifying them killing each other. I think it's a small step
from worrying about cultural diversity, and legitimating ambiguous practices
hiding behind notions of cultural 'identity'.
Vincent
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