Reflection #7: The Conundrum of Cultural Values

Calvin Ma

ASA 2

In the article Intimate Partner Violence Among Asian Immigrant Communities : Health/Mental Health Consequences, Help-Seeking Behaviors, and Service Utilization, the authors talk about how certain Asian cultural values escalate intimate partner violence when socioeconomic factors come into play. This is the first case we have read of where cultural values are shown to have a negative effect. Previously, we have seen only efforts to keep or relearn cultures as part of an identity. I am not suggesting that everyone just throw away their cultures and values because they are bad, but rather that they are not always the right answer. There is always a balance: it is fine to have deep cultural values, but at the same time one must keep an open mind as to which values are worth changing to promote a better lifestyle. 

Another example of an overvalued cultural ideal

How can we combine traditional values with the advancing world?