Culture Values: The Effect of Ethnocentrism on Individuals and Societies (Essay Sample)

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Class XXXX, Section XXXX, Spring 2015
Abstract
This study provides a comprehensive overview of the concept of ethnocentrism and investigates the influence of factors on the ethnocentric cultural and historical dynamics of the paradigm of confrontation of the Soviet Union and the West on the example the film "The Thief".
Culture Values
The tendency to evaluate customs, values ​​and norms of other cultures from the perspective of the standards of own culture is called ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism can be not only ethnic, but most often we are faced with a group form of this phenomenon. From the point of view of sociology as ideologically neutral science, any culture needs to be studied on the basis of their own norms and values, the assessment of another culture from the perspective of their own is unacceptable for the sociologist. However, it is important to remember that love and respect for their culture, history, adherence to traditions, language, promote social cohesion, a sense of patriotism.
We will consider a manifestation of ethnocentrism in Russian film "Thief," which stimulates the creation of artistic images that not only represented the political reliability and character types, as a rule, the reference characters of the Communists, but also exposed the enemies of the Soviet society. Russian film Thief was released in 1997 and presents life in the 1950s. Pavel Chukhray’s film perfectly conveys the manners and atmosphere of the time, the fill shows very difficult conditions of life, Katya tries to give the boy all the best that she has, but poverty and the various circumstances do not allow it to completely take care of her son. This film shows the ideological bias of society and represented that would be difficult post-war years in conditions of chaos and destruction in the Soviet people inspired optimism and faith in the 'communist ideals' and embellish Soviet reality (Derbisheva-Sutherland).
However, even the most optimistic and politically trustworthy artwork could not mask the serious realities of life, and the most striking communist slogans did not cause total enthusiasm and support. The film shows that all the formal and informal contacts with foreigners are not only subject to the maximum limit, but constant monitoring. All areas of stay of foreigners is strictly regulated so as to not only minimize the possibility of direct communication with the local population, but also to keep them under compulsory monitoring. In the film we can see clear manifestations of the reactionary ethnocentrism, in which the ingroup is not only the most distanced from the out-group, but also to minimize all the contacts and the scope of interaction with it. With regard to the situation in the country, then it is set back atmosphere of distrust, fear and suspicion. In terms of total control in the Soviet media was only one alternative, namely, enthusiastically eulogize the imaginary and the real achievements of the socialist system and build politically engaged way goodie, the so-called 'creator of communism’. Nevertheless, the object of mass reprisals and, accordingly, the concept of 'internal enemy' is gradually losing its relevance. Excessive use of the image of the internal enemy could undermine faith in the moral and political unity of society.
Ethnocentrism played a significant role in the integration of the group, in rallying members of groups around certain cultural models, it should be noted and its conservative role, a negative impact on the development of culture. Indeed, if our culture is the best in the world, why something needs to improve, change and even more so to borrow from other cultures? Experience shows that this view may significantly slow down the development processes taking place in a society with a very high level of ethnocentrism (Bizumic). An example could be is the experienc...