Why cultural diversity matters | Michael Gavin | TEDxCSU
Summary
TLDRThe speaker emphasizes the importance of cultural diversity in addressing complex global issues, using the story of David, a native speaker of a dying language, to illustrate the rapid loss of languages and cultural knowledge. They argue that cultural diversity is crucial for humanity's survival and innovation, citing examples like quinine and artemisinin in medicine. The speaker calls for action to level the playing field for different cultures, drawing inspiration from Vanuatu's efforts to integrate indigenous knowledge into education, preparing future generations for the challenges ahead.
Takeaways
- 🌐 The theme of 'do better' is a fitting motto for our complex and dynamic world, emphasizing the need for diverse knowledge to tackle today's 'wicked problems' and future uncertainties.
- 🏝️ The story of David from Malakula, Vanuatu, illustrates the imminent loss of indigenous languages and the cultural diversity they represent, with potentially half of the world's 7,000 languages disappearing in the lifetime of a generation.
- 🗣️ Language is not just communication; it shapes our worldview and understanding of the world. The loss of a language means the loss of a unique perspective and knowledge base.
- 🌱 Cultural diversity is intrinsically linked to the rights of indigenous people, whose rights to determine their cultural futures are often overlooked or undermined.
- 💊 The value of cultural diversity is evident in its contributions to global health, such as the discovery of quinine by the indigenous people of Peru and artemisinin by Chinese herbalists, both crucial in malaria treatment.
- 🌱 The dynamic nature of culture means it is not static but evolves with interaction. However, the current loss of diversity is not due to cultural contact but rather the dominance of a few cultural groups over many others.
- 🔄 The imbalance of power within societal systems, such as education and economy, drives the loss of cultural diversity as minority cultures are marginalized and have less influence on these systems.
- 🏫 Education systems often perpetuate cultural dominance by teaching in a single language and from a single cultural perspective, which can alienate students from their own cultural heritage.
- 🌟 Small steps can be taken to level the playing field, such as the example from Vanuatu where one day a week is dedicated to indigenous education, allowing students to draw from both local and global knowledge systems.
- 🌈 Embracing and celebrating cultural diversity in our systems can better prepare future generations for the challenges of a complex world, ensuring they have access to a broader range of perspectives and solutions.
Q & A
What is the significance of the theme 'Know Better, Do Better' in the context of the speech?
-The theme 'Know Better, Do Better' is significant as it emphasizes the need for diverse knowledge to cope with the complex and dynamic challenges of the world, including the wicked problems we face today and the uncertainties of the future.
Why are the problems we face described as 'wicked problems'?
-The problems are described as 'wicked problems' due to their complexity and how widespread they are, making them difficult to solve with conventional approaches.
What is the importance of cultural diversity in the context of global challenges?
-Cultural diversity is important because it represents thousands of different ways of seeing the world and our place in it, providing unique sets of knowledge that can help address global challenges.
Why is the loss of an indigenous language like the one spoken by David in Vanuatu a concern?
-The loss of an indigenous language is a concern because it represents the disappearance of a unique worldview and knowledge base that has been developed across generations, contributing to the overall loss of cultural diversity.
How does the concept of 'fena' in the Tero language illustrate the depth of cultural diversity?
-The concept of 'fena' in the Tero language illustrates the depth of cultural diversity by showing how a single word can have multiple interconnected meanings that are difficult to translate accurately into other languages, reflecting a unique worldview.
What role does cultural diversity play in the development of medical treatments, as exemplified in the speech?
-Cultural diversity plays a crucial role in the development of medical treatments by providing different perspectives and knowledge bases, as seen with the discovery of quinine by the indigenous people of Peru and artemisinin from Chinese herbal medicine.
Why is the loss of cultural diversity happening, according to the speaker?
-The loss of cultural diversity is happening due to an imbalance of power within society, where fewer and fewer cultural groups are determining the shape and fabric of societal systems, leading to the marginalization of other cultures.
How does the speaker suggest we can level the playing field to preserve cultural diversity?
-The speaker suggests we can level the playing field by creating systems that celebrate cultural diversity, explore our differences, and embrace multiple ways of thinking, such as the example of schools in Vanuatu that incorporate indigenous language and knowledge into their curriculum.
What is the role of education in maintaining cultural diversity, as discussed in the speech?
-Education plays a significant role in maintaining cultural diversity by providing opportunities for the younger generation to learn about their indigenous languages, cultures, and knowledge systems, ensuring they can draw from both traditional and conventional worldviews.
How does the speaker propose we prepare for the challenges of the future in relation to cultural diversity?
-The speaker proposes that we prepare for future challenges by respecting and upholding the rights of indigenous people, recognizing the value of cultural diversity, and creating systems that allow for the preservation and celebration of diverse cultures and knowledge.
Outlines
🌍 The Complexity of Wicked Problems and Cultural Diversity
The speaker begins by acknowledging the complexity of the world we live in, highlighting the theme 'No Better Do' as a motto for navigating the challenges of today and the uncertainties of tomorrow. The concept of 'wicked problems' is introduced to describe issues that are both complex and widespread. The speaker emphasizes the need for diverse knowledge to address these problems. The narrative shifts to the island of Malakula in Vanuatu, where the story of David, one of the last speakers of an indigenous language, illustrates the rapid loss of cultural diversity. The death of David, and the imminent extinction of his language, serves as a poignant example of the broader issue of language and cultural loss. The speaker poses three critical questions: why should we care about this loss, why is it happening, and what can we do about it? The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the importance of cultural diversity, which extends beyond language to include unique worldviews and knowledge systems.
🗣️ The Value of Cultural Diversity and Language
The speaker delves into the value of cultural diversity, arguing that it encompasses more than just languages. It includes the rights of indigenous people to determine their cultural futures, which have often been overlooked. The discussion then shifts to the broader value of cultural diversity for humanity, using the example of quinine, derived from the bark of the cinchona tree by indigenous Peruvians, and artemisinin, from Chinese herbal medicine, to demonstrate how indigenous knowledge has contributed to global health. The speaker argues that cultural diversity is a rich source of unique perspectives and knowledge that can address global challenges. The paragraph concludes with a call to recognize the importance of cultural diversity and to respect the rights of indigenous people.
🌱 The Dynamics of Culture and the Causes of Cultural Loss
The speaker addresses the second question by discussing the nature of culture as dynamic and ever-changing, contrary to the static perception that it can be preserved in a museum. The paragraph explores the impact of power imbalances within society, where a few dominant cultural groups shape societal systems, leading to the erosion of cultural diversity. The story of David from Malakula is revisited, highlighting the choices he must make for his children's future within a society that does not value his culture. The speaker suggests that the loss of cultural diversity is driven by these systemic power imbalances rather than mere cultural contact or exchange.
🏫 Empowering Cultural Diversity through Education
In the final paragraph, the speaker proposes solutions to the loss of cultural diversity. The focus is on education as a means to empower and preserve cultural knowledge. The example of Malakula is highlighted again, where the community has taken steps to incorporate indigenous education into the school system, allowing children to learn from their elders and to take pride in their cultural heritage. The speaker argues that this approach prepares children to draw from both their local cultural knowledge and the broader knowledge systems provided by conventional education, thus equipping them to face future challenges. The paragraph concludes with a call to action to create systems that celebrate and explore cultural diversity, embracing multiple ways of thinking to better prepare for an uncertain future.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Cultural Diversity
💡Wicked Problems
💡Indigenous Languages
💡Cultural Rights
💡Imbalance of Power
💡Cultural Erosion
💡Worldviews
💡Education Systems
💡Cultural Pride
💡Sustainable Solutions
Highlights
The theme 'do better' is a fitting motto for our complex and dynamic world.
Wicked problems are increasingly complex and widespread, requiring diverse knowledge to address.
We face an uncertain future with challenges we cannot yet predict.
Knowledge is being lost, despite our capacity to know better.
The story of David from Malakula, Vanuatu, illustrates the loss of cultural diversity.
Cultural diversity is not just about languages but includes a myriad of worldviews and knowledge systems.
Indigenous languages encapsulate unique concepts that are difficult to translate.
The loss of cultural diversity is tied to the rights of indigenous people, which are often overlooked.
Cultural diversity has practical value for humanity, as seen with quinine and artemisinin.
The imbalance of power within society drives the loss of cultural diversity.
Cultural groups' decisions are influenced by the dominant systems around them, affecting cultural preservation.
Education systems often perpetuate a single cultural perspective, limiting diversity.
Communities in Vanuatu are taking steps to level the playing field by incorporating indigenous knowledge in schools.
Cultural diversity should be celebrated and multiple ways of thinking embraced for a better future.
If we don't act now, future generations will live in a less diverse world without even realizing it.
Transcripts
thanks it's been an incredible event
hasn't
it we've got a great
theme no better do
better I think in a in a lot of ways
this theme is an apt motto for the
complex and dynamic world that we live
in you know
increasingly the problems we're facing
are being described as wicked problems
due to their complexity and how
widespread they
are but think about the
future 25 years from
now I think if we're honest with
ourselves we really have no idea what
kind of challenges we're going to
face and so we really need a diverse set
of knowledge to be able to cope with the
wicked problems of today and the
uncertainty of
Tomorrow the iron though is that in many
ways we already do know better we're
just letting so much of that knowledge
slip
away this is the island of malakula in
the South Pacific nation of
vanatu vanatu has the highest levels of
cultural diversity per capita of
anywhere on the
planet for
now recently a boat left this
Bay it was carrying an old old sick
man I'll call him
David the Seas were rough it was
dark and the health clinic was far up
the
island and unfortunately the boat had
left a little too late and the old man
was a little too
sick and so a few hours later the sound
of the motor could be heard coming back
across the
bay and soon the crying and the Wailing
spread across the sand and into the
village David had
died now those who loved and knew David
grieved but of course you didn't know
David and 150,000 people die on this
planet every
day so why should we mourn the loss of
this one man of
David well David was one of three
remaining speakers of an indigenous
language and now the two remaining
speakers are also old frail
men and when they pass away so too will
the
language for the children and the
grandchildren of these men don't speak
this
language and what's amazing about this
story to me is that it's not
unique collectively today humans speak
approximately 7,000
languages but in the lifetime of my
children who today are 6 and N years old
as many as half of those languages will
disappear just like David's is about
to and I think this situation leaves us
with three questions that we really need
answers
to why should we be worried about this
loss of cultural
diversity why is it
happening and what should we do about
it before we answer the first of those
questions though let's keep in mind that
cultural diversity is more than just
languages and looking at these languages
in
detail gives us a little glimpse into
that now any of you who speak more than
one language already have a feel for
this because you know that there are
certain Concepts certain ideas certain
words that are next to impossible to
accurately translate from one language
to
another why is
that
let's take an
example I had the privilege for many
years to work and live in
ALA more widely known as New Zealand and
the Maui people of aloa speak
Tero and in Tero there's a word
fena fena means
placenta it's the nourishment we get in
the womb it's our virtual
lifeblood but this same word
fena also means
land
now it's next to impossible to do so but
I ask you for one moment to imagine that
you grew up
mouy what would be your relationship to
the
land would it be different than your
relationship is
now and when we think about this we have
to remember that this is one concept one
word and if we take the totality of all
the words the whole language of the
whole culture well then we begin to
realize that when we're talking about
cultural diversity we're talking about
thousands of different ways of seeing
the world and our place in
it and these thousands of World Views
they're the foundation of thousands of
unique sets of
knowledge so let's get back to our first
question why should we be worried about
the loss of this cultural diversity
well I think first we need to
realize that
culture involves the rights of
people it's the rights of indigenous
people to determine the future of their
cultures rights that have too often been
ignored and
undermined but let's be cynical for a
moment because far too often the
policies of governments around the world
have been cynical about the rights of
indigenous
people and so let's ask a different
question what value does this cultural
diversity have for the rest of
humanity and to do so let's look at a
disease that has plagued our species for
thousands of
years in a certain light it's beautiful
but malaria affects 200 million people a
year now the first WID spread treatment
of malaria was
quinine quinine was developed from the
bark of the chinchona tree by the
indigenous people of
Peru and then ignoring intellectual
property rights the British East India
Company took Hine and spread it around
the
world to do so though they had to
realize that people didn't really like
Quine it was
bitter and so they mixed Quine with
something sweet and voila the gin and
tonic the tonic contains quinine go to
the supermarket it still
does and the Gin well people like
drinking
that and so Quine Sav thousands of
lives malaria did not enjoy this
party malaria developed resistance and
so today the most effective and
increasingly widespread treatment for
malaria is
artemisinin artemisinin comes from a
Chinese herbal
medicine today it's saving thousands of
lives now I ask you for a moment to
imagine where we would be without the
indigenous people of Peru their World
Views and Quine or without the Chinese
herbalists and their worldviews and
arisin
imagine if we just had the
British we'd have a whole lot of gin and
no
tonic so if we accept now that we're
going to respect the rights of
indigenous people and that there's a
value to cultural diversity for all of
humanity then our next question
is why are we losing this
diversity I think here first we need to
recognize that culture is not static
it's not something we can take and just
put in a
museum culture belongs to people culture
is dynamic and
changing the other thing we need to
recognize is that contact amongst
different cultural groups communication
Twitter doesn't automatically lead to
the loss of cultural
diversity about 15 years ago I was in
Peru I was on a tributary of the Amazon
River the sun was setting
in front of me there was a soccer field
there was a game going
on and there's a woman standing next to
me she had her pet parrot on her
shoulder and across the soccer field and
above the tropical forest the moon was
Rising it's a beautiful scene and the
woman turned to me and she asked does
the moon shine in your
land
whoa yes I said the moon does shine in
the United States and then she didn't
pause she immediately turned and
said do you know Monica
Lewinsky now what's amazing about this
story I think is that that woman spoke
an indigenous language she used
indigenous science to manage her natural
resources by so many different measures
her culture wasn't necessarily
threatened even though she knew about
Miss
Lewinsky so if it's not contact between
cultures that is driving the loss of
cultural diversity well then what
is here I think we need to recognize
that increasingly fewer and fewer
cultural groups a small number of
cultural groups is determining the shape
and fabric of society these groups are
determining the systems of law of
Education of economies of natural
resource
management and it is this imbalance of
power that exists within society that is
driving the loss of cultural
diversity I ask you think back to
David back on
malula not right before he died but when
he's raising his
children he's got a decision to make and
ultimately the future of culture is
about decisions about
choice and he looks out at the systems
around him and he looks at the schools
where he's going to send his kids he
looks at the markets where his family's
going to find the goods that they desire
at the laws of the land and he sees that
all of these systems are shaped by other
cultural groups speaking other
languages and now David's going to base
this decision on one main thing the
thing that all parents base their
decisions on he wants to ensure that his
children have the best chance to Survive
and
Thrive and so for this decision David
really doesn't have a freedom of choice
when it comes to his culture
so what does he do he leaves the culture
behind he leaves the language
behind and he sends his kids off into
the society that's dominated by this
other
culture and it's in this way in this
imbalance of power in the systems of our
society that we lose cultural
diversity
so our last question what do we do about
it I think first and foremost we need to
realize how how unlevel the playing
field actually is how imbalanced the
power actually is in
society to do so let's look at one
system within Society let's look at the
school and let's look at the schools
where David was going to send his
children school there is taught in
English the
textbooks the examples in those
textbooks are from some far off land
where David's children have never been
and in all likelihood never will
go
this same inbalance in power inbalance
in culture exists in our own
schools I'm lucky and that I get to
volunteer in my kids
school and not that long ago I was in a
Kindergarten
class what you realize when you're in a
Kindergarten class is how amazing
kindergarten teachers are you know
they're incredibly creative super
dedicated and these have to be some of
the most patient human beings on the
planet right and importantly we don't
pay them nearly enough
money the other thing you realize is
that the systems con strain these
kindergarten teachers even the very
materials that they're provided so I was
sitting around a table and there was a
kid from Vietnam and two kids from Libya
and a whole bunch of kids from
Colorado and we're learning about
prepositions you might remember the
these words on under over prepositions
okay now they're in kindergarten so they
have two pictures and they have to match
the preposition to this pair of pictures
so there's a table and there's a cat the
cat is under the table and we go
learning our
prepositions and we get to this
pair and the girl from Colorado she
jumps up
over the cow jumps over the moon she's
excited she's got it right and those two
kids from Libya over here with huge eyes
what right I mean imagine they go home
that night right and they're around the
dinner table and they're saying you know
Mom and Dad we thought it was a little
weird the people strap the boards on
their feet and they go swooshing down
the snowy slopes but that's nothing here
in the United States cows jump over the
moon because they were learning more
than prepositions weren't
they the lesson was embedded in
culture and that in and of itself is a
good
thing the challenge we face is that the
lessons in our schools here and all
around the world are increasingly
embedded in one
culture everywhere cows are jumping over
the moon an English nursery
rhyme so what are we going to
do we can't be naive we can't assume
that we're going to evenly spread power
and control of the systems of society
equally across 7,000 different cultural
groups it's not going to
happen but we can take small steps we
can begin to level the playing field and
inspiration comes from where we
started back on malakula in
vanatu the communities on this island
decided to begin to level that playing
field and they let's take an example the
schools
they talked to the heads of the schools
and they said look we're going to give
you 4 days a week but we're taking one
day
back and they use indigenous
architecture and they built a
building and one day a week the kids go
to that
building and they learn from the Elders
of that community in their indigenous
language about the skills they need to
live in that
community and just as importantly they
learn to be proud of who they are to be
proud of their culture to be proud of
their
language and these communities argue and
I wholeheartedly agree that those kids
are going to be better
prepared because now they're able to
draw from the world viw and the
knowledge base that has been developed
across Generations in that place and
they're also able to draw from the world
view and the knowledge systems that come
down from the conventional school
system and so those kids become better
prepared to deal with the wicked
problems of today and the uncertainty of
tomorrow so I think we have answers to
our three key
questions we absolutely need to be
worried about the loss of cultural
diversity we need to respect and uphold
the rights of indigenous people and we
need to recognize the value that
cultural diversity has for all of
humanity but to face this challenge we
must also realize how uneven ly power is
spread across our
societies and we must take these
examples from vanatu and elsewhere and
we must begin to create systems which
celebrate cultural
diversity which explore our
differences and which Embrace multiple
ways of
thinking and if we can do that we'll be
better prepared for
tomorrow but if we don't do that
now if we don't do that then our
grandchildren are going to grow up in a
world that is far less
diverse and they won't even know
it know better do better thank
[Applause]
you
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