As we wrap up the first semester, I wanted to take my final blog posts to explore an idea that I feel I have not delved into enough and that I still question. I read through my notes that I made throughout the semester, and found myself stuck on the following quote from ‘There is No Such Thing as Civilisation’ by Kwame Anthony Appiah: “If western culture were real, we wouldn’t spend so much time talking about it.” My initial reaction to reading this was, how can western culture not exist? I interpreted it as saying that because western culture is an imaginary concept, we (cultures, people, and organizations that idolize western ideologies) pay an extensive amount of attention to it. As I stared at my notes for a while to allow myself to process what was being stated, I realized that western culture is not real, because in its place exists a constructed illusion of what western culture primarily is. This constructed illusion is like a thick film that presents how white, privileged people live, and that heavily blurs the lives of all other identities that contribute to western culture. I am starting to think that because the general perception of western culture is so false and mystified, it is seen to be something beyond reality. The lies and misconception of what is presented make ‘western culture’ seem unattainable, and I think it is in human nature to want what you cannot have. The constructed image of western culture is impossible to recreate, as it is not real. I can conclude with the idea that if western culture’s representation was accurately presented and understood for every single diverse aspect, it would be normal and realistic. And I think in human nature, normal and real can be seen as boring. I wonder if this is why other cultures are so intrigued by western culture and its trends, lifestyles, and businesses.
