History#2

LucasOgden
Period3

EastaboveWest

Whatistheauthorspurposeinwritingthispiece?Shouldwelearnaboutculturesandlanguages
otherthanourown,orreadliteratureoutsideourownculture?

GlobalEducationasystemtoimplementtoleranceandglobalizationhasanextremely
controversialnature,asexplainedin
GlobalEducationMissestheMark.
Notonlyisit
propaganda,butitisglorifyingaccomplishmentsoftheeastwhileshieldingthoseofthewest.In
anargumentfromaneducatorsstandpoint,thepurposeistoprovideabetterunderstandingof
worldculturesandvalues.However,thereistruthtobotharguments.Althoughtheeducation
programweighsdownachievementsofthewest,itisalsocrucialforeducatorstopresentan
understandingofothercultures,whichconsequentlystrengthensinternationalrelationsand
understandings.
Intheeducationsystem,itisnotoftenthatwetalkaboutAmericanhistory.Classesare
oftenfocusedonachievementsexcludingAmerica,andglorifyingotherworldfiguresasheroes
suchas...Muhammad,Asoka,andAlKhwarizmi.Thisindoctrinatesstudentsintobelieving
thatEasterncivilizationisresponsibleforcreatingthebasisformoderncivilization.Andthisis
unacceptableconsideringthattheUnitedStatesisoneofthemostadvancedandsuccessful
societiesintheworld.Wehavemanyinnovativetechnologies,opportunities,andpolitical
freedomsthatattractsmanydifferentculturesandethnicitiestothiscountry.Andwhenstudents
arepresentedwithforthemostpartunfortunateeventswithAmericasinvolvement,itcreatesa
falsesenseofwhattheUnitedStatesisandweareacountrythatisknownforourpatriotism.
Culturalrelativismishardlyusedwhenwritinghistory.WebasetheUnitedStatesactionsfrom
centuriesinthepastonourmoderndayvaluesvaluesthathavebeenchangedandaltered
sincetheestablishmentofourcountry.
However,thereistruthtoEasterncivilizationbeingresponsible.CivilizationsinChina
areresponsibleforalotofmoderndaytechnology,suchastheSongandMingdynasties.They
createdtheabacus,roadsusedfortrade,andgunpowder.Inessence,theyareresponsiblefor
thebasisofmanythingswetakeforgrantedtoday.Inmanyways,easterncivilizationdidcause
anadvanceinworldtechnology.Itiscrucialtoeraseabiasstandpointandlookatthefactsas
theyhavebeenwritteninhistory.
Isthiscurrentcurriculumreallyhurtingstudents?PresidentCarterstatedthat...wecan
resolveourdifferencesbyknowingandunderstandingeachother.Ititiscrucialfordifferent
culturestocooperate,consideringthattherearedozensofglobalissuesfacingtheworld
populationtoday.Andinthatcircumspect,itisinnowayharmfultopresentamorerounded
knowledgeofothercultures.
Theeducationsystemisbias.Aswesterncivilizationisdenied,itisstillveryimportantto
includeeasterncivilizationfortheirmajorcontributiontomoderndaysociety.Guillneyispoorly
informedintheaspectsofforeignlanguageandculture.Itisnotlimitedtoprofitforthe

incorporationofforeigncultureandlanguage.Howwilltheinternationalpopulationeverbeable
toproductivelyinteractinacrisissituationwhenweuseotherculturesstrictlyforprofit?But
whereGuillneystandscorrectlyisonthetopicofomittedhistoryfromschoolcurriculumWestern
civilizationmustbebetterincludedtohaveacompleteunderstandingofworldculture,while
EasterncivilizationmustbeincorporatedsothattheUnitedStatesisnotisolatedfromother
countries.

WorksCited:
1."HistoryofEasternCivilizations."
DepartmentofHistory.
BoiseStateUniversity,n.d.Web.15
Oct.2013.

2.Sheedy,Jim,Dr."CivilizationDifferencesEastandWest."
Dr.SheedyPonderingLife.
N.p.,
n.d.Web.15Oct.2013.