I've been swamped with work trying to meet a deadline for a publication.
Sorry this is a bit late...
Kathy Dettwyler wrote: "Why are people so reluctant to accept the power of
culture?" (regarding the culturally based perception of breasts as sexual
and the problems this can pose for breastfeeding.)
People are reluctant to accept the power of culture because it is usually
an *adaptive* strategy to be unaware of its impact. All the culturally
based attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that we engage in--without little or
no reflection on their origin--tend to keep us confident and effective in
our particular society. There just isn't enough time in the day for the
ordinary human being to consciously think about *every single one* of the
details of the "correct" way to greet other people, wear clothes, converse,
correspond, fill out a form, bathe, cook, eat, play, work, engage in
friendships and family relationships, rear our children, etc. It would be
exhaustingly impossible to live life with complete consciousness and
intent. Culture makes it possible to function.
We learn the "rules" of our culture from the moment we are born. We are
surrounded by culture. Our lives are completely permeated by it. Culture is
so pervasive that it is invisible, just as we rarely pause to realize that
we are surrounded by and breathing air. You can't ask a fish about water.
Unless it's been thrown up on dry land. Then it realizes what water is.
People are the same way. In many ways and under most circumstances a lack
of understanding of the impact of culture is actually an incredible human
strength: it lets us be confident and effective in our particular society.
So it can come as quite a surprise to discover that there is more than one
set of cultural rules. That there are other ways of approaching the many
different aspects of life. And that other people hold their approaches just
as dear as we do. And--in the great diversity of cultural parameters--it
can come as an even greater surprise to discover that some culturally based
attitudes, beliefs and behaviors aren't just different (though MANY, MANY
are *just different*). Some approaches to some aspects of life are actually
poorly matched with the biologically based needs of human beings. We have
particular difficulty comprehending and accepting this if the "cultural
rules" that poorly match biology are the ones that we are accustomed to,
make "sense" to us, and that we hold dear. It takes opportunity to discover
this and time to take it in. It takes respect for the discomfort produced.
It takes support for the hidden work of cultural change within the person.
In the case of breastfeeding, struggling to consider and accept alternative
approaches that are better matched with biology has huge rewards. Culture
*is* changeable. Cultural change regarding breastfeeding *is* possible. And
the people engaging in cultural change to protect, support and promote
breastfeeding deserve much loving support themselves.
Reference: Good Mojab, C. The Cultural Art of Breastfeeding. Leaven, Vol.
36 No. 5, October-November 2000, pp. 87-91; full-text:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVOctNov00p87.html
Struggling with cultural issues right along with the rest of the world,
Cynthia
Cynthia Good Mojab, MS Clinical Psychology
Ammawell
(Breastfeeding mother, advocate, independent [cross-cultural] researcher
and author; freelance writer; LLL Leader and Research Associate in the LLLI
Publications Department; and former psychotherapist currently busy
nurturing her own little one.)
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://msnhomepages.talkcity.com/SupportSt/ammawell
***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|
