How does culture affect morality?

Shane Parrish and his guests have discussed the impact of culture on morality in various contexts, highlighting how cultural evolution shapes moral views and behaviors.

1. Dynamic Cultural Evolution: Jonathan Haidt explains that while human nature provides foundational building blocks, cultural evolution constructs different moral frameworks. For example, societal views on gay rights have evolved rapidly, with homophobia becoming a moral sin in many subcultures due to shifts towards compassion and fairness rather than inherent disgust for the behavior. This change was partly driven by deliberate movements that effectively aligned moral arguments with emotional appeals 1.

2. Core Human Motivations: Kunal Shah discusses how core human motivations remain consistent across cultures but manifest differently. For instance, improving social status for the sake of progeny success is universal, but Asian cultures often treat children as investments expected to support parents later in life. In contrast, Western cultures emphasize individual achievement and self-reliance. This shows how cultural contexts can shape the expression of underlying motivations 2.

3. Reluctance to Discuss Controversial Topics: A new moral culture on campuses, characterized by fear of saying the wrong thing, has emerged. Jonathan Haidt notes that this cultural shift involves both a protective mentality towards certain topics and a reluctance to engage in potentially controversial discussions, affecting free speech and discourse 3.

   Cultural Evolution

   Shane Parrish

   Jonathan Haidt

   Jonathan and Shane discuss how culture awakens innate human nature and how homophobia has become a great moral sin. They also talk about the direction of cultural evolution and how it can be influenced by political movements.

   

   The Knowledge Project

   Jonathan Haidt | When Good Intentions Go Bad

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These insights underscore that while some aspects of morality are influenced by innate human nature, cultural contexts play a significant role in shaping the moral landscapes of societies.