LOS ANGELES — Western civilization, a term used to broadly define the social norms, ethics, values, laws and traditions that originate from Europe, has achieved undeniable global power.
However, according to Dinesh D’Souza in PragerU’s newest video, “Are Some Cultures Better Than Others?” many people, including those who live in the West, have come to wrongly attribute its unparalleled success to resource exploitation, imperialism, colonialism, racism and greed. As a result, in schools throughout the West—especially in universities—students are now indoctrinated to despise their own culture.
What is behind this disturbing trend? According to D’Souza, the answer is the modern ideology of multiculturalism. D’Souza defines multiculturalism as the belief that all cultures are equal and no culture’s values, art, music, political system or literature is better or worse than any other.
While the West has undeniably played a central role in shaping the world over the past 500 years, multiculturalists refuse to believe that some cultures have contributed more than others—and demonize those who believe they have. For example, Saul Bellow, a Nobel-prize winning novelist, was labeled a racist after he pointed out that literary giants like Tolstoy and Proust were distinctly Western. Similarly, President Trump was condemned for a speech he delivered in Warsaw, Poland when he said:
“We write symphonies. We pursue innovation… We treasure the rule of law and protect the right to free speech and free expression… We empower women as pillars of our society and of our success,” said President Trump. “That is who we are… Those are the priceless ties that bind us together… as a civilization.”
What accounts for the West’s far-reaching influence around the world? According to multiculturalists, this was achieved through oppression, colonialism and slavery.
D’Souza debunks this misconception. Colonialism and slavery are actually universal practices. Slavery was widely practiced in ancient India, China, Greece and Rome. This was also true in Africa and even among American Indians before Columbus ever arrived. D’Souza points out that while slavery is not uniquely Western, the abolition of it is.
D’Souza instead believes that it is democracy, capitalism, and science which are behind the West’s power. “These institutions developed because of a peculiar dynamism of Athens and Jerusalem, a synthesis of classical reason and Judeo-Christian morality. And it is these institutions, I believe that comprise the source of Western strength and explain the West’s long-standing dominance in the world,” says D’Souza
D’Souza concludes by redefining America as a multiethnic society. “I’m an immigrant from India. My wife is an immigrant from Venezuela. Despite our differences of ethnic background, we have both assimilated to the unique values of America—the values embodied in our Constitution and our laws. The pursuit of happiness. The American Dream.”
MEDIA NOTE: PragerU contributor, Dinesh D’Souza, is available for interview as is PragerU’s Founder, Dennis Prager and CEO, Marissa Streit. Contact: MediaInquiries@theKcompany.co
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PragerU, founded by Dennis Prager in 2011, is a not-for-profit organization that helps millions understand the values that shaped America and provides millions of Americans and people around the world with the intellectual ammunition they need to advocate for limited government, individual responsibility and economic freedom. In 2016 alone, PragerU’s videos received over 250 million views, a figure that will eclipse 350 million in 2017. PragerU is a resource for all who value liberty. It is a threat to all those who do not.
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