Cultural Values and Human Virtue

What: Cultures observed

Ascertaining a new culture is difficult. We become products of our native culture to the extent that we can hardly peer through the fogginess of a new culture. With beauty surely in mind, cultures tend to slowly brew within us and then, when pressed, we simply spill over the values we've been soaked in. Shalom Schwartz terms this effect The Press of Culture. Pardon the coffee reference but one need look no further than a French Press to appreciate this effect at work.

Schwartz and Hofstede & Hofstede came up with separate systematic approaches to define cultural differences. Schwartzs' model is based on three bipolar preferences in which cultures lean towards one value or the other.  The opposing preferences are:

Autonomy vs Embeddedness: decisions made to benefit individuals or groups
Egalitarianism vs Hierarchy: power is evenly distributed or confined to specific roles
Harmony vs Mastery: resources are preserved or used to advance individuals

Hofstede & Hofstede's model rests on the five dimensions listed below. A more complete definition of the dimensions (except virtue) can be found here.
              Identity - collectivism vs individualism
              Hierarchy - large power distance vs small power distance
              Gender - care oriented vs achievement oriented
              Truth - uncertainty avoidance vs uncertainty tolerance
              Virtue - long-term oriented vs short-term oriented


So What: Cultures described
While reading through each system I reflected on the cultures I've observed. I've been fortunate enough to visit Australia, Mexico, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Spain, England, Germany and Canada. I immediately thought of how these cultures fit the given dimensions. Fond memories made me appreciate each culture, in their richness and differences.

These models, however, lead to deeper reflection of whether or not they fully describe a culture or a people group. I realize neither approach was meant to fully capture all that a culture is, does, thinks and feels - people are so fascinating, with deep and complex emotions. While either dimension gives us a descriptive glance at a culture, I found myself wondering what we would find if we looked further still into these culture's values?


Now What: Cultures appreciated
Dr. Peter Kreeft, a Philosophy professor at Boston College explains that there are deeper, more pivotal cultural values to be observed. He simply sounds a message once delivered by Plato, that societies hinge on Cardinal Virtues: Justice, Prudence, Temperance and Fortitude.  In a clever article written by Kreeft, he says "Plato gives us virtue's grammar" and that all other virtues are corollaries of these. He describes the four Cardinal Virtues as "relevant to man in every age because they are relevant to man himself, not to the age. They fit our nature and our nature's needs."

What if we were to combine Schwartz, Hofstede's & Hofstede's, and Plato? At what depth could we then appreciate a culture? What if we could see if they are courageous, wise, just or self-controlled along with other cultural dimensions? A deeper look into the values of a culture should bring about a deeper appreciation.