Explain the concept of culture shock by imagining that a person who lived in the United States in the 1860s time traveled to the United States of today. What are some aspects of American culture that might shock this visitor? Are there any aspects of American culture that might not be surprising? If you were the time traveler, do you think you would adapt to modern American culture, or would you engage in ethnocentrism?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Essay: Culture Shock in Time Travel: From the 1860s United States to the Present Day
Culture shock is a term used to describe the feeling of disorientation or unease that arises when individuals are exposed to a culture that is significantly different from their own. To illustrate this concept, let us imagine a person who lived in the United States in the 1860s time traveling to the present day. This individual would undoubtedly experience a profound sense of culture shock due to the vast changes that have occurred in American society over the past century and a half.
One aspect of American culture that would likely shock a visitor from the 1860s is the rapid technological advancements that have taken place. In the 1860s, the United States was still largely an agrarian society, with limited access to electricity, telecommunication, and transportation. Upon arriving in the present day, our time traveler would be astounded by the prevalence of smartphones, the internet, automobiles, and other modern conveniences that we often take for granted.
Furthermore, the visitor from the 1860s would be struck by the significant social changes that have occurred in American society. In the 1860s, the country was embroiled in the Civil War over issues of slavery and states’ rights. The notion of racial equality and civil rights for all individuals was still a distant dream. Upon witnessing the progress that has been made in terms of civil rights and social equality in the present day, our time traveler would likely experience a mixture of shock and awe.
On the other hand, there are certain aspects of American culture that might not be entirely surprising to our visitor from the 1860s. For example, the enduring spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation that has characterized American society for centuries would likely be familiar to someone from the 19th century. The emphasis on individualism, self-reliance, and freedom that has long been associated with American culture would also resonate with our time traveler.
As for whether I, as the time traveler, would adapt to modern American culture or engage in ethnocentrism, I believe that it would be a combination of both. While I would undoubtedly struggle to acclimate to the fast-paced, technology-driven society of the present day, I like to think that I would approach this new culture with an open mind and a willingness to learn. At the same time, I may find myself comparing aspects of modern American culture to those of the 1860s, experiencing a sense of ethnocentrism as I grapple with the differences between the two time periods.
In conclusion, the hypothetical scenario of a person from the 1860s time traveling to the present day serves as a thought-provoking exercise in understanding the concept of culture shock. By exploring the ways in which American society has evolved over time, we gain insight into how individuals from different historical periods might perceive and react to cultural changes.Ultimately, this exercise highlights the importance of cultural awareness, empathy, and adaptability in navigating the complexities of our ever-changing world.
