ASSIGNMENT_4

HW_4

I believe that Western culture and globalization have largely 'determined' the cultural forms and ways of thinking in our modern lives. Modern society is a society of ideologies, a society of symbols. Power, through Foucault's panopticism, links power and knowledge together, embedding social discipline into every individual participating in modern society. From this perspective, we are inevitably also thinking in the ways of Western culture and globalization. You might argue why the part about social discipline is all about Western culture? Indeed, we can still see many deep-rooted influences from Chinese culture, whether they are excellent or absolutely bad. However, when our economic foundation and the entire social structure are based on Western culture, our ways of thinking and cultural forms are inevitably greatly influenced by Western culture, an influence that far exceeds the remnants of Chinese culture.

Here, I would like to mention a book—"Remaking 'Patients'"—which studies the beginning of China's modern history through the introduction of Western medicine into China and the Chinese body's attitude towards Western medicine. There is a very impactful assertion in the book: "The moment the first scalpel of Western medicine cut into the body of a Chinese person, it became an event of modernity." When the Chinese accepted modernity physically, it meant the collapse of the traditional, rigid ethical values of filial piety—'The body, hair and skin, all have been received from the parents, and so one doesn’t dare damage them—that is the beginning of xiao.' It also meant that the Chinese accepted modernity in their minds, stepping into a new era with both body and mind, and realizing the process of modernization. When people's ideas begin to waver, it signifies the start of a new historical phase. Therefore, it is clear that the foundation of modern society is built on Western rather than Eastern culture.

To this end, we can also conduct a simple thought experiment to demonstrate: that is, traditional Chinese society was built upon the clan system, which in turn was based on the patriarchal system of authority. It established its authority by denying the individual's body, whereas in modern society, there is an affirmative attitude towards the body, as seen in Foucault's biopolitics, not to mention that the symbolic consumption itself is an affirmation of human animal instincts. These relationships can easily be found in today's society.

Regarding the remnants of traditional Chinese culture, in terms of excellent culture, we have many outstanding literary and artistic works, and countless excellent poems that are still sung today. In terms of the dregs, the objectification of women under the traditional patriarchal system, presented as transactions in marriage, is an example. These can essentially be summed up as: the rootless duckweed of traditional Chinese literature and arts, or the old, obstinate, outdated concepts.

We need to abandon these outdated social relations and embrace new ones, while continuing to strive for the protection of our excellent cultural heritage.