“Unless people start life with a culture of their own, exposure to other
cultures will seldom enhance their moral or even aesthetic awareness.
Without home culture, as it used to be called – a background of firmly
held standards and beliefs – people will encounter the “other” merely as
consumers of impressions and sensations, as cultural shoppers in
pursuit of the latest novelties. It is important for people to measure
their own values against others and to run the risk of changing their
minds; but exposure to others will do them very little good if they have
no minds to risk. New perspectives presuppose a pre-existing point of
view.”
Christopher Lasch.
