Ethical Dilemmas Across Cultures

Religion

Religion is the cornerstone of many people's ethical beliefs. People from different cultures will be good friends, and have similar interests, but they may disagree fiercely on ethics. The disagreements will not be caused by ethical issues on their own, but by ethical dilemmas raised by different religions, and even the misinterpretation of these religious ideals. This misinterpretation will often be arbitrary and will sometimes be distorted to an offensive degree. Consequently, prejudice may emerge against certain sections of society which doesn't conform to these religious ideals.

One of the biggest ethical dilemmas of the 21st century is concern over trade. The question is often raised whether a country should have trade links with a country that has a flagrant disregard for human rights. It is not appropriate for one country to tell another country how to run its internal affairs. However, some may argue that one country opening up trade links with a country with a poor human rights record will actually help the oppressed people. The suggestion that once shown the benefits of a free society, there will be a greater chance of the oppressive state changing its ways spurs this argument. The suspicion remains with many, however, that trade takes priority over human rights.

There are differences as to what constitutes a crime among cultures. There are also some punishments, following what are universally agreed to be crimes, that vary considerably. What is considered to be a Draconian punishment in one culture will be considered just in another. When a foreign national is charged with a crime, and the punishment is deemed too harsh by the foreign national's country, there will be an ethical dilemma as to how to resolve the issue without causing offense.

The rights of individuals around the world are not the same, but ethical problems really arise when one segment of a population is treated differently from other segments. Some cultures don't recognize gay rights, and, in some cultures, women and ethnic minorities aren't given the same opportunities as the rest of society. There are also differences in how elderly or disabled people are valued. For example, in the United States, youth and vitality are acclaimed, while in Asian cultures, the elderly are considered sagacious and sought out for their wisdom. All these differences will cause disagreements among cultures along ethical lines.