Cultural relativism Quote by Salman Rushdie
“What I worry about and don't like is the way in which the ideology of multiculturalism has declined into cultural relativism. I think that's very dangerous. When the Archbishop of Canterbury, for God's sake, says that you can't have one law for everybody... that's stupid.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public commentary on multiculturalism, 2005
The shift from multiculturalism to cultural relativism erodes shared values and legal equality, which is dangerous.
In simple terms: Cultural relativism threatens common law and safety.
Key Takeaway
Defend universal standards while respecting diversity.
Themes
multiculturalism
law
ethics
politics
danger
Mood
concerned
critical
thoughtful
Type
opinion
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy debates
- education curricula
- community integration
- media discourse
Key Concepts
relativism
universalism
social cohesion
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies honor cultural differences without compromising universal rights?
- What limits should be set on cultural relativism?
A Different Perspective
Balancing respect for cultures with a common legal framework is complex.
![“[Cultural relativism] licenses the envy of the untalented, giving rise to what has been called the revenge of failure: Those who cannot paint destroy the canons of painting; those who cannot write reject canonical literature.” quote by George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/10e/george-will-1177_books_cultural-relativism-licenses-the-envy-of_246138.jpg)
