Armenians and westernization.

[SoyElTurco]

I was just reading a religion thread. Somebody was disheartened by "Armenian Atheists" and attributed it to the product of Westernization. I understood that Armenians are staunchly Orthodox/Apostilic Christian and that they equate it with being Armenian.

But the question is, do Armenians generally feel threatened by westernization? Or do they generally embrace it? I know there are a lot of mixed views, so go ahead an spill your minds.

I'm sure the typical concerns are the dilution of the culture and immoralization (consumerism, materialism etc..)

So I guess if people want to reply, firstly, i think people should define what westernization is to them, how do they interpret it. And what are the concerns you have or the outcomes of it do you see. In the long wrong, will aid or detriment the Armenian people?

(I'm gonna start another thread, what role should the church play in armenian politics/government, society, issues about secularism etc...)

[Anonymouse]

Re: Armenians and westernization.

"Westernization" is a rather amorphous and ambiguous term. Essentially, the reason for that being ambiguous is because it allows leaders the ability to attribute that which is not good to all things Western.

There are many things the "Western" world has given that have benefited mankind greatly, as well as detrimental things. One of the eternal benefits the world owes the "West" is the rise of the industrial revolution and free trade which has allowed the idea of capital accumulation to prosper. The breaking from feudal economies occurred first in the West because it recognized the need for private property and capital accumulation, whereas other societies did not.

This was a comment someone made at another blog which should be of value:

Until the16th century, the idea that the king and his nobles were above the law was ingrained in institutions. Property rights existed between members of the commoners, but not between nobility and commoners. And the nobility enjoyed little protection of property from attacks by other members of the nobility. The rupture came with the Protestant Reformation and war for independence from Spain in the late 16th century in the Netherlands which resulted in the creation of the Dutch Republic. The Dutch ended the theft practiced by the nobility and secured property rights for all individuals to a degree never seen before in Europe and probably the entire world. The resulting equality that the Dutch gave commoners shocked and outraged nobility throughout Europe, who considered such equality immoral and degrading.

There is at least some doubt that the institutions necessary for the arrival of capitalism would have been created without the Reformation. The Catholic Church had done little to rein in the nobility in spite of the official doctrine of the sanctity of property. And as cultural economists point out, institutions are largely a reflection of religious beliefs. See “Culture Matters: How Values Shape Human Progress”, edited by Lawrence E. Harrison and Samuel P. Huntington. This is especially true at a time in history when religious belief was so much more important to people than it is today. And as Harrison and Hungtington point out, that is why few institutions outside of the West and East Asia have evolved beyond the very primitive level. For example, markets in the Middle East are very different from those in the West and prevent economic development there.

[ara87]

Re: Armenians and westernization.

But the question is, do Armenians generally feel threatened by westernization? Or do they generally embrace it? I know there are a lot of mixed views, so go ahead an spill your minds.

In the long wrong, will aid or detriment the Armenian people?

I think as long as the church has roots in society there will be a limited amount of westernization, it'd be more like Greece, minds in the west and hearts in the east, as opposed to NYC/LA kind of westernization, although i wouldn't mind that. Armenians from Armenia are probably more against it than the diaspora, but i could not say for certain because i haven't been there.

[Mos]

Re: Armenians and westernization.

personally, I hate westernization unfortunately it has taken a toll on the whole world. Its the greatest threat to Armenian race. That's why I tell my friends and cousins in Armenia not to follow western trends. Though, the youth to the most part in Armenia is not affected by westernization. We still where nice long pants, a button down shirt, black shoes, a clean shave, and short hair.

[ARGENTINA]

Re: Armenians and westernization.

westernizing is a way of living which one gets full benefit of current technology and its smashing comfort offers in his every day life .For armenians whom are blessed by western armenian language and culture westernizing in term of taking full benefit of life is not a new thing.But the oriental armenians who are suffered more than westerners they sort of blame the western culture builders and relate the sufferings with this context. In general armenians and turks are very alike concerning of their attitude accepting and rejecting westernizing as a cultural phenomenon.of course the secular portion of turkish muslims should be discarded from this argument. Armenian church on the other side needs a strong leader to revitalize the whole aspect of clergy inspiration machine.This old system needs to bring up to date and church should be part of armenian society ,not a place to argue worldly matters.As a matter fact the church language and its tradition is far of being sympathizing by young folks who hardly understands the priests public address. All as similar in turkey the folks go to mosque without understanding a world of imam.
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