RUTH BENEDICT RUTH BENEDICT June 5, 1887 – September 17, 1948 ABOUT - anthropologist and author - high humanistic background - Influenced by Elsie Clews Parson and Alexander Goldenweiser at a university in Columbia - She has a belief that every culture has there own imperatives and one can know if they study the culture - Her core point is that the activities within the society express the theme of the society, they have there own definition of success, misfits, and outcast by the persons personality. ABOUT - Ruth Benedict’s view point was influenced by the founder of the school Boasian anthropology which is Boas combined with her own insights. -Boas has a concept of cultural relativism IMPORTANCE - Ruth Benedict’s work is very valuable towards understanding cultural relativism, particularly the complexity and diversity of human cultures. Major Contribution Patterns of Culture (1934) - it compares the cultures of 3 different societies(Zuni,Dobu,Kwakuitl) to know the association of human behavior into any culture. Saying's about the self; 1. "Culture is not a biologically inherited complex, but a continually changing product of human interaction.“ 2. "We grow, become ourselves, and shape our destinies within the framework of the culture in which we are born and raised." 3. "No man ever looks at the world with pristine eyes. He sees it edited by a definite set of customs and institutions and ways of thinking." 4. "The 'anthropological point of view' is perhaps the most consistently misunderstood aspect of anthropological studies. It does not refer simply to the approach of the anthropologist, but also to the point of view of the people studied." 5. "The individual's past, present, and future actions are determined by the cultural environment in which he grows up and matures." Understanding the Self Ruth Benedict's understanding of the self revolved around the concept of cultural relativism. She believed that individuals' identities are not fixed but rather shaped by the cultural context in which they live. In her influential work, Benedict explored how different cultures have distinct beliefs, values, and norms that influence how individuals perceive themselves and their place in society. According to Benedict, the self is not an innate or universal entity but is constructed within the framework of one's culture. This means that the way individuals understand themselves, their roles, and their relationships with others is influenced by the cultural norms and practices of their society. Benedict's approach emphasized the diversity of human experience and challenged the idea of cultural superiority. She argued for a more open-minded and empathetic understanding of other cultures, recognizing that people's behaviors and beliefs should be interpreted within their own cultural context rather than through the lens of one's own cultural biases. Overall, Ruth Benedict's understanding of the self highlights the dynamic and culturally contingent nature of individual identity, emphasizing the importance of considering cultural context in our understanding of human behavior and experiences.
