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In New Zealand this is called Mātauranga Māori. There's a tendency of certain Westerners to consider the myths of others are being more legitimate to the point

In New Zealand this is called Mātauranga Māori. There's a tendency of certain Westerners to consider the myths of others are being more legitimate to the point where (in New Zealand) it's taught in schools alongside "Western" science [1]. [1]: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/how-matauranga-maori-is-being-rolled-out-in-schools-rangi-matamua-explains-the-knowledge-system/HBESUUZ3UFFSVLF64Y5JMJ24KE/ https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/how-matauranga-maori-is-being-...

actionfromafar 3y ago
Huh. Interesting. It reminded me of something: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fact-check-does-texas-teach-creationism-public-schools-it-constitutional-flna837809 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fact-check-does-texas-tea... similar tendencies.
- OfSanguineFire 3y ago
  Different dynamics. In NZ it is a state trying to make up to a disadvantaged indigenous population. In Texas, its about a Protestant Christianity brought by settlers and has nothing to do with the state’s ethnic minorities. Instead, what would be a good comparison in the USA are those Native American activists who insist on the truth of their founding myths that the Creator created them where they live now, and that their ancestors did not migrate from Asia across the Bering Strait.
wahern 3y ago
> There's a tendency of certain Westerners to consider the myths of others are being more legitimate I've always considered this is a subtle form of othering in which the cultural left indulges.[1] It's really unfortunate and no less alienating than more obvious forms of othering. A related phenomenon is the left (as well as non-religious more generally, not all firmly steeped in the leftist milieu) feeling entitled to criticize or diminish otherwise similar religious practices found within the dominant culture they were raised. Standing alone it would fit into a millennia-long vein of intellectual discourse in the West[2], however in contrast to the noble savage gloss given non-Western cultures it becomes intolerably hypocritical. [1] Relatedly, for years I've considered figurative use of words like "legitimate" and, especially, "authentic" as signaling and reflecting dubious modern cultural value judgments. These modern cultural concepts have been internalized across the political and cultural spectrum in the West, especially the rich West. Learning to spot this language is a good way to identify B.S. in politics, philosophy, business, marketing, and almost every other area of life. (Conversely, when you're feeling evil you can use these words to great profit in rhetoric.) In this case I understand you're deliberately echoing others' verbiage. [2] See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucian https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucian, but such religious skepticism and satire goes back much further.
- mint2 3y ago
  Hacker news guidelines “ Please don't use Hacker News for political or ideological battle. That tramples curiosity.” Specifically calling out some personal gripe about the “left” definitely falls under this admonishment.
  - falserum 3y ago
    [dead]
  - anonymouskimmer 3y ago
    As a person who generally identifies as being on the US left, I took it as a factual use of the term, not a personal gripe or ideological battle. To the extent I can even think of people on the "right" doing the equivalent with indigenous cultures, it's in a completely different manner.
    - mint2 3y ago
      I’m not even getting into the accuracy or lack of accuracy of the statement. Due to the numbers of viewers, if even a fraction of people start posting whatever gripe about left/right that comes to their mind after each comment like here, then this place will be unbearable. Hence the guideline admonishing against that.
  - arp242 3y ago
    "I don't like these viewpoints somewhat commonly held by this group" is not "political or ideological battle" in and of itself.
    - mint2 3y ago
      Well when put like that, sounds like a terrible conversation piece for socials events, particularly when an 1/3 to 2/3rds belong to the group being griped about. Especially when the gripee is seemingly not even part of that group. It’s like standing in a group talking and then going: “hey this topic reminds me about how a third of you people, which I’m not one of, do this and this bad thing, isn’t that annoying?! Haha you people”
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]
ern 3y ago
The article is about the myths themselves, and there isn’t anything about it being taught as an alternative form of science.

actionfromafar 3y ago

Huh. Interesting. It reminded me of something: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fact-check-does-texas-teach-creationism-public-schools-it-constitutional-flna837809 https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fact-check-does-texas-tea... similar tendencies.

OfSanguineFire 3y ago
Different dynamics. In NZ it is a state trying to make up to a disadvantaged indigenous population. In Texas, its about a Protestant Christianity brought by settlers and has nothing to do with the state’s ethnic minorities. Instead, what would be a good comparison in the USA are those Native American activists who insist on the truth of their founding myths that the Creator created them where they live now, and that their ancestors did not migrate from Asia across the Bering Strait.

wahern 3y ago

> There's a tendency of certain Westerners to consider the myths of others are being more legitimate I've always considered this is a subtle form of othering in which the cultural left indulges.[1] It's really unfortunate and no less alienating than more obvious forms of othering. A related phenomenon is the left (as well as non-religious more generally, not all firmly steeped in the leftist milieu) feeling entitled to criticize or diminish otherwise similar religious practices found within the dominant culture they were raised. Standing alone it would fit into a millennia-long vein of intellectual discourse in the West[2], however in contrast to the noble savage gloss given non-Western cultures it becomes intolerably hypocritical. [1] Relatedly, for years I've considered figurative use of words like "legitimate" and, especially, "authentic" as signaling and reflecting dubious modern cultural value judgments. These modern cultural concepts have been internalized across the political and cultural spectrum in the West, especially the rich West. Learning to spot this language is a good way to identify B.S. in politics, philosophy, business, marketing, and almost every other area of life. (Conversely, when you're feeling evil you can use these words to great profit in rhetoric.) In this case I understand you're deliberately echoing others' verbiage. [2] See, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucian https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucian, but such religious skepticism and satire goes back much further.

mint2 3y ago
Hacker news guidelines “ Please don't use Hacker News for political or ideological battle. That tramples curiosity.” Specifically calling out some personal gripe about the “left” definitely falls under this admonishment.
- falserum 3y ago
  [dead]
- anonymouskimmer 3y ago
  As a person who generally identifies as being on the US left, I took it as a factual use of the term, not a personal gripe or ideological battle. To the extent I can even think of people on the "right" doing the equivalent with indigenous cultures, it's in a completely different manner.
  - mint2 3y ago
    I’m not even getting into the accuracy or lack of accuracy of the statement. Due to the numbers of viewers, if even a fraction of people start posting whatever gripe about left/right that comes to their mind after each comment like here, then this place will be unbearable. Hence the guideline admonishing against that.
- arp242 3y ago
  "I don't like these viewpoints somewhat commonly held by this group" is not "political or ideological battle" in and of itself.
  - mint2 3y ago
    Well when put like that, sounds like a terrible conversation piece for socials events, particularly when an 1/3 to 2/3rds belong to the group being griped about. Especially when the gripee is seemingly not even part of that group. It’s like standing in a group talking and then going: “hey this topic reminds me about how a third of you people, which I’m not one of, do this and this bad thing, isn’t that annoying?! Haha you people”

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]

ern 3y ago

The article is about the myths themselves, and there isn’t anything about it being taught as an alternative form of science.