Writing for an Academic Discussion Is allocating funds ot preserve traditional culture a pritority?

Considering the myriad of urgent needs a nation might have, do you agree or disagree that allocating funds to preserve traditional culture is a priority? Why? Why not?

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        Name traditional Japanese cultures.

e.g Old temples and shrines, kabuki, noh, gagaku, sumi-e, classical Japanese literature, washoku, tea celemony, traditional festivals, etc.

 

2.        Are your answers to Question 2 significant in modern society?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

Yes

1.        The national identity and the traditional culture are the foundation of our lives.

2.        Humans don’t just live on food. They need mental and spiritual support.

 

No

1.        Pressing issues like climate crisis and nuclear disarmament are to be prioritized.

2.        Protecting the subsistence of all people should always be the top priority.

3.        Saving the poor saves traditional cultures, so the former should be prioritized before the latter.

 

Neither

1.        We should stop spending on military instead.

2.        We can do both based on MMT, which is an economic theory that the government spending can be almost infinitely as long as the currency is owned by the country and inflation is avoided.

 

 

☆Sample Response

Sample 1: Preservation of the traditional culture should be a priority because it protects being human as well as the identity of the people. Traditional culture shows what the people is and what is human. Through learning traditional culture and learning how our ancestors ate, dressed, sang, danced, celebrated, or said farewell to the deceased, we understand what is in the core of our existence and see what is the true priority in our life. Modern life is homogenized and it dehumanizes us. We live and work in comfortable but tasteless buildings, wear functional but plain clothes, and are fed with impressive and beautiful enough but not stunning or heart-wrenching art, music, or movies in this world controlled by capitalism. As a result, we now have deteriorated to the point where we consume others’ private lives, tragedy, or catastrophe as the medium for stress release or sublimation because modern culture doesn’t fulfill our spiritual hunger. In other words, modern culture is barbaric and perverse. To rediscover and restore humanity, we need to consult what our ancestors left. Traditional culture is the treasure trove for this purpose. Therefore, I agree with prioritizing preservation of it. (192 words)

 

Sample 2: I agree with Kristy’s point that protecting traditional cultures is important to maintain a sense of identity and continuity, and I think it is all the more imperative to spend resources on ensuring the continuity of the communities that sustain traditional cultures. Today’s major issues are so pressing that the doomsday clock is now set at less than 90 seconds to midnight, meaning the extinction of the human race can occur at any moment. We need to allocate a large part of our budget to avoid catastrophes such as nuclear war, effects of climate crisis, and disruptions by artificial intelligence. To solve these problems, intentional budget-allocation is necessary, while traditional cultures are organically protected as long as the people exists. Especially, the impact of climate change and wars are wiping out minority cultures at this very moment, while the cultures of the wealthy are well protected. For instance, the islanders of Tuvalu are forced to leave their island due to the sea level rise, while Vienna in Austria is dealing well with flood impacts thanks to the abundant technical and financial support. As a result, the traditional cultures of Tuvalu are lost, while those of Vienna are saved. Palestinian cultures being lost in the genocide by the colonizer Israel, whose raison d’être is supposed to protect its own tradition, is another but significant example. It is vital that financial supports on the subsistence of the marginalized come first.  (238 words)

 

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.

 

                                               DRAFT