Jessica Weiss on "Saving Face" and Cultural Relativism

      From the classroom discussion about “Saving Face,” I was most intrigued by the ideas of cultural relativism and whose responsibility is it to bring justice. Up until recently in Pakistan, husbands who threw acid on their wives generally went unpunished as depicted in the film. As Professor Ulmer remarked, “We can all agree that acid attacks are wrong.” They cannot be justified, and yet for so long, the government in Pakistan did nothing. Women often couldn't stand up for themselves, because they couldn't afford to not live with their abusive husbands. The idea of cultural relativism and whose responsibility is it to make things just is an ancient and perplexing argument. Dr. Mohammad Jawad seemed to be taking action to ensure justice, in his own way, by repairing some damage through plastic surgery. The lady attorney also did cases for free to help women in court. While I'm not very familiar with what is happening in Pakistan, it sounds to me they are a developing nation who is fighting to make life more fair and equal, especially for women. This shows real promise that justice can be served. At the conclusion of the film, parliament passed a bill to give acid attackers life-sentences for their crime. This is an astounding achievement and real progress, but unfortunatley any time a government starts a law, it takes decades for those ideas to really seep into the minds of the citizens, as shown in America with how women are still making less than men in the work force, despite laws on equality.

       Cultural relativism makes me think what would I do in a situation where I knew something was wrong, but I had no legal or social support to ensue justice. During trials after the Holocaust many Nazis claimed they only enacted harsh treatment to save themselves. Does cultural relativism have to do with survival of the fittest? In what ways are we morally obligated to help our fellow man? Am I a worse person for not immediately traveling to Pakistan to volunteer and help those women, especially when I feel so strongly about how they've been mistreated? With all that is happening in the world, there are so many issues that so many of us feel passionately about, and yet, it becomes so hard to choose to fight. For now, I will pursue knowledge about all humans and all human ways. In my general dissatisfaction with what I see in society around me, I feel confident that eventually I will fight and fight hard just like Changez did in the book (not the film) “The Reluctant Fundamentalist.”

       I believe that understanding that just because America is a beautiful place for opportunities, wealth, and freedom, that doesn’t mean that all American practices are okay. We have such a wonderful culture here, that in my opinion is rich and diverse, but that doesn't make it okay in Changez's eyes for America to allow such ruthless killings in the name of American greatness and the war or terror. I think Changez choice to leave America and permanently reside in his home nation of Pakistan is the exactly kind of ambitious intolerance of cultural relativism that I hope to one day achieve myself. I can only hope to be as enlightened as Changez.