Argumentative Essay: Arts and Culture

Question: How far do you agree that Arts and Culture holds an important role in society?

Supporting Points

1. to pass down morals and values

Example: Filial piety which is a virtue and primary duty of respect, obedience and care for one’s parents and elderly family members

Elaboration: they transmit shared values, stories and goals from one generation to the next. Traditions encourage groups of people to create and share a collective identity, which in turn serves to shape individual identities.

2. To preserve heritage for cultural and historical value

Example: Hawker culture in Singapore has been officially added to the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Elaboration: it gives us an irrefutable connection to the past – to certain social values, beliefs, customs and traditions, that allows us to identify ourselves with others and deepen our sense of unity, belonging and national pride.

3. The economic value of traditional culture (cultural showcase, cultural exports, etc)

Example: China is now the lead exporter of cultural goods, followed by the United States. In 2013 the total value of China's cultural exports was US$60.1 billion; more than double that of the United States at US$27.9 billion. Examples of cultural exports include literature, films, arts and handicraft and costumes

Elaboration: Traditional cultural exports and showcases serve as a consistent stream of income for the country while at the same time promoting its unique culture to many different parts of the world

Opposing Points

1. Education is replacing traditional culture when it comes to acquiring values and knowledge in the modern society

Example: with increased education, people start to be aware of the falsity and absurdity of superstitions such as Friday the 13th and superstitious practices such as wearing black during Chinese New Year

Elaboration: When people are more educated, they realise that superstitions can be explained away using science or logic

2. Over-emphasis on traditional culture may lead to ethnocentrism

Example: This term refers to the practice of judging another culture as inferior based on the values of your own culture. Some typical examples of ethnocentrism are thinking that the foods in other cultures are disgusting, that the child-rearing practices are primitive, or that typical leisure activities are silly or boring

Elaboration: This fact further results in having prejudice to other cultures, evaluating everything based on their standards, and excluding people from other cultures in their daily life

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