The relationship between culture, ideology, and politics - Essay Example

Through this, the Human Beings will create reasons in order to validate their act of exploitation towards the Others. These reasons can be due to the low-education, insensibility, or lower view on life, values, and faith of the Others. Furthermore, the act uplifts the values of the Human Beings towards themselves which, in return, devalues the Others. In addition, the ideas and assumptions about race, gender, sexuality, or class in “Human Beings and Others” (Schwalbe, 2008, p. 102) is expressed by marking out people as deficient.

The act of arresting the imagination is done by exaggerating and creating an illusion of the differences between the two groups. This exaggeration then emerges to reality which supplements and justifies the differing treatment. Furthermore, rules are created in order to create groups, such as of race, ethnicity, gender, and class. Most of these rules are manifested in the policies created by the government or by a specific sub-group. These rules are used in order for a person to identify who she or he is and to know who the Others are.

Moreover, knowledge of these rules is also necessary so that any Human Being or Others may know what rules to follow (Schwalbe, 2008). On the other hand, a dominant culture is defined as the cultural group of powerful and dominant people in a society. It is the group that gains support from the different branches of society and composes almost all of the system of belief (Anderson & Taylor, 2008). In relation to “Human Beings and Others” (Schwalbe, 2008, p. 102), an example of a dominant cultural representation would be the “Yellow Peril” (Espiritu, 1997, p. 157). In this manner, the dominant culture or the Human Beings are represented by the Asians, and Others, who are oppressed are represented by the Americans.

During the twentieth century, the Asians were considered as the Human Beings who depicts war, immorality, and competition towards the Others or the Americans. During this time, the Human Beings were portrayed in movies and books as sexual predators of the female Others. They were considered as the villains who were on the rise against the Others. Due to the fear of the “Yellow Peril” (Espiritu, 1997, p. 157), the 1941 martial law in Hawaii was declared. In addition, during the cold war, the Human Beings were replaced by the Japanese.

In the current situation, the Human Beings, as the Japanese, are considered as the vicious businessmen who are taking advantage of the economic crisis being experienced by the United States (Espiritu, 1997). In another light, the dominant ideology of “Human Beings and Others” (Schwalbe, 2008, p. 102) can be challenged through oppositional culture. “Oppositional culture” is the consistency of beliefs and values which can be used to lessen the result of oppression from the dominant groups (Ryle, 2012).

For example, the Others are represented by gays and lesbians while the Human Beings are represented by the heterosexuals. The Others in this case are oppressed because of their sexual orientation. Nonetheless, this can be understood if the Human Beings will increase their awareness of the roles that they can portray that goes beyond the roles strictly created by society. Also, if a Human Being will be more open to venturing or establishing friendship with Others, the dominant ide