Dayron Rocabruno
Submitted to
Prof. Gudny Rossen.
REL2011
We are living on a world that has experienced a tremendous change over the last century.
Globalization has brought an interconnection between the most remote places, and has
influenced our cultures and way of living tremendously. Different social systems all over
the world has seen these changes. Some accepted them, and are trying to adapt to these
variations, some just don’t. The Case for Contamination, an article written by Kwame
Anthony Appiah, shows a very conscious view of what is happening to our societies
nowadays. Because of the reciprocal relationship existing between societies and religious
beliefs, I agree with the fact that religion is also being affected by Globalization. Why is
this happening? Let’s review this outstanding essay and relate the role religion plays in it.
The Case for Contamination carries a very deep message to all societies nowadays. A
message that calls for an understanding of the natural evolution of the world, and the need
of accept this progress and embrace it, instead of stop and kill it. The example of Appiah’s
community is very common and truly exemplifies the effect of globalization in such
remote places, like Kumasi, Ghana. A small place with strong rooted traditions and culture,
that maintain their main religious ceremonies, however the community has been greatly
influenced by the contemporary way of living. And by this I mean the use of cellphones,
modern clothes and so forth. These changes are maybe too difficult to digest by some
members, not only of this community in particular, but in general. Sometimes elder
members are prone to reject these changes, some try to fight it, because they think these
transformation may threaten what they have worshipped for decades. Now, if we go back,
not decades, but centuries, evolution and transformations have always taken place in pretty
much all cultures. Let’s take for example the French Revolution in Europe, or the
Abolition of Slavery in Africa and America. Both marked two distinct periods of radical
change and transformation. Many opposed these changes, because they believed Monarchy
and Slavery were the right way of things. In some cases, this was a beneficial belief. In the
case of Slavery, a lot of people were beneficiated with the Trade of Slaves. So, why
dismantle a business so favorable? Others just were born under the privileges of having
slaves doing everything for them, thus thinking and seeing it as the way it had to be.
