I think that is too broad of a question to get a simple answer.

Should you try and comply with local custom? Yes, absolutely. You are a guest.

Should you engage in activity you find morally objectionable? No, unless not doing so violates the rights of others. Then you should object politely, get a response and then either comply or leave.

Should you show disdain, criticize or confront on principle? Not unless it is something extreme and unexpected. Anything you should have expected to come across should not get a reaction.

When in Rome. Up to a point.

When you're in another country you must adhere to their laws. If their laws are ingrained in their culture, then you'd better adapt or leave.

Oprindeligt skrevet af Chaosolous:

When you're in another country you must adhere to their laws. If their laws are ingrained in their culture, then you'd better adapt or leave.

If someone would do something illegal in that country which would be legal in your own country, would you turn him/her to authorities?

Cultural differences enrich our lives. They help us understand that there is more than one way to view the world and foster respect for all people, not just those of our own “type”. Morality, in turn, serves to distinguish between good and harmful actions

morals inform culture; culture dictates morals.

If you go to someone else's house, do you open their fridge? Do you take off your shoes? That kind of thing. I may not like some places rules, but If I'm there, I'm a guest and I have to follow them, regardless of how I personally feel about them.

And let's be real, there's countries that do some shady things, but it's not like they're doing them in the open for everyone to see. You have to look for them, even if they're legal there. You probably aren't going to encounter such things as a tourist unless you have really, really bad luck.

Oprindeligt skrevet af IcarianXT:

Do you respect cultural differences completely, or do you ignore or challenge them if they go against your moral sense? I have heard this saying that if you visit other country you must adhere by its rules.

Well Japan made it's stance clear.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/BQXtkHApNX8

I also think they upped the prices for Visa's and permanent residency.

At least America has to continue to take in immigrants who don't care to learn anything about America.

Cultural differences allow some leeway, not an infinite amount of it.

Sure, you can have your dances, your clothing and your festivals, nothing wrong with that. But when you treat sick people with pangolin ♥♥♥, when you put people in jail over homosexuality, when you rip off a girl's genitals so she never feels pleasure as an adult, why in the world would I respect that, or you?

Of course, if you visit another country, you're expected to abide by its laws and traditions. But this is a pragmatic rule, not a moral one imo. It's stupid to try to enforce change when you're not in a position of strength, but it's not necessarily immoral.

I just don't go to countries I have severe ethical problems with.

Culture and morality cannot be separated from one another. Every culture has its own moral values. Accepting baksheesh, for example, is frowned upon in our country. Our country, our rules. Paying baksheesh in a baksheesh country to grease the wheels is common practice.

Oprindeligt skrevet af Jetstream Seum:

Cultural differences allow some leeway, not an infinite amount of it.

Sure, you can have your dances, your clothing and your festivals, nothing wrong with that. But when you treat sick people with pangolin ♥♥♥, when you put people in jail over homosexuality, when you rip off a girl's genitals so she never feels pleasure as an adult, why in the world would I respect that, or you?

Transphobic posting there.

Like if there's a culture of cannibalism... or human sacrifice

It's their culture, right? so leave them be?

Oprindeligt skrevet af IcarianXT:

Do you respect cultural differences completely, or do you ignore or challenge them if they go against your moral sense? I have heard this saying that if you visit other country you must adhere by its rules.

Yes I do. As others in this thread stated, you are a guest of the country that you're visiting to. When it comes to customs or culture that is different from our own, it is not our place to criticize the country's culture and it's customs. It is counterproductive to even try as a guest.

As a conservative, I don't find customs all that different from eachother. The laws of the country that one is visiting has to be followed just like anywhere else. When I was driving through Turkey, I had to get the females to sit in the back. Some countries are harsher but I respect it as I was visiting turkey.

Oprindeligt skrevet af Mauserich:

Culture and morality cannot be separated from one another.

I disagree. Some basic morals are objective, or rather biological. We don't like seeing people suffer, it's something evolution programmed us to feel. In this, the only true difference between cultures is in who deserves the group's protection and who is a fair target for persecution.