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East Versus West, the War of the Myths and Opposing World Views in India

By Roadjunky, Posted Jan 07, 2010

Devdutt Pattanaik explains the clash of cultures that are derived from ancient myths and paradigms.

We occasionally get irate emails from Indians who object to our article India, land of no logic and after watching this lecture from Devdutt Pattanaik, it’s easier to see their point.

The conclusions we come to as travelers are deeply rooted in core beliefs and myths of the culture in which we grew up, however open-minded or objective we suppose ourselves to be. Diversity of world view is on the decrease with globalisation but it would be the height of arrogance to think we really do know better.

So the next time you feel moved to judge a culture for not having equality of the sexes, being undemocratic or not respecting its natural environment, remember the essential difference betweeen the world and your world. Or as Pattanaik says, when you meet someone else understand that you are living in the subjective truth and so is he.

Within infinite myths lies the eternal truth. Who sees it all?

Varuna (the sea god) has but a thousand eyes

Indra a hundred

or you and I, with only two…