Name and Country |
In your opinion what is the main difference between Aboriginal and Western society? |
| Anonymous |
Different customs |
| Andrew Kaufman from USA |
Simplicity |
| Andy from United Kingdom |
The western society live with all mod coms and that in general people only care about themselves and don't see how lucky they are to have what they have whereas the aboriginals are greatful for what they have |
| Andy Locky from Canada |
The greed that Western society has. |
| Angel from USA |
Aboriginal people have sustained themselves culturally and affirmed themselves as a people amid all the contradictions placed upon them by Western society. |
| Anonymous from Finland |
Ability of working in nature and respecting nature for sure. |
| Aphia from USA |
Our basic mind frames |
| Ava Perry from USA |
I don't know. |
| Anonymous from Netherlands |
We live in the "future" for them. |
| Anonymous |
Ideally (...) the connection with nature everything is alive |
| Anonymous |
The differences in culture and modern times |
| Bob from Canada |
If you mean the old ways of aboriginal culture then I think it would be the western need to own things. the concept of money and buying land etc... |
| Bob from USA |
Different life styles. |
| Byron Mcallister from USA |
So far success----whatever that is. |
| Charles Smith from USA |
They are true to the earth |
| Chris Bittner from USA |
I think aboriginals value ancestors and connection to the earth. |
| Chris Horvath from USA |
The Aboriginal people live better and more holistic lives. They respect each other the animals and the environment. Western society is full of corruption yet also full of good people. |
| Chris Humphrey from USA |
The Aboriginal seems to be much more respectful of and balanced in relation to his/her environment |
| Christian Robert from France |
In western society people think that man is at the centre of the universe. |
| Chuck from USA |
Different realities |
| Cindi Clinton from USA |
I don't know for sure but it seems to me they have more of a closed system than we do - and I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing;). |
| Claudia from Romania |
Values |
| Collin Malleck from USA |
Their spirituality as well as their respect for nature. |
| Dale from USA |
Indigenous cultures are part of the world they live in not better than or the master of it. Western culture is separate from the world and feel the everything is a resource at their disposal. |
| Daniel from USA |
Western culture is a great material success Aboriginal culture is seems to be more spiritually oriented. |
| Dave Estes from USA |
That we have no idea how disconnected we really are from emotional experience and how empty of meaning our lives are because of it |
| Dave Snyder from USA |
Westerners' full embrace of the rise of 1900's industrial revolution and attendant squeeze of Big Business on our every facet of life... |
| David from USA |
Social structure. |
| David from USA |
World view |
| David Mackinnon from USA |
Western society thinks of itself as civilized and the Aboriginal society as barbaric. But the contrary is true. Many aspects of the West are barbaric and many aspects of the Aborigines are in a sense civilized. They are civilized by example on how they treat sickness and diseases with herbal treatments; the West is barbaric by how we do business with our competitors. |
| David from Canada |
Aboriginal peoples suffer marginalization. |
| Anonymous |
Aboriginals to reliant on governments |
| Douglas from USA |
The ability to forgive and to see a better tomorrow. |
| Drew from Australia |
Aboriginal culture is more earth orientated. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Western people are so caught up with materialistic images and things instead of what really matters family and simple things like enjoying a breeze on a hot summer day or a smile form a child. |
| Eleanor Hjemmet from USA |
Like original native peoples of America poverty and disenfranchisement is common where a dominant money based society offers only lip service to values of an indigenous people. |
| Elizabeth from USA |
Western society does not include nature and our surroundings into our daily lives as much as Aboriginal society does |
| Enrique Martinez Balarezo from Peru |
Que los aborigenes estan conectados con los codigos de la cultura con los espiritus con la magia natural el ritmo del sol |
| Forest from USA |
Being more in tune with nature than our western culture. |
| Francis from USA |
Tradition spiritualism appear to have a greater role in Aboriginal society and less so in Western society. |
| Gabe from Canada |
The outlook on life. |
| Geoffrey from Australia |
Opportunity. |
| Anonymous |
Western culture is based on expansion Aboriginal cultures tend to be based on sustainability. |
| Giuseppe from Italy |
The importance of nature. The Aboriginal love nature so they respect the Earth. The Western society doesn't understand that nature is our Mother. |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Culture; leading to a traditionally different perspective of reality |
| Iain from United Kingdom |
Western societies culture of greed / selfishness |
| Anonymous from Hungary |
The western society wants to control the surrounding world the aboriginals try to live in it. |
| Ivan from Canada |
Western society way too hung up on "stuff" |
| Jan from USA |
Aboriginal society embraces the natural environment and its spirituality. Western culture embraces manmade shows of power and education as their guide. |
| Jason Hilliard from USA |
Our Western society is preoccupied with material goods while Aboriginal people are more concerned with living life in tranquility and peace. |
| Anonymous |
In the West we have a colossal and narcissistic emphasis on achievements and material things - I am guessing that although this is not of course absent from Aboriginal culture it is emphasised much less (?) |
| Jeannie from USA |
Better appreciation for the land and our connection to it by the Aboriginal people |
| Jeff from Australia |
The true Aboriginal is a nomadic race Western society is not. |
| Anonymous |
Value system |
| Jeremy from USA |
Based entirely upon superficial observations id have to say it seems our outlooks on the world and its relation to us seems quite opposite in many ways... |
| Jeremy from USA |
The way we act and treat people around us. We also think much differently. This can be a good thing of bad |
| Anonymous |
One is a society the Aboriginal that loves the land. The Western society which uses the land for its own gain - oftentimes in destructive ways. |
| Jimmy Mahuron from USA |
Similar to Indian culture verses Caucasian. Or Black verses White. Just difference in color of skin. Then you have Elite Class verses middle Class verses Poor Class. |
| Anonymous |
The lack of values from the westerners |
| John Armstrong from USA |
Poverty |
| John Carroll from USA |
Respect of the Earth and it's living things. |
| John Heusler from USA |
Aboriginal society is repressed than western society |
| Anonymous |
The ability to accept all ways of living. |
| Johnena Kennedy from Canada |
Socialization |
| Jon Larue from USA |
Use of technology |
| Jonny Monument from United Kingdom |
Consumerism profit and greed. In short.. Capitalism. |
| José Diogo from Portugal |
The respect and love for Earth and mother nature. |
| Jose Luis from Spain |
They're so absolutely different it's hard to tell. Maybe that Western is goal-oriented while Aboriginal is life-oriented. |
| Anonymous |
Honest |
| Anonymous |
The main difference is in the comparison of lifestyles I think. All else boils down to "This is how we live." |
| Judy Echols from USA |
We are wage slaves supporting the top one percent. Thy don't seem so caught up in this. |
| Julia Passamonti from USA |
Living intuitively (Aboriginal) vs. living detached from Ourselves and Who we Really Are. |
| Anonymous |
We are materialistic and wasteful we rely on our technology as nice as it is it keeps us from seeing natural beauty that they see and live in every day |
| Kathy from USA |
Western Society no longer values the extended family unit |
| Kev English from United Kingdom |
Western people have got the whole concept of morality wrong big time! |
| Kim from USA |
GREED |
| Larry from USA |
THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL VALUES |
| Leslie Thurston from Canada |
TRADITIONS |
| Anonymous |
Unsure. |
| Anonymous from France |
The impact on nature |
| Marcus Comét from Sweden |
See first answer I suppose:) |
| Anonymous |
We are at opposite ends of the scale regarding financial and educational needs. |
| Mark from USA |
Unsure really |
| Anonymous |
Capitalism |
| Anonymous |
Belief (?) |
| Martin from USA |
Living with the land as opposed to taking from the land. |
| Mary from Australia |
Western society lets goes of traditions to our shame. |
| Matt from USA |
The earth treatments to each |
| Michael Griffith from USA |
Family and respect for the land |
| Michael Spring from USA |
Sense of entitlement |
| Anonymous from Us Minor Outlying Islands |
Connection to the source |
| Neil Wakeling from United Kingdom |
Tradition. Being rooted in the natural world; western society lost this in the transition to agriculture and eventual mechanisation. The bible - which in my opinion western man interpreted as giving him dominion over all things. |
| Ossi from Finland |
I guess I don't know the Aboriginal culture well enough to answer this properly. |
| Patty from Canada |
No difference on a personal level We are all just people trying to have the best life and experience while we are here. |
| Peg from USA |
Westerners don't listen |
| Peggylynn from USA |
The aboriginal people know how to live with everything in harmony the western people do not live in harmony with anything or anyone |
| Pep from Spain |
I don't know |
| Anonymous from New Zealand |
I know little of Aboriginal Society so cannot really comment |
| Randall from USA |
I believe the main differences lies in how the two societies view religion- many Western societies following a Judeo-Christian belief system while Aboriginal tribes follow a more naturalist view (to my knowledge). |
| Rian Mcgonigal from USA |
Connection and respect for the planet |
| Anonymous |
How that live |
| Anonymous |
Urban and nature |
| Rob Carter from Canada |
Spirituality and smarts vs materialistic and ignorance |
| Robbin from USA |
The Aboriginal society reveres and caretakes the Earth (environment) Western society puts the individuals needs above all else |
| Robert from USA |
Cosmology. |
| Anonymous |
I'd think the differences are disappearing. |
| Roland from Canada |
Being satisfied with what u have compared to westerners never having enough |
| Ross from Australia |
The main difference is ethics. Aboriginal peoples have a strong ethic in protecting nature life and community. It is that strong ethic that has ensured the survival of the greatest and oldest culture in world. |
| Roxann from USA |
Aboriginals have a much greater understanding & reverence for nature and the Earth. |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Way of life |
| Russell Chappell from USA |
Westerners don't understand the relationship between man and his world |
| Russell Toohey from Australia |
The Aboriginal society has strong emphasis on family links and tribal traditions and an inherent affinity with nature whereas the western society has developed on the basis of single unit families and a plethora of faiths and beliefs |
| Anonymous |
The way they understand their territory and the relationship with it |
| Anonymous from USA |
NOT SURE |
| Anonymous |
Inner state of being |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Respect for nature |
| Anonymous from USA |
Possessiveness and how the concept of ownership divides people from each other and from the earth |
| Stacey Mcgaughey from New Zealand |
One is a society OF the earth. The other is a society consuming the earth. |
| Steav W from USA |
A genuine appreciation of history and culture. Western society tends to diminish their importance or ignore altogether. |
| Steve Bolton from USA |
I'm not really sure.. |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Aboriginals are in tune with spirit |
| Suzanne from Canada |
Wretched excess for western society and aboriginal people not having that much material wise |
| Terry Freeman from USA |
Aboriginal people are in close touch with the land that created them and feel that history and culture are important whereas we Westerners believe in progress above all else. |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Nice vs greedy |
| Tiago from Portugal |
The main difference is that we don't know who we are where we belong what we're doing here etc. We lost our certainties and our roots. They have kept many of their roots even in the middle of all their suffering. |
| Anonymous |
Aboriginal are nature people and the most western people can't survive in nature |
| Anonymous |
Western society seems to want more than they seem to need and Aboriginals use everything available from nature to survive and it has work quite well for them longer than other countries have been civilized. |
| Anonymous |
Spirituality |
| Anonymous |
Aboriginals know more about the earth and seem to be more spiritual than the western society. |
| Anonymous |
Connection with earth |
| Anonymous from USA |
Western society is to dependent on technology |
| William from USA |
A preoccupation with material goods and society rather than being in touch with our natural abilities. |
| Anonymous |
Western and aboriginal cultures are very different but not without any common ground. Their most striking differences would be religion economy social structure technology. |
| Willibrord Arts from Netherlands |
They use the nature for living western people abuse the nature for living |
