Have you ever asked yourself why you believe in certain ideas or stereotypes? We follow traditions every day—sometimes without even knowing where they come from. But are these beliefs always good for us, or do they sometimes hold us back?
Questioning cultural beliefs doesn’t mean disrespecting healthy cultural heritages. It means taking a closer look at what truly serves human growth and what hinders a healthy society. By reevaluating cultural norms and dogmas, we open the door to better choices.
Delving into the reasons behind things is the basis of scientific thought. Understanding why we believe things is a part of this process. Turning the microscope inward and questioning our beliefs helps us grow.
Unpacking Cultural Beliefs
Unpacking is messy. You take things out and spread them out to get a good look. When we start to unpack beliefs, we discover how many of them rest on shaky ground. Some beliefs are rooted in fear; others are rooted in power struggles. Many have been passed down without reflection.
Here is where contesting cultural dogmas comes in. Dogma shuts down conversation with statements like, “That’s just how it is.” But genuine growth requires dialogue, not blind acceptance. By questioning rules, we create room for more just and compassionate societies.
The Significance of the Cultural Narrative
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day. ― Albert Einstein
Investigating national folklore can lead to personal beliefs. You’ll want to protect them. People learn to protect their beliefs because they are a part of our identity. It’s okay to question what you believe. You must learn that you can change what you believe.
Contesting Cultural Dogma
Doubt is the lack of certainty. It’s a healthy response that prompts us to take action. Doubt brings you to a crossroads. You must decide whether to ignore this feeling or start questioning things. There are good reasons for contesting cultural dogmas and beliefs.
A fool thinks he is always right; a wise person always doubts himself. — Debasish Mridha
Questioning Cultural Beliefs
People often protect their beliefs, even if they are unaware of the facts behind them. Investigating the concepts of a belief system can be a challenging undertaking. In some cultures, you may even put yourself in physical danger. Don’t be like most people. Don’t accept things at face value—question everything. Seek the facts; you’ll be glad you did.
Reevaluating Cultural Norms and Dogmas
Our cultural orientation is the moral compass. It provides the blueprint for thinking and acting. It becomes a significant component of self-identity. These points are part of the list of symptoms of cultural cancer. Discrimination becomes invisible when it is accepted as part of the culture. Those who benefit from it see it as an entitlement and protect it as such. There are several common characteristics of an unhealthy culture. See which of these you can spot in your world.
1. Targeted Nihilistic Tendencies
Rather than reject all moral principles, some cultures justify reasons for preferential treatment. Religious beliefs based on sacred texts are often used to support prejudice. This is an example of how cultural norms and dogmas can become skewed. People use religious and political authority to reinforce inequality while appearing justified.
2. Anti-Self Issues and Propaganda
Cultural propaganda asserts the idea that some people are unworthy. Narcissistic thinking allows people to mistreat others. This is especially true for those who are different. These unhealthy beliefs can shape our identity. So, cultural beliefs and individual identity are often linked by destructive thinking.
3. Misdirected Anger and Blame
Anger and blame are often focused on marginalized groups and become scapegoats. Politicians and the media sometimes create problems where none exist. They create scapegoats to blame for these fictional problems. Questioning cultural beliefs can uncover the motives behind this manipulation.
4. Delusional Denial Tendencies
Delusions are signs of distorted thinking. Religious and political indoctrination are known for programming unhealthy beliefs and values. Exposure to ongoing indoctrination makes it hard to distinguish fact from fiction. This often manifests as imaginary friends and enemies. Unpacking cultural beliefs helps identify when collective denial has been normalized in society.
5. Racial or Lifestyle Paranoia
People often fear anything that doesn’t fit their idea of “normal.” These fears can lead to paranoia. It manifests as irrational beliefs that some groups are dangerous. Two common targets of this paranoia are people of color and those in the LGBTQ+ community.
Racial paranoia is believing that people of color threaten your power or your way of life. It’s a common racial stereotype to think these groups are taking jobs, changing culture, or causing crime. Often, there’s no real evidence to support these claims. These ideas are often spread through biased news, social media, and political speeches that use fear to gain support.
Lifestyle paranoia works the same way. LGBTQ+ people are often seen as a threat to family values or religious beliefs. Some believe that being gay, transgender, or nonbinary is unnatural or harmful. They hold these beliefs despite science and lived experience saying otherwise. This fear leads to laws that limit rights, ban books, and punish people just for being themselves.
Both kinds of paranoia are rooted in the same mindset: the belief that there’s only one “right” way to live, and anything different must be stopped. Political and social pressures have reinforced these cultural norms and dogmas.
Yet, these fears are not based on facts—they’re based on stories people tell themselves to feel safe and in control. But instead of protecting society, they cause harm. They divide communities, fuel hate, and make it harder for people to live freely and safely.
Escaping this mindset means learning to see others as human, not as threats. It means replacing fear with understanding and myths with truth. Only then can we build a society that’s fair, kind, and strong enough to handle real challenges.
6. Unequal Power Distribution
How power is distributed depends on specific traits valued by society. Japan respects age, social status, and titles, while U.S. culture exhibits many types of discrimination. Understanding these patterns requires reevaluating cultural norms. Unequal power distribution is a hallmark of an unhealthy cultural orientation.
7. Uncertainty Avoidance
The degree to which a society tolerates risk, change, and situational uncertainty varies. Some cultures resist change to social structures and human rights, as seen in nations like the USA, France, and Japan. Recognizing this is key to contesting cultural dogmas that maintain rigid, harmful norms.
8. Questioning Cultural Beliefs and Individual Identity
Individuality is not a negative trait unless it overrides the health and welfare of others. Extreme individuality promotes cloistered selfishness to the detriment of others. The contrast between the individual and society.
The United States had the highest individualism score of any country. This is based on Hofstede’s Culture and Dimensions survey.
Society has specific regulations to protect the health of citizens. Sometimes, these rules clash with perceived individual rights. In the 1970s, automakers began installing automobile seatbelts. The data showed that these devices significantly reduced serious injury. It is the same with the laws mandating people to wear helmets when operating a motorcycle. In both cases, there was significant resistance to these practical health measures.
Similarly, anti-vaccination misinformation affects public health. It manifests in the refusal to vaccinate and wear face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Some people still believe in conspiracies. They ignore scientific data that shows vaccines and face masks help stop the spread of this contagion.
9. Masculinity vs Femininity
Measuring the autonomy between genders is a way to test the health of a culture. It looks at the rights for each gender and the tendency to enforce stereotypical roles. Some societies continue to limit female career options and reproductive rights. The USA’s high masculinity score reflects legislation and societal norms that restrict freedoms. By reevaluating cultural norms and contesting cultural dogmas, we identify systemic gender inequality.
This is the measure of autonomy of rights each gender has on a continuum from full autonomy to zero freedom to make decisions about their lives. It measures the control over gender-based rights and privileges. It’s the tendency to emphasize stereotypical roles. It perpetuates masculine or feminine gender roles, attitudes, and traits.
Some cultures still impose backward worldviews regarding female rights. It manifests in paying male employees more than female employees for the same work. Many backward cultures regulate reproductive issues such as abortion and stem cell usage.
Japan has the highest masculinity score in restricting females in career options. However, the USA has the highest overall masculinity score. It legislates reproductive choices to unwritten laws hindering the earning power of women.
The same unwritten rules apply to the career options for people of color. There are equal opportunity laws and protections in the USA, but lawsuits for racial discrimination persist.
Laws that limit bodily autonomy are an attack on the rights of everyone. Your ability to terminate a pregnancy is a personal decision. These laws cause medical complications. The U.S. has more deaths than in any other modern culture. Physicians fear treating women because they can be sued for providing necessary medical care. The only way to prove a woman’s life is in danger is when she dies. This demonstrates the significance of the cultural narrative in upholding unjust laws.
10. Orientation of Short-Term vs. Long-Term Goals
Cultures emphasizing immediate results over sustained progress show this skew. American corporations, for example, often focus on short-term gains over long-term outcomes. By questioning cultural beliefs, we can understand the priorities of governments and corporations.
11. Discrimination and Disparate Impact
Discrimination means treating someone unfairly due to their identity. This can include their skin color, gender, religion, or origin. It’s not okay to treat people badly just because they are different.
Discrimination can be intentional. Unintentional discrimination causes a disparate impact that is often the same as intentional. Racists often try to hide their prejudice by saying it was unintentional. Today, racists are emboldened. The alt-right movement is an example of a culture that speaks about racial superiority. This translates to racism and preferential treatment.
12. Prejudiced Storytelling
People naturally select stories that reinforce their values. Storytelling can also demonize, marginalize, and ostracize others.
The world’s largest genocide occurred in the USA from 1491 to 1691. During this period, colonizers reduced the Indian population by 95%, resulting in an estimated 130 million deaths. Yet, the story in the USA was that they found a mostly uninhabited country. The indigenous people were treated as inhuman, savage invaders.
13. Contextualized and Synthesized History
History is often edited to fit agendas. Contextualizing and synthesizing events allows societies to justify harmful acts. It is often cloaked as a religious choice. Reevaluating cultural norms involves questioning these interpretations to understand reality.
Today, Immigrants are the scapegoats. Immigrants are portrayed as job stealers and leeches who use government benefits. People of color are portrayed as sinister and evil. When they try to integrate, they are often seen as criminals.
A prime example is the case of Ahmaud Arbery, a black man who lived in Brunswick, Georgia. He was a high school football star and went for a jog in October 2021. Three white neighbors observed him running. They assumed he was a burglar, chased and shot him fatally.
14. The Blinders of Nationalism and Patriotism
National folklore can become patriotism, which is dangerous in the wrong hands. Pride can conceal corruption and favoritism. Contesting cultural dogmas is necessary for a healthy culture. It helps us recognize when stories of national identity suppress critical thinking. Doubting cultural narratives is the first step toward personal freedom.
When corruption and favoritism exist, not everyone can be free. It’s why we should not accept fairy tales, which the dominant religions present as facts. We should be skeptical. It helps us identify the negative bias and prejudice inherent in an unjust system.
Your spiritual beliefs should not be the basis for rules governing others. What you believe about things you cannot prove should not be a benchmark for laws. Superstition and mythology should not be the source of policies that govern our society. Unfortunately, this is what nationalism tries to do.
Final Thoughts on Questioning Cultural Beliefs
What was your emotional response to reading this article? Chances are, your life has been negatively impacted by one or more of these adverse cultural norms and dogmas. Only by contesting cultural dogmas can we reclaim fairness and human dignity.
References
(1) Critical Race Theory Unmasked in the Cultural Folklore.
(2) Skewed Cultural Orientation.
(3) Humans are wired for prejudice, but that doesn’t have to be the end of the story.
(4) Genocide of Indigenous Peoples.
(5) What We Know About the Shooting Death of Ahmaud Arbery.
(6) Abrahamic Religions, Wikipedia