Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future [Paperback]

John Kenneth Press (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 27, 2007

Culturism (c¿l-ch¿¿r-¿z¿-¿m) n. 1. A philosophy which holds that majority cultures have the right to define and defend themselves. 2. The philosophy, science and art of managing and protecting majority cultures. 3. The study of culturism. Culturism is a political philosophy, art and science based upon the understanding that cultural diversity is real and important. Western culture believes in free speech, feminism, and the separation of church and state. Islam does not. Western culture is based on individuals applying their intelligence towards progressive and productive ends. Other cultures value tradition, festivals and large families. Culturism does not hold that any culture is better or worse than any other. It does hold that all cultures, be they Islamic, Asian, Western, African, Latin American or other, have a right to define and defend themselves. All cultures have a right to implement culturist policies. Western culturists hold that Western countries also have a right and responsibility to implement culturist measures designed to perpetuate our unique and valuable cultural vision. The book culturism starts by showing that the U.S. has a long tradition of culturism. Culturist dynamics in world history are then explored. The chapter on anthropology shows just how wide diversity is and what we can expect to naturally emerge if we do not practice culturism. When we realize how disgusting and broad diversity has been and is we are finally ready to move on to the chapter in which we define Western culture. The excursion into natural sciences shows that culture has unique functions in primates like man. Furthermore, group survival and boundaries preceding us demonstrate that culturism is not just a figment of man¿s imagination. The chapter on culturist psychology applies the dynamics we discovered in nature to man and helps us know who we are and what we need to do. The last chapters try to pull Western philosophy back into its traditional culturist mode, compare culturism to multiculturalism, and suggest culturist policies. Overall, the book shows that culturism is a real and important dynamic in our world. It argues that Western nations need to be as culturist as other nations. Finally, it argues that we can start in that direction immediately by identifying ourselves as culturists!

Editorial Reviews

Review

His analytic and in-depth writing sheds light on a favorite subject of mine - ethics. I challenge you to read his book - you will come away with a more solid belief in the ideas and ethics you hold dear and you will be able to more eloquently debate the all-important issues of our time: illegal immigration, crime, terrorism and religious diversity. You can't tackle these complicated subjects unless you first understand and define our culture and our views. That would be like trying to open a can without a can opener... -- NoisyRoom Blog book review, Oct 26th 2007

I would highly recommend this book to everyone. I consider myself to be well read and a thinker, but some of the ideas and things of note that Press brings up I had not considered.The wider scheme and historical perspective of our culture - and that of other countries - really has made me look at things differently and to understand them a bit more.

I haven't even scratched the surface of what John Kenneth Press covers in this book. From cultural displays by animal groups to culture in nature, psychology, philosophy and world history, Press walks us through the history of cultures and how we can appreciate ours while respecting others. -- DiggersRealm Blog book review

From the Publisher

For example, many books in the bibliography are summarized on this website!

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Product Details

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: Social Books (September 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0978577701
• ISBN-13: 978-0978577704
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,290,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I have always loved books and activism. This fed my decision to become a teacher. And one day, books just started pouring out of me! The first was my masterpiece Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future. Importantly, this book provides an alternative to multiculturalism. Prison Wars is a fictional account of social dynamics gone awry. The apocalyptic vision poured easily out of my mind. Like Lord of the Flies, this is fiction with a message. Wanting more rigor, I signed up for the NYU History of Education Doctoral Program. Founding Mothers: Frances Kellor and the Quest for Progressive Democracy is a version of my dissertation.

www.culturism.us
www.franceskellor.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A vital contribution to modern discourse, June 22, 2008

By 

Honest Guy - See all my reviews

This review is from: Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future (Paperback)

It is not John Press but the negative reviewer above who proves to be "close-minded" and pig-ignorant. While I too have some disagreements with the author, Culturism is on the whole a truly bold and iconoclastic contribution to intellectual discourse in a political and cultural climate that incessently worships but never defines the value of "diversity". Too often, lazy thinkers like this reviewer above argue that a true respect for diversity demands uncritical accomodation to the co-existence of many different moral values and belief systems to prove that one is not "racist". This is supposed to be an unquestioned good in itself even if many of these values and beliefs are by definition incompatible within the boundaries of one society or culture. Press's most crucial point is that societies DO have the right to define themselves and to defend and maintain their underlying coherence and unified moral purpose. The failure to do so leads not only to extreme cultural relativism (and ultimately ANARCHY!) but can perpetuate and create needless social and military strife. In our case as Americans, we should not apologize for - but vehemently ADVOCATE - our standing as a nation of the West and one whose defined freedoms and liberties should never be compromised by the need to "tolerate" incompatible groups and missions. Simply for making that point (along with many other interesting excursions in intellectual and cultural history) we as readers should profoundly than John Press for getting this discourse underway.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Culturism vs Multiculturism, February 2, 2008

By 

Anthony Alexander - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future (Paperback)

When I first read of the idea of Culturism, it struck me like a bolt of lightning. Of course, everything made sense, here was a word and a concept "Culturism" I had been struggling to define whenever my thoughts turned to multiculturalism.

"Multiculturalism robs us of the authority to protect our culture"

As I read brief passages from each chapter of the book, I couldn't help but keep repeating to myself, "of course, of course of course" it just all made perfect sense.

JKP's book concerns itself to culturism in America but it's concepts can be applied universally.

Within the context of America, JKP identifies the origins of American Culturism as emerging from the Puritan ethic.

The first section on the Puritan ethic was a new concept to me.

Reading this section wasn't so much an "of course" experience as much as a steep learning curve It is an aspect of American history that I have not much familiarity.

The Puritan theme is used to tie together the notion of Culturism and American culture.

JKP explains the ideas that gave birth to multiculturalism in anthropology. Margaret Mead has a lot to answer for.

So what is JKP getting at? Nothing less than the need to understand that our culture, are values are not self - evident as they may appear to us and especially not to other cultures.

It is JKP's message that our culture needs to be defended if it is to survive.

Most significant is the western notion of Justice.

JKP uses many examples of practices of other cultures to drive home the point that there is no room in our culture for multiculturalism when multiculturalism threatens the values that we take for granted.

The false notion that we have accepted in that all cultures are equal.

JKP points out the myth of the noble savage, invented by Rousseau. This myth has developed to include the belief that indigenous cultures were caretakers of their environment whilst immigrant cultures destroyed and pillaged the environment.

Very much the same ideas are in the book The Future Eaters by Tim Flannery.

So the subtle message which JKP presents very gently, in a restrained voice is that western culture is under threat from Islamic culture.

The call to Culturism is to awaken us to the very qualities that make our culture unique and worthy of protecting. If we do not protect our culture then we will inevitably lose what we cherish.

There is a lot more food for thought in this book of which I have highlighted what to me is the core message. I wholeheartedly recommend it to everybody.

1.0 out of 5 stars Once thought this had merit, February 12, 2012

By 

Damien Feick - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Culturism: A Word, A Value, Our Future (Paperback)

I once actually thought this book was important, that it had merit. But that was when I was foolish enough to believe in the Stealth Jihad and Eurabian conspiracy theories. Neither of which have any basis in the real world. If I had done a better job of thinking critically I would have rejected them outright. I don't know if Amazon will let me post links, but here goes. John Keneth Press, even if he actually meant well, has written a book to help fight a threat that really doesn't exist, and is promoting bigotry.

Islamification Myth

[...]

Delusions of Eurabia:

[...]

Also according to the CIA World Fact book most European Nations do not have a substantial Muslim population to begin with.

For example, here are the statistics they have regarding religion for the United Kingdom

Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census)

[...]

The percentage of the population that is Muslim is even smaller. These are the statistics for Norway

Church of Norway 85.7%, Pentecostal 1%, Roman Catholic 1%, other Christian 2.4%, Muslim 1.8%, other 8.1% (2004)

[...]

Even if we are to believe the worst about most European or American Muslims, which we have no good reason to do, there's no real chance that the fears that motivated Press to write this book will materialize.

Sorry it wouldn't let me post links to my sources. I sited my sources the best I could.