Name and Country |
In your opinion what is the main difference between Aboriginal and Western society? |
| Anonymous from USA |
Way of life |
| Adam Perrett from Australia |
Western Society has never lived in peace with itself continually searching for new ways to make life more convenient more profitable consume more resources. Today the difference exists in negative attitudes - western society in general associate the aboriginal community with negativity through faults of our previous decisions and treatment. If this can change then both cultures may just have a chance of gaining more mutual respect. |
| Al Hepworth from Finland |
Right and wrong |
| Anonymous |
Focus on material goods vs. focus on connectivity |
| Alan from United Kingdom |
Western society is all rush with Aboriginal quiet laid back. As it should be in the natural world |
| Alexander from USA |
Western society is technologically developed. |
| Allan Klausen from Denmark |
Aboriginal society is not as tied to property and money. Western is not thinking about the nature and in contact with nature |
| Anonymous from USA |
Technology |
| Andrew from USA |
Aboriginal people belong to the land they live in. Most people in Western societies do not belong - they invaded in effect this invasion makes it difficult for those who belong and those who don't. |
| Anonymous |
Aboriginal and Western societies differ in that the Aboriginal way of life they do things because they care. Western society do not they do things for profit only. |
| Audrey Wong from USA |
Aboriginal society is based on living with the natural systems. Western society tries to recreate nature. |
| Barney from USA |
The difference in how the human race views its relationship to Nature/Earth. |
| Barry Williams from USA |
Greed |
| Anonymous from Netherlands |
The western society has lost its way with nature completely |
| Anonymous from USA |
The need for unnecessary items |
| Bernard from USA |
Commercialism |
| Bill Lockett from USA |
Lifestyle |
| Bill White from USA |
Aboriginals way more than "westerners" have an ongoing history of relationship with the spirits of creation |
| Brenda Rodriguez from USA |
Population numbers |
| Brian from Canada |
Western society is often concerned with things instead of spirituality. |
| Brian Pflanz from USA |
Technology |
| Brooke from Australia |
Progression |
| Anonymous from USA |
Western society does not have near the strong attachment to traditional culture. |
| Anonymous |
Connectedness to the land |
| Byron from USA |
Perception |
| Cam Maclean from Canada |
Attitude towards what is necessary in life |
| Cameron from USA |
I don't know all that much about aboriginal society. |
| Anonymous from Canada |
One is a doing the other is a being |
| Anonymous from USA |
Western society is a society of greed. |
| Carol from USA |
Beliefs outlook attitude. Aborigines live w/the earth's rhythms and natural resources. They are far healthier than Westerners. |
| Anonymous from USA |
I don't think there is much of a difference between the aboriginal and western society any more due to the expansion of the world and from what I have heard. the aboriginal have more or less modernized |
| Charles Yount from USA |
Everything |
| Cheryl from Australia |
Western Society is 'me' centered and individualistic Koorie culture is family and community centred |
| Anonymous |
Culture |
| Anonymous from USA |
As I said in the first question I am ignorant about aboriginal society. |
| Christopher from USA |
The aboriginals are more in touch with nature than westerners are |
| Christopher from United Kingdom |
I don't know enough about Aboriginal society |
| Christopher from USA |
Aboriginal society is far more spiritual overall. |
| Cindy from USA |
Materialism versus an earth-centered life |
| Cliff from USA |
They live off the land and we tend to pave over it. |
| Clint Beedy from USA |
I think Americans lack community like a tribe has. |
| Col from Australia |
Westerners want now whereas Aboriginal people I would think don't have that mentality and are able to exist on what they have until what they need is within reach. |
| Connie from USA |
Aboriginals probably eat real food and Western society has given up real food for fake processed food. |
| Craig Coussins from United Kingdom |
Aboriginal peoples in any country have learned to live with nature and take what they need and give back what they can while non aboriginal peoples take what they want and give nothing back. The difference is therefore the level of greed. |
| Crystal from USA |
I would assume the Aboriginal people are still living off the land etc. Obviously Western society is much more commercial and in my opinion Western society does not fully appreciate the craftsmanship of a handmade product. |
| Anonymous |
LACK OF RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER. |
| Anonymous |
Different ideas and beliefs |
| Dan Lombardo from USA |
The main difference is where each society places their focus. Aboriginal culture is highly nature and spirit based while Western society is stuck following dogma. The spiritual openness is just not available here in Western society. |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Western Society cares more about material possessions. |
| Daniel Johnson from USA |
Ambition for material possessions |
| Daniel Niles from United Arab Emirates |
Aboriginal looks more at family and tribal connections. But western society looks more to the the established society for direction. |
| Daniel from Germany |
There is a lack of balance in Western society that is leading to many problems |
| Dave from Australia |
Western society thrives on greed |
| Anonymous |
Westerners only think with there heads rarely with there hearts |
| David from United Kingdom |
Aboriginal society (before being corrupted by Western society) values were respect for the land and others a spiritual understanding without even considering the spiritual action versus non-spiritual action. Western society = Materialist Reductionism |
| David from United Kingdom |
Opportunities to change your lifestyle if you wish |
| David from United Kingdom |
My knowledge of Aboriginal culture limited to answer what could be a deep question. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Western society has separated itself from Mother Earth causing us to die of social disease by our own hand. Aboriginal society is connected to Mother Earth and is dying from its forced separation |
| Anonymous |
Traditionally they are nomadic people. |
| Derek from Canada |
The main difference between aboriginal and western societies is a true sense of community. Western society is caught up in a sense of entitlement for consumerism and ownership. |
| Des Holmes from United Kingdom |
Western society is too possessions orientated. |
| Anonymous |
A sense of spiritual well-being. |
| Anonymous from Kazakhstan |
Westerners generally like to overdo everything. |
| Doug from USA |
Truth (NONE) |
| Douglas from USA |
They care better about the environment in which they live |
| Dustin from USA |
I think the biggest difference is modern technology. |
| Ed Huntley from USA |
Care of the land and culture |
| Ed Olson from USA |
Culture and society |
| Eddy from Australia |
Health issues? |
| Eduardo from Ecuador |
The way to see life. Aboriginal society is full of principles related with the whole mother earth while western society is mostly related with consumption. |
| Eric from Canada |
Aboriginal society is more Human. Western Society is afraid to be human. |
| Eric from USA |
Greed |
| Eric Westman from USA |
One lives life to drive and the other lives life to live at one with all. |
| Erica from USA |
Aboriginal culture holds onto traditions while Western society has traditions that evolve and change more. |
| Anonymous |
The understanding of nature how to be in balance with nature and respect for creation |
| Ewoud from Netherlands Antilles |
Aboriginal society is amongst the the most social ones. Western society is only pointed at greed. |
| Fred Ashplant from USA |
The Aboriginal people are closer to our natural origins. Western society is more driven by the acquisition of wealth and power. |
| Fred from Netherlands |
Life style |
| Anonymous from Brazil |
How they see the world - regarding all aspects |
| Galen Wood from USA |
Modernization |
| Gary Siege from USA |
Perception - in terms of who or what is and is not civilized. |
| Glen Bzdel from Canada |
Our preconceived ideas of what is right and what is normal.In our own ways we are all the same |
| Gonzalo Gregori from China (pr) |
Culture values vision. |
| Graham Monteith from USA |
The culture. Like how they dress and acquire food. |
| Greg from USA |
I don't thing anything is different between the two. People are people and we have adapted to the environment around us. It's like I have heard before "At the end of the day the king and pawn go into the same box." |
| Guido Cifali from Australia |
Wisdom |
| Hans from Netherlands |
Life style. |
| Harry from USA |
Lifestyles |
| Helen from Ireland |
It comes down to a very close connection with the spiritual and natural world versus materialism and individualism |
| Howard Williamson from USA |
Pursuit of materialistic life style and the inability to be happy with what nature has provided. |
| Anonymous |
Distance makes the culture harder to learn |
| Hugo from United Kingdom |
Honesty |
| Ian from Canada |
Concept of self and its place in the universe |
| Isabelle from France |
Contact with nature |
| Israel from Spain |
The respect for life |
| J from Australia |
Aboriginal society's structure is more ancient. |
| Anonymous |
Traditional values. |
| Anonymous |
Traditions |
| James from USA |
I don't actually know anyone from an Aboriginal culture... hard to say. |
| Anonymous |
Belief systems |
| James Miller from USA |
Western society is not unified as a people with diverse traditions. |
| Jason from Canada |
Where we live geographically on planet earth. |
| Jeff from USA |
The way that traditions are kept alive through stories and dance and song. Without the use of high_ tech that will be obsolete in a year kind of stuff |
| Jeff from USA |
Peace |
| Jenelle from USA |
Our outlook on life. |
| Anonymous |
Lifestyle |
| Jeremy from USA |
I would have to say definitely the closeness with our mother earth and the natural things of this world. I feel like the aboriginals( and some tribes of south america/africa) Are the sole remnants of a time we cannot even Fathom. A time where mankind was perfectly in tune with our mother earth and the cycles of her where as prominent as the flashing billboards and item adds we westerners see today. |
| Anonymous |
The expression of culture. |
| Jeshurun from USA |
I'm not very familiar with Aboriginal values but I would have to say that it would have to be our respective values. Values and how each synthesize input from the world around us determine a vast number of things in a culture. |
| Anonymous |
Housing |
| Joan from USA |
I know nothing about the aboriginal people. |
| Joe from USA |
Relative isolation - western media is very Eurocentric. |
| Johan Pot from Netherlands |
The peace and calm the Aborigines haven't lost. |
| Anonymous |
The aboriginal people are steep in their past and hoping that tradition and art will not die the western society do lack a strong hold on culture and tradition |
| Anonymous |
One is humanistically oriented and the other is monitarily oriented |
| John from USA |
Economic opportunity |
| Jorge Alberto from Mexico |
They are in touch with the environment never worried for banal things they live one day at time. they are awesome all the aboriginals cultures have the secret meaning of the world. |
| Josh Snyder from USA |
Totally 180 |
| Judith from USA |
Appreciation of humankind |
| Julio Peña from Paraguay |
The aperture to totality |
| Justin Castillo from USA |
That life is not just a dream |
| Karl from USA |
I think Aboriginal societies lived more natural lives but Westerners tend to destroy nature |
| Katarina from Serbia |
I don't think aboriginal people like money and power as much as western people do |
| Kathleen Byham from USA |
Aborigines are more spiritual and more in touch with the environment and the life around them and use unique instruments and artwork to express themselves artistically and musically. Westerners tend to put monetary value on almost everything including artwork and musical instruments while Aboriginal people don't commodify these items on a large scale. |
| Kevin D Babiuk from USA |
To quote "Crocodile Dundee" Aboriginals "...don't own the land. They belong to it". |
| Anonymous |
Infrastructure. |
| Kim from USA |
Outlook on what it is to be happy |
| Kyle from USA |
The clear distinction that we are inherently one organism the earth and its inhabitants |
| Laura from USA |
Western society is too connected...phone email IM etc. |
| Anonymous from Canada |
Aboriginal people come from a collectivist society that understands that everything coexists in relation to everything else. Western society segregates and does not. |
| Levi from USA |
Their focus is upon the traditions while we focus entirely on material wealth. |
| Anonymous |
No opinion |
| Lourenco from Brazil |
For me the main difference is how we perceive and live life. We lost ourself every day in the crazy ways of Western civilization with its "education" and oppressive religion! The natives whether in Australia or America remind us of the singular goal of living and teach us the respect each other through a holistic vision of man and nature! |
| Anonymous from Argentina |
Life quality. |
| Luis from Portugal |
Probably the relationship with the natural world |
| Manuel from China (pr) |
SIMPLICITY (ABORIGINAL) VS COMPLICATIONS (WESTERN) |
| Marc from USA |
Aboriginal people rely more on their native customs and culture than Western society which is willing to adapt new ideas and technology. |
| Anonymous |
Peacefulness |
| Mario Bortoli from Italy |
Use and abuse of available resources |
| Mark Galvin from USA |
Family/group needs versus individual agendas. |
| Mark Leipfert from USA |
Humbleness and appreciation of the earth. |
| Mark from USA |
Self vs the community |
| Mateus Zica from Brazil |
Integration with nature |
| Matias from Argentina |
The perception of time. |
| Anonymous |
Health |
| Maximiliano from Argentina |
Life style |
| Michael from USA |
Western society is out of control technologically and materially. Aboriginal society try to maintain some balance and harmony with the natural world. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Western society doesn't acknowledge the arts as much as the Aboriginal People. |
| Mike from Netherlands |
Speed and lack of personal/social care against more natural way of dealing with time and a very strict social behaviour. |
| Mike from United Kingdom |
Difficulty and barriers to really understanding each others culture. |
| Mike from USA |
A love of the land the ability to live on the produces of the land without depleting its source. Like the Aboriginal peoples of North America and for that matter all aboriginal people around the world still adhering to the traditional ways they are care takers of the lands. |
| Mike from USA |
One lives inward the other is outside of itself |
| Nathaniel Curtis from USA |
Perceptions of importance assigned to reason dream and time. |
| Neil from Australia |
Western society is about greed and ownership. Aboriginal society is about sharing and that they belong to the land. |
| Neil Gee from USA |
Westerners use being "Civilized" as a scapegoat to do rotten things. |
| Nicholas Pottle from United Kingdom |
Western society stinks. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Rat race |
| Omar L. De La Tejera from Mexico |
The lack of ancestral cultural pride that most western people have |
| Paleki Phaphapeuneua from Canada |
The lack of connection to the land and community would be the foremost oppositions between the two communities. Aboriginal society though now slightly disconnected still have much more of a reverence to the land and the fact that it is life sustaining. |
| Patricia from USA |
Internal awareness |
| Patrick from USA |
Aboriginal society tends to be simpler. |
| Patrick from Australia |
Tolerance |
| Patrick from USA |
The main difference in my opinion would be values. western society values competition success and capitalism. aboriginal culture values nature community and spiritual fulfillment |
| Pedro from Spain |
The altitude towards their surroundings. |
| Peter Kraan from South Africa |
Regard for Nature |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
Aboriginals live with nature and without modern influence or technology we live with modern technology and influence. |
| Petri from Finland |
Respect for the Nature and Religion |
| Piergiorgio Fiorucci from Italy |
The Think |
| Anonymous from Australia |
Western people appear to have more opportunity follow there culture. Aboriginal people are / were once discouraged from their heritage. |
| Richard from USA |
The Aboriginal people have a strong connection to the Earth. Westerners are mostly out of touch with the earth. |
| Richard from United Kingdom |
Westerners exist more segregated due to the fallacy we call ego. |
| Anonymous |
Didgeridoo and the synthesizer same difference |
| Rob from USA |
I think Westerners generally don't like to look back except in nostalgia- we like change. Aboriginal peoples look back for purpose. |
| Anonymous |
Western people live to work and aboriginal people know they are part of the natural order. Whatever they produce won't last in the long run. |
| Robbed Orth from USA |
In the west old ways are thrown away because they are old slow they teach the people. the aboriginal "hold on" to everything they were given by past |
| Anonymous |
The level of greed and standard of living. |
| Roberto Mojica from Puerto Rico |
Lifestyle |
| Rod from USA |
They seem more at peace. |
| Anonymous from USA |
Technology and advanced education |
| Rose from USA |
Aboriginal society places a higher value in the environment around them than the Western society. |
| Rual from USA |
Time |
| Ruben Dewulf from Belgium |
The different between finding import the material stuff. |
| Anonymous |
Narcissism and Materialism |
| Safaa from USA |
Their oneness with nature and their simplicity. I really admire that. |
| Sam from United Kingdom |
Culture |
| Sergio from Colombia |
True hearts |
| Shawn from USA |
Culture |
| Stefan from USA |
The sense of ownership and currency |
| Anonymous from Germany |
Focus and aims see above |
| Steffen from Germany |
Respect of all what's living on this planet! |
| Steve from USA |
Western society has lost much of its connection with the earth. we exploit the earth instead of living with it. we destroy instead of coexist. if we are to survive we must learn from the Aboriginal peoples of the world. we must learn how to work with the earth not against it. |
| Stewart from USA |
Our values where as the aboriginal people value family culture and tradition the western societies value the "next dollar winning idea". |
| Susan from USA |
Technology. |
| Anonymous |
Western society is less self-sufficient. |
| Telfair Leimbach from USA |
The aboriginals haven't cut themselves off from their source. i.e. they know we are connected to God/spirit and they honor that connection. |
| Tex from USA |
No war |
| Thomas from USA |
Living with what mother earth gives them |
| Thomas from Germany |
Western society thinks in dollars and shareholder value it forgets that this richness comes from the unlimited exploitation of natural resources. |
| Anonymous from USA |
They respected and lived in harmony with the earth and elements western society manipulates the earth and immediate surroundings to fit their needs and ignoring the fact that it's not sustainable |
| Anonymous from Australia |
Aboriginal society seems much more family orientated which is good |
| Anonymous from USA |
Focus |
| Timothy Gatehouse from Us Minor Outlying Islands |
The constant reliance on technology and material wealth. Not to say that I'm always better off with it but I suppose it does give me a chance to hear your instruments!! |
| Todd from Australia |
Aboriginal society seems to have family connections that westerners don't seem to understand. Westerners get too wrapped up in materialism that we forget the simple bonds. |
| Anonymous |
Technology uses... |
| Anonymous |
Although a Westerner myself I'd find it easier to explain how I'm different! |
| Tom from United Kingdom |
*Cultural values (the importance of family/culture vs accumulation of wealth). |
| Tony Kulak from USA |
A more direct connection to the world around them (Aboriginals). |
| Tony Miller from USA |
Mentality the Aborigines are far superior to the common Westerner. |
| Vance Blow from USA |
Western society thinks technology has made them happier..which is false...aboriginal people are more in touch with true meaning of life. |
| Anonymous |
Western society has lost respect for everything. |
| Anonymous |
Western society lives to consume and the Aboriginal society consumes to live. |
| Anonymous |
The Aboriginal and the Western societies have a fairly fundamentally different view of the position and role of the people and the society within the world and in relation to each other and their natural surroundings. |
| Wilder Betancourth from Colombia |
Hearth pure and living in peace honesty and love the planet because is hour home |
| Anonymous from Canada |
I don't think there is a big difference today other than a way of life probably more concordant with nature. |
| Yves from Canada |
The sense of time |
