There is a new paper out on the Hajnal Line. It posits that Western Europeans developed the traits of affective empathy and guilt proneness as a result of centuries of non-kinship marriage, delayed marriage, nuclear families, and shared moral rules. (Unlike many other places around the world where the practice is encouraged, cousin marriage has been frowned upon in Western Europe for a millennium - except for royalty, of course.) This cultural and genetic ancestry may explain why Western Europeans, and countries founded by Western Europeans, are unique in the promotion of "multiculturalism." The very uniqueness of this practice is seen in the fact that non-Western nations readily acquire and adopt Western science, technology, art, etc. But "multiculturalism"? They want nothing of it. Countries like Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, Pakistan, and Poland are nationalistic without apology.
It is a positive thing to put moral rules above kinship when considering legal and economic relationships. But it could prove disastrous when people from countries that strongly emphasize kin relationships (e.g., the middle east) migrate to these lands. In time, the moral rules will likely give way to the imported kinship bonds. And, paradoxically, the moral rules so long beneficial work to shame anyone who notices the change.
It is a positive thing to put moral rules above kinship when considering legal and economic relationships. But it could prove disastrous when people from countries that strongly emphasize kin relationships (e.g., the middle east) migrate to these lands. In time, the moral rules will likely give way to the imported kinship bonds. And, paradoxically, the moral rules so long beneficial work to shame anyone who notices the change.
