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Lewis writes, To question those tastes is to rock the cultural boat - a dangerous and unsettling act. All societies have a host of built-in mechanisms to punish threats and protect themselves against danger Why is questioning taste dangerous and unsettling?

User Zlidime
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Final answer:

Questioning taste is dangerous because it can challenge cultural norms that provide society with identity and order, potentially causing social unrest and feelings of disloyalty. It disturbs the agreed-upon answers that avoid chaos, and it can be an emotionally challenging process to alter one's deep-seated beliefs.

Step-by-step explanation:

Questioning taste is considered dangerous and unsettling because it challenges the cultural norms and values that provide order and meaning to a society. Cultural tastes are often deeply intertwined with identity, beliefs, and social cohesion. Individuals rely on shared cultural answers to life's big questions to avoid the discomfort of uncertainty and chaos. Challenging these tastes can seem like a threat to the shared understanding that binds a community together, potentially leading to feelings of disloyalty or isolation. Additionally, when cultural tastes are tied to deeper values, questioning them can equate to questioning the moral fabric of society, leading to a pushback from those who perceive such questions as an attack on their worldview (as suggested by Os Guinness's concern over countercultural influences).

Moreover, the act of questioning can lead to a sense of intellectual growth and self-realization that may force individuals to abandon long-held beliefs, which can be an emotionally challenging and uncomfortable process.

User NimmoNet
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