Q6 - Commentator: In many countries

[rsmorale]

Why are A, C, D, and E wrong? What about B weakens the Commentator's argument that "modern culture threatens the national identities that now exist in the world?"

[axelleklincke]

I also had trouble with this problem.

I was able to narrow down to answer choices B and D but incorrectly selected D. I didn’t like either answer, and had trouble choosing the best available. I really didn’t like answer B because "subcultures" made me uncomfortable, since subcultures weren’t mentioned, and I wouldn’t consider "fashions, ideologies, etc" subcultures. Is this where I went wrong?
I didn’t like D because it discusses "national culture" rather than "national identity" but having a pluralistic culture be preferable weakens an argument that "modern cultures threaten national identities," so this is why I selected this answer.

Please shed light for me!
Thanks in advance.

[timmydoeslsat]

This is a weaken question. We know that there will be a gap in the reasoning used in the argument. We want to see what that gap is in the argument as it goes from the premises to the conclusion.

This core of this argument can be seen as this:

Influence of fringe movements is increasing in many countries

+

Modern culture is spinning off fashions, economic theories, cults, dogmas, etc. faster and faster.

----->

Modern culture threatens national identities that now exist in the world.

Do you see the gap?

Do we know the make up of what current national identities are? What if it is the case that current national identities ARE IN FACT a mirror image of modern culture and that national identities currently are a big bag of many cultures and beliefs.


Answer choices:

A) Talks about new national identities. We care about the national identities that currently exist and how we can weaken the idea that they are threatened.

B) If a stable national identity is usually built up of a staggering number of subcultures, then that would weaken the idea that current national identities are being threatened.

Subcultures, in my estimation, is referring to these movements of cults, dogmas, fashion, etc. The first sentence of this stimulus ties movements in with modern culture.

C) The rate of cultural change will soon change drastically in most countries. Ok, will it change a lot more, a lot less? Still does not weaken the idea that national identities are being threatened. We do not know the make up of what a national identity could be, as it could be pure or a composite of many things, which B addressed.

D) We do not care what is preferable. It may in fact be preferable to have a pluralistic national culture. Does that mean that current national identities are NOT being threatened? It does not.

E) We do not know what makes up a solidified national identity. Many subcultures, none, one?

[geverett]

The wording on this is so dramatic. You can almost envision a narrator of a black and white communist propaganda film speaking these words faster and faster as he goes. Hilarious.

[ptraye]

can you explain the assumption in this argument more? thanks you.

[sumukh09]

can you explain the assumption in this argument more? thanks you.

Assumption: because of modern culture, national identity is threatened.

Maybe there's something about modern culture that lends itself to having a national identity?

Answer choice B weakens the argument because if a national identity is made up of many subcultures, then perhaps a modern culture works well with having a national identity; from the stimulus we're told that modern culture is a conglomerate of many elements ie)subcultures. If that's the case, and if we add B to our analysis, then the argument is weakened.

[rinagoldfield]

Wonderful analysis above. Timmy’s breakdown of the full problem above is completely on point, and Sumokh, great elaboration of the assumption.

The argument assumes that lots of little fringe cultures weaken national identity.

(B) tells us that strong national identities are filled with lots of little fringe cultures. In this scenario, the little fringe cultures WOULDN’T weaken our national identity since strong national identities thrive on those little fringe cultures.

One of the challenges of this problem is linking the "fringe movements" in the stimulus to "subcultures" in answer choice (B). Are these terms synonymous, or is "subcultures" out of scope? According to The Internet, "Subcultures" is defined as "a group that has beliefs and behaviors that are different from the main groups within a culture or society." All of the fringe movements from the stimulus --the cults, artistic movements, religions, etc.-- fit that definition perfectly, so we can think of the terms as interchangeable.

[CrackLSAT170]

Wonderful analysis above. Timmy’s breakdown of the full problem above is completely on point, and Sumokh, great elaboration of the assumption.

The argument assumes that lots of little fringe cultures weaken national identity.

(B) tells us that strong national identities are filled with lots of little fringe cultures. In this scenario, the little fringe cultures WOULDN’T weaken our national identity since strong national identities thrive on those little fringe cultures.

One of the challenges of this problem is linking the "fringe movements" in the stimulus to "subcultures" in answer choice (B). Are these terms synonymous, or is "subcultures" out of scope? According to The Internet, "Subcultures" is defined as "a group that has beliefs and behaviors that are different from the main groups within a culture or society." All of the fringe movements from the stimulus --the cults, artistic movements, religions, etc.-- fit that definition perfectly, so we can think of the terms as interchangeable.

What's the meaning of 'spinning off'?? Does it mean that the modern culture and the subculture coexist??

[snoopy]

What's the meaning of 'spinning off'?? Does it mean that the modern culture and the subculture coexist??

Combining "fringe movements" and "spinning off fashions, ideologies, etc.," I believe the stim is saying modern culture is splitting cultures into subcultures.