It can be. It depends on what it's explaining. If it's explaining cultural differences. Or if it's explaining to a student why you treat the refugee child who has night terrors and falls asleep in class differently than Joey Middleclass, who just falls asleep in class because he's bored.

My deal is that I know plenty of older people that aren't so stuck in their ways about everything, so this being used is, in my opinion, a very bad excuse, not a reason.
Take my grandmother and my friend's mom (who are the same age). My grandmother is super racist and hates gay people. She had a fit when she found out I was in GLASS and looks down on my hispanic friends. My friend's mom couldn't care less. Because of how she was taught, she doesn't agree with being gay, but she won't say anything about it and does support civil unions. Her son is dating a hispanic girl and she loves the girl.

So, in my opinion, if you "grew up in another world" yet other people from your "other world" are more open, I think you're just racist, or sexist, or bigoted or whatever, and not "just different." Because I hate excuses. If you're racist or whatever, just tell me. I'm friends with this kid and he does NOT like gay people, but he doesn't go around telling people he's "all for those gays" and he a hypocrite about his beliefs. He's still my friend, we just don't talk about gay rights together. So do I care if you hate Hispanics, or blacks, or gays? Well, if you make excuses, then yes, I really REALLY care.

Anyone get what I'm trying to say?

Like Cinder's said: it depends on what's being defended. A rich child will grow up different than a poor child. A child who was raised by racist parents will have very different views than a child raised by minority parents. A Jewish child isn't going to have the same experiences as a Chatholic child. A child with abusive parents isn't going to react to being touched the same way a child with loving parents will.

There are some things that can be excused due to how someone grew up, and there's somethings that can't.

Culture makes a big difference.

i don't understand the question.

although it does depend on the topic

depends on the situation

What?

It can be, but not always. Only sometimes...because there are some scenarios where this simply becomes an excuse, and excuses just won't work.

It all has to do with your perspective. But the topic of the situation does need to be considered as well.

It depends on the context, the worlds grown up in and many other factors. This is a difficult issue. For example, a kid who grew up in a poor African country, goes to America and uses that line. I think they would have every right to do so, because they grew up in a 'different world'. I also agree with what Kassaremidylynn said, because those factors make a very good point.

Cinders and bri-marie just took the words from my mouth. Nothing I need to add, really.

I guess that it kind of depends. Like people come from all walks of life and everyone has their own unique way of interpreting things based on their own experiences and upbringings. What matters is that the person tries to see things from a different POV and acknowledges that their way isn't the only right way of thinking.

As many said before me, it really depends on the matter at hand. Cultural differences and varying experiences depending on where you live and what you have went through exist as Cinders and bri-marie indicated which is reasonable and must always be taken into consideration but if you ask me, there are also certain things that shouldn't be just accepted regardless of anything. Kassaremidylynn already mentioning some of the cases. A person ending up being Racist because that's the kind of environment they grew up in is fair and all but that doesn't mean an effort to prevent / change that shouldn't be made. Not really a good defense otherwise. Just an excuse to justify one's wrong behavior every time. It's the same for killing, stealing, abusing and any other violation of Human Rights. There are no borders there !!!!