“Cultural differences” is a term used by liberals to describe their differences with traditionalists. When they speak of problems with traditionalists, they actually mean race-haters, bigots and those opposed to horribly deformed liberaldom.
Sociology is not a science. It is interpretation and conjecture of supposed empirical data that is not tainted. Formulas, algorithms, tenets and beliefs derived therefrom are nothing more than one would find on Facebook or Twitter. Just because some to the tenets are widely expressed there does not make it ‘science’, and trying to put it in a graph that represents actual untainted data is crap.
It may not be an exact science like math where there is a definitive unchanging answer because people's beliefs and behavior are not definitive and unchanging. It may not be a science that you find useful but it can certainly be a "science" nonetheless. (studying and categorizing societies or cultures in this case). Granted, you can't say that everyone who lives in the countries listed holds the views described by the axes. However, if you go to Ghana and ask a random person questions about their "traditional/secular" beliefs mentioned in the article, how likely do you think they will give an answer that falls in line with the graph?
TAHDAAAAHH...SCIENCE
As our country is inundated with people from other nations and cultures and people from different cultures are migrating into new geographical areas (Europe), I think it is important to understand some of the differences between the cultures. Not so that we can accommodate them but so that we know what we are in for.
It seems that you are either denying that different groups of people have these differences or you are being obtuse as to the impact that these differences have. It sounds like you are saying, "We will never have an exact knowledge of the differences in societies and cultures so there is no point in even trying to understand them at all."
I may believe that different axes might be more useful (views on civic involvement, views on class mobility, views on liberty and property rights, views on the legitimate use of force against others) but I also acknowledge that views on God, family, security and self expression are important too. Liberals use the term "rights" and have contorted it's meaning. Does this mean that conservatives shouldn't care about rights?