The main ideas behind the pieces that we read are that our languages differ in more ways than just our words. Yes, if we do not know someone’s language, it may be difficult to talk to them, but it is also difficult to fully communicate with someone when you do not understand the cultural norms. Figuring Foreigners Out was particularly interesting because it mentioned cultural tendencies that I have not necessarily thought of. The main points that the reading looked at were individualists vs. collectivists, non-verbal behaviors, monochronic vs. polychronic time, internal vs. external control, and indirect/high context vs. direct/low context. Regarding Hofstede Dimensions, it focused on individualism, power distance and hierarchies, masculinity, avoidance of uncertainty, flexibility with traditions, and indulgence vs. restraint. I really enjoyed learning about all of these and would love to return to reflect on them if I can go to Korea in the future.
In regard to agreeing with these assessments, I definitely think that these cultural differences do exist, but as we progress in time, I feel like it would be normal for us to see a less collective approach as communities. I say this in the sense that even though it may be the cultural norm, I would not be surprised if we began to see more outliers who are not as affected by the cultural norm. The one statement that I find more problematic is the internal vs. external controls. I feel that a lot of the time, this will be more individual, and it depends on the happiness of the person, if they feel like they have been lucky, etc. I would love to research it more to see how the U.S. and Korea differ in this aspect.
When looking at the Hofstede graphs, I was surprised to see that Korea was such a collectivist country. I expected the U.S. to be individualistic because one of the core American values is individualism. Korea, on the other hand, was collectivist, which surprised me because when I went to Seoul, I felt like most people kept to themselves. When I thought about it deeper, it does not just mean whether you connect with those around you. Instead, collectivism in this situation is more about your connection with your family and finding relationships to be very important. Because I have been able to talk to my friends from Korea, I have been able to see how important holidays, connections, and family are to them. The other piece that was a surprise to me was the uncertainty avoidance map. It was not a map that I really had expectations for, but the fact that the U.S. is very tolerant while Korea is not tolerant at all was a surprise.
The maps really taught me a lot when looking at the cultural differences between the U.S. and Korea. I decided to do more research into the tendencies from the reading. I learned that in Korea, they want to “save face” and will not be as direct. In the U.S., we are a lot more direct and will give it to you straight. It was also interesting to learn that they are not very physical with touch, but they do not mind it. I feel like it is similar to the U.S. Another surprising thing was that many people in Korea tend to avoid eye contact when with their elders or someone superior. In the U.S. and especially in my business classes, I have learned how important it is to hold eye contact because it shows confidence. The other piece that surprised me was that if you have to sneeze, you should excuse yourself from the room. I did not expect that. It is so interesting how there are things like eye contact that mean such different things in the U.S. compared to Korea. I have a lot to learn about!
Replies