sept 11 discussion post

The author of "Figuring Foreigners Out" classified countries differences based on several categories such as: Individuality, Non-verbal communication, distinguishment of time, externalities, and communication. He defined what these terms meant in relation to a countries societal norms/culture, yet reinstated that  countries may lean towards one end of the spectrum yet their will always be outliers or exceptions. I agreed with all of these classifications and distinctions. With each category, several countries came to my mind that all lie on opposite ends of the spectrum. For example, China has a low view of individualism compared to the US, which has a high sense of individuality among its citizens. I entered Spain and the US into the country comparison program and though they had small variations between each other in every category, the societal and cultural norms were pretty similar and always leaned towards the same side of the spectrum; with the exception of indulgences in which the US was much higher. It is interesting to think about how just speaking a language won't get you anywhere in that country, it is the culture and societal beliefs that are necessary to fully interact with a foreign nations citizens. 

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