Discussion Post #2

[Maggie Dong]

In Figuring Foreigners Out, the author discusses the differences between cultures in terms of nonverbal community, such as gestures and behaviors. The author also analyzes culture in three different dimensions: individualist-collectivist, monochronic-polychronic, and internal-external. Similarly, Hofstede Dimensions of Culture measures cultures based on power distance index, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance index, indulgence, and long-term orientation. I do agree on the difference between individualism and collectivism between culture, but the rest of the dimensions are not convincing enough to me. From my perspective, most of the dimensions from Hofstede Dimensions are politics orientated. Despite the fact that most of these values are hard to measure in a proper, reasonable way, these values are also affecting each other in various ways. As history goes on, these dimensions for different cultures are changing as well. For example, the power distance, as well as the muscularity, has changed a lot in both Chinese and Korean society over the past few decades. I find the values over-generalizing for different cultures.