In Figuring Foreigners Out, the author addresses key differences between cultures that can impact cross-cultural relationships and understanding. The author focuses on 5 main cultural differences: individualist vs collectivist understandings of personal identity, nonverbal communication, monochromic vs polychromic concepts of time, internal vs external views of an individual’s locus of control, and direct vs indirect communication. Likewise, in Dr. Hofstede’s Dimensions of Culture study, it is revealed how significantly different the values of some countries are in comparison to others. However, Dr. Hofstede has slightly different analysis categories: Power Distance Index, Individualism, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance Index, and Long-Term Orientation. In learning how these categories can impact a culture and through completing the exercises, it became more apparent to me how the culture that I was raised in significantly influences my choices and my own thought process. This caused me to reflect on statements that I’ve heard about particular cultures being more direct or harsh. In reality, to that particular culture, it is normal and not “harsh” at all.
I think the most blatant instance where I came across the concept that people from different cultures might have differences in how they perceive the world and in how they interact with others was when a student participating in my high school’s exchange program shared a meme that was inappropriate. To (most) people from my area/culture, it would be considered “common sense” to not make such a statement or think of it as a joke. However, when I had explained to them how the joke wasn’t funny at all and was a serious matter, as they revealed to me how they didn’t understand the meaning behind such and that “where [they are] from, people make jokes like this all the time”, I realized that they may be experiencing a bit of a culture shock. I felt as though the reading touched upon this, especially when it is stated that, “The problem in cultural circumstances is that people from different cultures sometimes assign different meanings to the same behavior” (116). In this context, the author is specifically focusing on nonverbal communications, but I think it also applied to verbal communication.
Prior to these readings, I didn’t really take the time to consider the terms “individualism” and “collectivism” and the ways in which they impact our culture. I also found myself questioning certain aspects of it (Would “Employee of the Month” be individualist since doing their own position well ultimately benefits the group, or is it collectivist since that person being highlighted is ultimately part of a group?). I think that I do mostly agree with that was said in the Figuring Foreigners Out reading, and I wish I had a better understanding of such back when I was in an environment where I regularly interacted with people from different countries.
The only part of the reading that I didn’t quite understand the necessity of the quote on page 68. Not only was it sexist towards the end, but it also seemed to criticize a culture within a chapter that was, from my understanding, embracing the differences in cultures. Assuming the statement regarding Americans’ belief in the future is correct, would it be wrong for Americans to think this way if that is their culture? Then again, perhaps me perceiving the quote as harsh could be due to a difference in communication between my culture in comparison to the author’s culture.
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