Smiling Culture

Last week's blog brought only a few but excellent comments. Thank you for your insight. Even though people come from very different traditions, somehow we learn to communicate and stay mostly peaceful. Unfortunately, however, conflict is ongoing because of peoples' inability to understand or tolerate one another. In our globalized and interconnected world, I can't think of a greater need than for thoughtful cross cultural communication.

But as we have been learning in class, cross cultural communication does not necessarily mean language. Language is only a small part of how we communicate. The way in which a culture uses context and non-verbal codes to express itself creates many possibilities for further miscommunication.

Thailand is nicknamed "the Land of Smiles." When I asked one day in class about why Thai people specifically are famous for their smiles, students said things like: "Because Thais are kind.. Because Thais are friendly." This is absolutely true. Thailand is one of the most peaceful, kindest, and friendliest cultures that I have ever experienced. However, I also believe that most people in the world from most cultures are also very kind and friendly.

So after studying more about non-verbal codes, I would like to ask again: Why do most Thai people smile all the time?

As a Thai person, did you ever use your smile for a particular purpose, or to hide a feeling, or to non-verbally communicate something that words and verbal language could not? Is there something in Thai culture that promotes smiling over other kinds of non-verbal communication?

I hope this topic invites a lively online discussion. I know you all have a story to tell. Aj. M

"We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do." Mother Theresa

Travelling Traditions...

Last week's blog really helped me to think about how cross cultural communication is possible. We are usually ethnocentric about how we understand the world, but we can still find ways to communicate somehow.

Communication is possible. Communication is necessary. Communication is a choice. It is up to our attitudes and feelings whether we choose to make cross cultural communication possible or not. And so we must develop our attitudes and feelings to a place where we feel able to make that choice.

In class, I introduced ideas about Confucius and Eastern cultural traditions with Plato and Western traditions of thinking. The main differences that we started to explore are collectivism (social harmony) and individualism (individual reason). These two traditions inspire in us our ideas about family and community, lifestyle choices and behaviour, and goals for the future. In many ways, Confucius and Plato seem to have incredibly huge cultural distance between them.

Question: If Confucius and Plato could meet and have a conversation, what do you think they would talk about, and on what do you think they could agree?

This is not a trick question. Think about yourself and your communication with people from other traditions. Maybe you have experiences or examples of where cultural distance did not make communication difficult, but surprising, new, and revealing.

I'm looking forward to your thoughts. Aj. M

"When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves." Confucius

Us and Other

Thank you CCC students for another great week in class and online. I am learning very much from you everyday.

In class last week, we said that I cannot know who I am without the Other. Dialogue with the Other culture reveals to us our own cultural identity. We need the Other to be Us.

However, in our reading of Trandis this week, he says: "All humans are ethnocentric... members of a culture see their own norms and behaviors as 'natural' and 'correct' and those members of other cultures as 'unnatural' and 'incorrect.'"

So my question is: If we think the Other is "unnatural" or "incorrect," how is cross cultural communication possible?

Do you have any personal examples, experiences, opinions, or strategies that could create dialogue between cultural Others?

Please share. Aj. M

"Our life is never individual… it is endlessly enriched by the presence of the other, and consequently impoverished by his absence. Alone, we have no name and no face, no one to call out to us and no reflection in which to recognize our features." Alberto Manguel

Who and Why we are...

Dear CCC students and friends,

It was a good first week in CCC. Thank you for your participation and suggestions. Here are some of the classroom rules we created to support open and free dialogue:

1) To be respectful and understanding.
2) Open your mind and listen.
3) Feel free to share your idea in class.
4) Be polite.
5) Don't let your English skills stop your ideas. Work to communicate.
6) Please respect class’ ideas when discussing, though you might not agree. And feel free to speak your opposite idea.

This is a good start. This first week, we discussed the meaning of culture and the different kinds of knowledge that it gives us. We know that we have a culture, but it is difficult to describe how or why it makes us who we are...

My question this week is: How far does one need to travel to be a foreigner?

Remember that culture is learned, and it is the result of our communication with people over time. Can you be a foreigner in your own home? Or, do you need to go far away?

I look forward to the conversation. Aj. M

“No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive.”
Mahatma Gandhi