Dimensions of Culture, Values
Abstract We live in a world of changing global requirements. We have the ability to converse with people thousands of miles away at the blink of an eye. Although this seems and is, to most, an awesome power to be relished, it can be for some a world of confusion and frustration seeded by their own perceptions and beliefs. These barriers to cultural diversity exist because of the ways in which different cultures facilitate perceptions and beliefs regarding others and themselves.
Dimensions of Culture, Values and Communication Our text describes culture as " the structure through which communication is formulated and interpreted. Culture deals with the way people live. Culture is learned through perceptions that are formed in various ways; where we are born and raised, the language we learn, the people and the environment with which we live and the psychological stimuli we encounter." (Chaney, pg. 6). Understandably, in order to effectively communicate with other cultures, we must first explore the culture to which we subscribe to acknowledge the ways that we present barriers and perceive cultural differences. This paper will explore my own cultural norms as predominant and subordinate, describe instances where others have been perceived as outside the cultural norm and attempt to describe a benefit to being an outsider. I was raised white Protestant in the suburbs roughly 40 miles north of Boston. The culture that I grew up in was predominately white Protestant with little exposure to other ethnic backgrounds in school or at home even though ethnicity was not far away. Believe it or not, I had not even seen an African American until I was roughly in the fifth grade even though they lived one town away. It was always understood that whites do not venture into their town and they do not venture to ours. I was always told that they "people of ethnicity" were lazy and relied on handouts more than work ethics to progress and provide for their families. I was
Dimensions of Culture, Values and Communication Our text describes culture as " the structure through which communication is formulated and interpreted. Culture deals with the way people live. Culture is learned through perceptions that are formed in various ways; where we are born and raised, the language we learn, the people and the environment with which we live and the psychological stimuli we encounter." (Chaney, pg. 6). Understandably, in order to effectively communicate with other cultures, we must first explore the culture to which we subscribe to acknowledge the ways that we present barriers and perceive cultural differences. This paper will explore my own cultural norms as predominant and subordinate, describe instances where others have been perceived as outside the cultural norm and attempt to describe a benefit to being an outsider. I was raised white Protestant in the suburbs roughly 40 miles north of Boston. The culture that I grew up in was predominately white Protestant with little exposure to other ethnic backgrounds in school or at home even though ethnicity was not far away. Believe it or not, I had not even seen an African American until I was roughly in the fifth grade even though they lived one town away. It was always understood that whites do not venture into their town and they do not venture to ours. I was always told that they "people of ethnicity" were lazy and relied on handouts more than work ethics to progress and provide for their families. I was
References: Chaney, L.H. & Martin, J.S.(2000).The Nature of Intercultural Communication. New Jersey, Prentice-Hall.