Soul Food Cultural Differences
University of Phoenix | Cultural Differences | Culture Differences Paper | Sharon BanksDon Case | COM/360 | 9/2/2013 |
This document is about the culture differences in the film” Why Did I Get Married and “Soul Food”. This document will provide specific examples of Hall’s perspective of culture as a screen and Hofstede’s five dimensions are reflected in a particular culture pattern. This document will evaluate both culture identity and culture bias in both of these films; explain the concept of cultural patterns and what type are showed in both films, and illustrations of verbal and nonverbal communications and how these relate to a particular intercultural communication theory. |
“Soul Food”
This hit domestic comedy-drama concerned the fortunes of an African-American family.” Soul Food” is about families especially the younger generation. It gets to the …show more content…
heart of how families help/hinder you, watching sibling rivalry erupt around the dinner table among sisters in the presence of their husbands, their children, a minister, and their grandmother. It portrays models in order for people to follow on how to form successful relationships and communicate emotions. The sisters’ relationship remains solid because of the mother’s (Big Mama) commitment to the family passed down through generations. The smallest grandson (Ahmad) ends up pulling the family back together after Big Mama passes away. This film is emotionally charged, with heart-rending scenes (insight and sensitivity). The couples’ argument shows how hard the couples had to fight to keep their marriage together despite differences. Families can help one another to break racism and discrimination. It is within the family arrangement that helps control the way that you approach life. “Soul Food” portrays archetypical dilemmas through African-American families, all the while keeping ethics and cultural identities intact. Soul Food centers on trials, traditions, ethics, morals, and values within a family.” Soul Food” ended with all the family together once again, sitting down for Sunday dinner.
“Why Did I Get Married”?
Four couples and one non-friend all gather together every year for a vacation/reunion to clear their head’s. They vacation in the Colorado Mountains, which turns out to be their most expensive trip. Everyone’s dirty laundry will be aired over the course of the week, ending friendships and marriages. The couples do their best to revive their love, only finding out that it is best to be apart.” Why Did I Get Married”? Has much to say about interpersonal communication, trust and fidelity. Secrets are revealed and each couple began to question their own marriage. The secrets that come out, lead the couples toward a path where they can either choose to reconcile, or separate. Over the course of the week, the couples battle with issues of commitment, betrayal , forgiveness and examine their lives as individuals and committed couples. This film is about the difficulty of maintaining a solid relationship, in modern times. This film explores the resultant emotional impact that fidelity and love have upon the constitution of marriage. Though couples have committed to being there for the entire week, some of them have not been emotionally present in their marriage for some time. There are spontaneous revelations. The infidelity of two of the husbands leads to a discussion by the men of the 80/20 rule. This rule states that most men get 80% of what they need from a marriage, but they tend to go after the 20% that someone outside can provide for them because it appears to be more to them when it really is not. The vacation is cut short when all s*** hits the fan, as the couples decide that they cannot stay in the house any longer. Patricia meets up with the other wives and gives them strong counseling about getting back on track: making a list of both the good and bad things their husbands have done. Everyone makes up and sets the conditions of the new order. All of the couples gather on the gala celebration for an award received by Patricia. In her speech she includes a confession of her love for her husband, as well as, a message of loving, respecting and trusting GOD in her speech.
Provide specific examples of how Hall’s perspective of culture as a screen
A screen that is between people and the outside world is an example.
Culture designates what we pay attention to, what we ignore and what we choose (consciously/unconsciously) .To take in, is what gives structure and meaning. Hall linked culture to a screen through which the world is viewed (Lustig & Koester. 2010). In Germany almost everything is low context and compartmentalized. The executive office is a refuge and a screen, a refuge for the boss (distractions), a screen for the employees (continual supervision). Information communicated in the office is not shared everyone, only a select few. Contexting perform multiple functions. Any shift in the level of context is a communication. Upscale (warming of the relationship), down scale (lowering the context), coolness or displeasure; something is going wrong with the relationship. Hall believes identity to be affected by history and culture, which he sees as an ongoing production. His works have played a key role in describing how people’s view of the world and behavior are determined by a complex grid of unconscious cultural
patterns.
Hofstede’s Five Dimensions Reflected in a Particular Culture 1. Power Distance-the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally
This dimension deals with all individuals in societies that are not equal, expresses the attitude of the culture towards those inequalities among us.
EX: Within American organizations, hierarchy (established for convenience), superiors (accessible), managers (rely on individuals employees and teams) both managers and employees expect to be consulted and information is shared often. Communication is informal, direct and participative.
2. Individualism- the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members
This fundamental issue has to do with whether people’s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or “We”.
EX: US is a highly individualistic culture, which people look after themselves and their immediate families 3. Masculinity/Femininity- what motivates people, wanting to be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine)
This value system starts in school and continues through life (work and pleasure)
EX: being the best, “winner” (male)
Life is a sign of success, the caring of others, standing out from the crowd 4. Uncertainty avoidance- to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations
This dimension has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known. Americans tend to be more tolerant of ideas or opinions from anyone and allow freedom of expression.
EX: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? Larger acceptance for new ideas, innovative products, and the willingness to try and learn something different 5. Long-term orientation-the extent to which a society shows a pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than a conventional historical short-term point of view
This dimension is closely related to the teachings of Confucius and can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue
EX: a culture focused on traditions, and fulfilling obligations. Having “absolute truth” in all matters
This document is about the culture differences in the film” Why Did I Get Married and “Soul Food”. This document will provide specific examples of Hall’s perspective of culture as a screen and Hofstede’s five dimensions are reflected in a particular culture pattern. This document will evaluate both culture identity and culture bias in both of these films; explain the concept of cultural patterns and what type are showed in both films, and illustrations of verbal and nonverbal communications and how these relate to a particular intercultural communication theory.
References:
Hall, E.T. (1959). the Silent Language, New York: Doubleday
Hofstede, Geert; Hofstede, Gert Jan (2005). Cultures and organizations: software of the mind (Revised and expanded 2nd Ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-143959-6. OCLC 57069196
“Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? (2007): Reviews”. Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-11-01. www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=soulfood.htm www.culture-at-work-.com/highlow.html www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie www.filmjournal.com www.ishbook.com/hall.pdf www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_66.htm
This document is about the culture differences in the film” Why Did I Get Married and “Soul Food”. This document will provide specific examples of Hall’s perspective of culture as a screen and Hofstede’s five dimensions are reflected in a particular culture pattern. This document will evaluate both culture identity and culture bias in both of these films; explain the concept of cultural patterns and what type are showed in both films, and illustrations of verbal and nonverbal communications and how these relate to a particular intercultural communication theory. |
“Soul Food”
This hit domestic comedy-drama concerned the fortunes of an African-American family.” Soul Food” is about families especially the younger generation. It gets to the …show more content…
heart of how families help/hinder you, watching sibling rivalry erupt around the dinner table among sisters in the presence of their husbands, their children, a minister, and their grandmother. It portrays models in order for people to follow on how to form successful relationships and communicate emotions. The sisters’ relationship remains solid because of the mother’s (Big Mama) commitment to the family passed down through generations. The smallest grandson (Ahmad) ends up pulling the family back together after Big Mama passes away. This film is emotionally charged, with heart-rending scenes (insight and sensitivity). The couples’ argument shows how hard the couples had to fight to keep their marriage together despite differences. Families can help one another to break racism and discrimination. It is within the family arrangement that helps control the way that you approach life. “Soul Food” portrays archetypical dilemmas through African-American families, all the while keeping ethics and cultural identities intact. Soul Food centers on trials, traditions, ethics, morals, and values within a family.” Soul Food” ended with all the family together once again, sitting down for Sunday dinner.
“Why Did I Get Married”?
Four couples and one non-friend all gather together every year for a vacation/reunion to clear their head’s. They vacation in the Colorado Mountains, which turns out to be their most expensive trip. Everyone’s dirty laundry will be aired over the course of the week, ending friendships and marriages. The couples do their best to revive their love, only finding out that it is best to be apart.” Why Did I Get Married”? Has much to say about interpersonal communication, trust and fidelity. Secrets are revealed and each couple began to question their own marriage. The secrets that come out, lead the couples toward a path where they can either choose to reconcile, or separate. Over the course of the week, the couples battle with issues of commitment, betrayal , forgiveness and examine their lives as individuals and committed couples. This film is about the difficulty of maintaining a solid relationship, in modern times. This film explores the resultant emotional impact that fidelity and love have upon the constitution of marriage. Though couples have committed to being there for the entire week, some of them have not been emotionally present in their marriage for some time. There are spontaneous revelations. The infidelity of two of the husbands leads to a discussion by the men of the 80/20 rule. This rule states that most men get 80% of what they need from a marriage, but they tend to go after the 20% that someone outside can provide for them because it appears to be more to them when it really is not. The vacation is cut short when all s*** hits the fan, as the couples decide that they cannot stay in the house any longer. Patricia meets up with the other wives and gives them strong counseling about getting back on track: making a list of both the good and bad things their husbands have done. Everyone makes up and sets the conditions of the new order. All of the couples gather on the gala celebration for an award received by Patricia. In her speech she includes a confession of her love for her husband, as well as, a message of loving, respecting and trusting GOD in her speech.
Provide specific examples of how Hall’s perspective of culture as a screen
A screen that is between people and the outside world is an example.
Culture designates what we pay attention to, what we ignore and what we choose (consciously/unconsciously) .To take in, is what gives structure and meaning. Hall linked culture to a screen through which the world is viewed (Lustig & Koester. 2010). In Germany almost everything is low context and compartmentalized. The executive office is a refuge and a screen, a refuge for the boss (distractions), a screen for the employees (continual supervision). Information communicated in the office is not shared everyone, only a select few. Contexting perform multiple functions. Any shift in the level of context is a communication. Upscale (warming of the relationship), down scale (lowering the context), coolness or displeasure; something is going wrong with the relationship. Hall believes identity to be affected by history and culture, which he sees as an ongoing production. His works have played a key role in describing how people’s view of the world and behavior are determined by a complex grid of unconscious cultural
patterns.
Hofstede’s Five Dimensions Reflected in a Particular Culture 1. Power Distance-the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organizations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally
This dimension deals with all individuals in societies that are not equal, expresses the attitude of the culture towards those inequalities among us.
EX: Within American organizations, hierarchy (established for convenience), superiors (accessible), managers (rely on individuals employees and teams) both managers and employees expect to be consulted and information is shared often. Communication is informal, direct and participative.
2. Individualism- the degree of interdependence a society maintains among its members
This fundamental issue has to do with whether people’s self-image is defined in terms of “I” or “We”.
EX: US is a highly individualistic culture, which people look after themselves and their immediate families 3. Masculinity/Femininity- what motivates people, wanting to be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine)
This value system starts in school and continues through life (work and pleasure)
EX: being the best, “winner” (male)
Life is a sign of success, the caring of others, standing out from the crowd 4. Uncertainty avoidance- to which the members of a culture feel threatened by ambiguous or unknown situations
This dimension has to do with the way that a society deals with the fact that the future can never be known. Americans tend to be more tolerant of ideas or opinions from anyone and allow freedom of expression.
EX: should we try to control the future or just let it happen? Larger acceptance for new ideas, innovative products, and the willingness to try and learn something different 5. Long-term orientation-the extent to which a society shows a pragmatic future-oriented perspective rather than a conventional historical short-term point of view
This dimension is closely related to the teachings of Confucius and can be interpreted as dealing with society’s search for virtue
EX: a culture focused on traditions, and fulfilling obligations. Having “absolute truth” in all matters
This document is about the culture differences in the film” Why Did I Get Married and “Soul Food”. This document will provide specific examples of Hall’s perspective of culture as a screen and Hofstede’s five dimensions are reflected in a particular culture pattern. This document will evaluate both culture identity and culture bias in both of these films; explain the concept of cultural patterns and what type are showed in both films, and illustrations of verbal and nonverbal communications and how these relate to a particular intercultural communication theory.
References:
Hall, E.T. (1959). the Silent Language, New York: Doubleday
Hofstede, Geert; Hofstede, Gert Jan (2005). Cultures and organizations: software of the mind (Revised and expanded 2nd Ed.) New York: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-143959-6. OCLC 57069196
“Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? (2007): Reviews”. Metacritic. Retrieved 2007-11-01. www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=soulfood.htm www.culture-at-work-.com/highlow.html www.efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie www.filmjournal.com www.ishbook.com/hall.pdf www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_66.htm