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In reply to: Maia Pappadakis wrote a new post, Blog #2: Maia’s First Impressions 🙂, on the site Our Global Village 2018 When I came into class on Wednesday, I wasn’t completely sure what to expect. This is a class unlike an […] View
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In reply to: Maia Pappadakis wrote a new post, Blog #5: The Intercultural Paradox, on the site Our Global Village 2018 The us-them dynamic is a microcosm of a larger issue of the human condition, and can often be blown out of […] View
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In reply to: gaspar wrote a new post, First Impression, on the site Our Global Village 2018 Hi everyone! So this is my second post, and in this one I will talk about my first impression on our first intercontinental […] View
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Nice reflection!
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I hope that your team continues to work through any challenges that you encounter — and am quite confident that you will benefit as a result of your diverse views!
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It’s always good to see, when people cast aside their prejudgments and are so open to learn about other cultures and people. You have a lot of intercultural experience, which I guess mostly comes from having the mindset mentioned above. The initial meeting went indeed surprisingly well and I think this semester will be a great addition to the intercultural experiences you already have.
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Maia – you raise some fascinating observations when you say “I also have the same intercultural experience of everyone in my generation; I watch YouTube videos produced all over the world, read news about global events, add to the global community by posting on social media, and read books from perspectives from all over the world. Additionally, every student who goes to Marymount attends one of the most diverse schools in the eastern US.” There is quite a debate in the literature about whether simple exposure to something —- fill in here (…. diversity, culture)changes a person’s views. The idea originated with Allport’s Contact hypothesis…. I often wonder about that — it seems to me that to learn from others requires a bit more than sitting in the same room or watching from afar…. You knocked this post out of the park, as the saying goes!
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I definitely think exposure to globalization certainly has an effect on people’s perspectives; I also think these differences are quite subtle, and can even be passed off as concepts such as generational differences. The “technology gap” between generations is a good example of this, and the technological advancements are a facet of globalization. At the same time, the exposure alone doesn’t have the effect Allport wants. We have seen time and time again that contact can also cause conflict; this is where we get heavy prejudices, such as racism and other forms of extreme prejudices. Additionally, even if this cultural contact doesn’t cause conflict, it won’t necessarily bring harmony and understanding either. It does take a recognition and reflection on what’s happening. I think this is what Allport means when he says “managed contact,” though I’m not sure how manageable these conditions are, especially on a societal scale. I definitely agree that learning does require more activity than simply experiencing.
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You make a very insightful observation when you note: “The ability to understand one another while acknowledging that people are both very similar and very different is a task that seems simple, but, unfortunately, has become complex due to years upon years of conditioning, partially thanks to the human condition and survival methods, to judge each other almost to the point of dehumanization.” Are we doomed by this or can you see a way around it?
With complete honesty, I have been struggling to see hope on this front in modern times. My ever-fading optimistic side, however, can see around this issue. Education and exposure can go miles in the way of prejudices. I also think that simply the advancement of time (by way of generation changes) can, with the right guidance, usher in a more tolerant and accepting era. This process will most definitely take lots of time, and even more effort from people trying to push this change, but I don’t think that we are doomed just yet. This process could also be accelerated if older generations were to step down more and allow the younger generations take on leadership roles, such as positions in government, and those older generations act as more of a guiding force than a governing one.