| When I was growing up in the Bahamas, my | | | | might take you some time to understand the |
| father often told that I was lucky to grow up in | | | | "why" behind a particular cultural filter. It can take |
| such a small country... | | | | some digging. |
| And when I asked why, I was told: | | | | Beyond Cultural Prejudice |
| - Because you can observe all of the other big | | | | The problem with cultural filters is that they often |
| countries without the handicap of cultural filters. | | | | inadvertently lead to cultural prejudice. And cultural |
| - Because you have a clearer vision of the world | | | | prejudice creates two problems: |
| compared to many others. | | | | |
| - Because it is so interesting to watch how these | | | | 1. You cannot develop an effective cross-cultural |
| bigger countries react and interact with the rest | | | | communication. |
| of the world... with very little cultural influence, | | | | 2. It is not easy to educate someone with strong |
| cultural filters or cultural prejudice. | | | | cultural prejudice. |
| Of course, I did not understand this and could not | | | | Interactive conversation stops dead in its tracks |
| see a value. All of those bigger countries had so | | | | when you hit a cultural prejudice. This is where |
| much more to offer than I did, living on my little | | | | miscommunication and cultural blunders start. |
| island: | | | | Towards Cross-Cultural Communication |
| - Toy stores... no, just stores | | | | Your own international mindset is important in |
| - Recently released movies... no, just decent | | | | moving towards cross-cultural communication. And |
| movies | | | | this leads to a key question: |
| - Mail order offers... no, just stuff | | | | - Are you willing to open up, or temporarily put |
| Natural Cultural Filters | | | | aside, your own cultural filters enough to open |
| Everyone has cultural filters. People acquire cultural | | | | communication with people with different cultural |
| filters naturally from their own environment. | | | | filters? |
| They can't help it. | | | | If you do temporarily put aside your own cultural |
| Even the rebels, the radicals and those who claim | | | | filters and prejudices you can usually move your |
| they think out of the box usually still have cultural | | | | communication forward with someone culturally |
| filters. | | | | different. Experience helps you notice the little |
| Coming from a small country and growing up on | | | | signals that tell you when you are approaching the |
| an island the most obvious filters I have are: | | | | other person's cultural prejudice. And with |
| - Money does not impress me. It is easy to | | | | experience you can develop a talent in bypassing, |
| observe how the very rich can be so very foolish | | | | or side stepping, these cultural roadblocks. |
| if you hang around the expensive yachts in the | | | | Connecting Across Cultures |
| marina. Foolishness in hurricane territory costs | | | | Once both parties get beyond their cultural |
| lives. Personal value is more impressive. | | | | prejudices, real cross-cultural connection begins. |
| - A total disinterest in "big country" political parties. | | | | To get to this stage of real communication, you |
| Where I grew up, politics was a question of being | | | | need two things: |
| black or white. Something no one could change. | | | | - Personal development |
| - Complainers don't get attention. When I grew | | | | - Cross-cultural experience |
| up, if you were not happy with something, it is | | | | The challenge is to first recognize your own |
| very simple: You got on your own two feet and | | | | cultural filters. Most people do not like the idea of |
| did something to correct it. The island I grew up | | | | acknowledging their own prejudices. It is so much |
| on is not big. There was no one to complain to. | | | | easier to label other people with cultural prejudices. |
| Cultural filters are part of what makes up our | | | | But it is easier to recognize your own cultural |
| cultural differences. | | | | filters. |
| People do not acquire cultural filters through | | | | And if you can recognize your own cultural filters, |
| stupidity. There are usually very good reasons for | | | | you should be able to put them aside the time of |
| them. | | | | a conversation with someone who has different |
| - Either in how people do things or in events. | | | | cultural filters. This gets you that one step closer |
| - Sometimes you need to go back in history to | | | | to real communication and understanding between |
| find the reason why a cultural filter exists. | | | | two different cultures. |
| But if you are looking in from another culture, it | | | | |