Practices in another Culture - Free Essay Example

At one point or another, each one of us has encountered various instances which are intertwined with cultural differences. Cultural differences or practices in another different culture have often led to the rise of misunderstandings and difficulties in personal relations. Culture is one strong perspective which has a lot of impact towards our day to day life since it determines how we partake our activities. Our views towards life, our loyalties, as well as our emotions are highly attached to our culture. However, it is so that building and generating relationships will always enable us to understand and interpret other cultures apart from those which we uphold. Differences in culture occur due to various aspects, for instance, the background at which one is raised and brought up in will determine his or her cultural practices. Individual experiences, family, and other attached practices are among those which lead to there being of differences in our cultural practices. Such differences will always affect our understanding, our beliefs, as well as our ways of relating to those surrounding us. Despite the fact that difference in cultures may end up causing harm to the society, it is also one of the most preferred means which gives us recognition in any area where one may inhabit. Ones culture is one significant characteristic since it assists us in building a firm foundation in determinin g the kind of a person to be since it covers the entire life of ones existence. It is so that if culture is not well understood, there may erupt great differences between humanity. In orders to interpret practices in others culture, one should be in a position to understand the individual, national, and structural culture of the specific group you intend to interact with. In order to mingle or understand practices in other peoples culture, one must identify the most vital key factors of the same culture (Cranmer, 1995, p. 60-67). The high, as well as the low context culture, was once introduced by Edward T. Hall who was an anthropologist. Such a theory assists us in understanding the great impact which culture holds towards communication. The critical cultural dimensions are entailed in this particular theory; Hall explains context as the circumstances which surround a particular message or event. Therefore the low or high context involves the external factors which surround a particular culture and may differ depending on the area or background of the participa nts. For the low context ideas are always outspoken, and in most cases, they are always straightforward, explanations should also come along with explanation and taking issues for granted rarely occurs. On the other hand, the high context culture, interpersonal cultures will be emphasized. People belonging to such cultures are less administered by either their institutions as well as their feelings. Practices among others cultures are also determined by the attitude we hold towards our personal space. Some people or societies will be specific in maintaining the distance between themselves and others while as others will easily interact and relate despite there being differences in cultures. Some will demand greater space to solve their cultural issues, and others will be open and free to share information with whomever they come into contact with. Such groups can be identified as high territory and the other as the low territory. The high territory group of people is specific in mai ntaining their cultural ideas and norms whereas the low territory ones are less considerate and do not believe in ownership or privacy towards their cultural practices. Those with low territorial characteristics tend to have context. To pursue and realize more about this particular subject, many have applied a lot of inputs to realize the solution behind the mystery of understanding others cultural practices. After many years of research conducted by well-known research specialists through interviews and other means of data collection, various cultural dimensions are identified which tend to act as the tool in differentiating one particular cultural practice that differs from the rest. Among these dimensions, the primary ones are discussed below. Power distance is one aspect which will determine the recognition of practices in another culture. Power distance is recognized as the degree to which power will be distributed within the society and the response of the members of the society after the distribution. In the high power distance the cultural practices tends to identify the hierarchical mode of governance. Strong individuals who hold and own a large number of properties are likely to be offered and opportuni ty to govern the rest of the society. On the other hand, low power distance implies that personal responsibility is the cultural norm within the society. Risk avoidance is another aspect which will determine the difference in cultural practices. Some culture will accept and support the change of things and activities to avoid severe consequences. For instance, some will adapt to the changes taking place while as other will ignore and deny to accept the same. With the high indecision cultural practices, individuals are in a position to the changes and innovations taking place within their surrounding ready to benefit from these upcoming changes. However, the low indecision cultural practices will deny the adaptation and will work towards maintaining their normality. For instance, they will deny acceptance of innovations such as technology or any other modern discoveries. Instead, these low indecision cultural practices tend to emphasize on upgrading standardization and securing or pr omising job security. Individualism and collectiveness is also another primary aspect which will assist one in understanding the practices in other cultures. These are the degree to which one will recognize the interest of others regardless of his or her interests. Some will hold individualism cultures, the free will and independency are highly appreciated (Preliminary Material, n.d., p. 124-139). Here, the cultures do support self-interests and neglect to mind about a group or a large mass of people. On the other hand, collective cultural practice is one character that neglects and minds less about the personal necessities and major on the needs of an entire society or group. Such aspect which varies as far as the subject of culture is under consideration will assist one to capture the deep understanding of practices in others cultures. However, despite the fact that there are these differences in cultures, it is also clear that there occur some periodic patterns which tend to be similar across various cultures. Such patterns are developed in peoples mind and are temporary. Hence, the cultural patterns can be identified as shared practices, and in most cases, there will be determined by the external factors. Cultural relativism is the view that no culture is better than whatever other culture when looking at frameworks of ethical quality, law, governmental issues, and so on. Its the philosophical idea that every cultural conviction is similarly substantial and that fact itself is relative, contingent upon the social condition. The individuals who hold to social relativism hold that all religious, moral, tasteful, and political convictions are totally in respect to the person inside a social character. Relativism frequently incorporates moral relativism morals rely upon a social development, situational relativism right or wrong depends on the specific circumstance, and intellectual relativism truth itself has no goal standard. However, the world is one wide place, brimming with a wide range of diverse individuals, each with a special viewpoint on the most proficient method to survive and flourish. The greater part of a gatherings center convictions, ceremonies, conventions, and different traditions make up its particular culture. Some portion of makes the world intriguing that every human progress has thought of a one of a kind culture and esteem framework, which prompts individuals seeing life and ways of life in an unexpected way. Social relativism implies that activities ought to be measured by the models of a persons own special culture, not by the benchmarks of others. This clarifies why a few things are flawlessly worthy in one society, however thoroughly unthinkable in another. To abstain from judging the social practices of gatherings that are distinctive to yours, we can utilize the social relativism approach. Social relativism alludes to not judging a culture to our particular principles of what is correct or wrong, interesting or ordinary. Rather, we should attempt to comprehend social practices of the different group of people and learn to understand more about them. It is not ethical to judge and make conclusions on someone out of his or her cultural practices or appearance. For instance, concluding that one is a group of gangs due to body tattoos or piercings which may be part of their culture. We are supposed to learn and embrace other cultural activities and neglect identifying the negativity which we might identify. However, we must also consider maintaining the law and orders which must keep the society on track even as we recognize each other social practices. There should not occur any superior culture than the other; such recommendation will ensure the smooth running of our lives avoiding unnecessary conflicts among ourselves. Cultures resemble a stream that streams through steady an area, and correspondence is the thing that scaffolds these regions to each other. We are individuals who were made to cover through social means and bound to live inside interpersonal exercises. The judgment of an individual is never an individual judgment when generalizations are utilized by the jury. Individuals utilize the few negative perspectives to dissect the entire, yet just a little percent of negative substances we attempt to pass by and large. We should live to cooperate, we should cooperate to live, and we should utilize correspondence to effectively cooperate. References Koester, J., Lustig, M.W. (2010). Intercultural competence. Interpersonal communication across cultures (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database Proven Models.? (n.d.).? Retrieved from https://www.provenmodels.com/11/five-dimensions-of- culture/hofstedehttps://www.provenmodels.com/11/five-dimensions-of-culture/hofstede Preliminary Material. (n.d.).? Cultural Heritage, Cultural Rights, Cultural Diversity, i-xx. doi:10.1163/9789004228382_001 Changing minds.? (2002-2015).? Retrieved from https://changingminds.org/explanations/culture/hall_culture.htm