...and the benefits will come rolling to you.
The era of globalization with the advancement of technology is expecting people to communicate with people comprising of various cultures. One of the benefits of understanding intercultural communication is for harmony and upholding justice in a global community. Harmony can exist when people lower their defenses, learn to accept and celebrate their differences. We should work together as a team for the benefit of everyone, not just our own group or cultural orientation.
Here's an interesting concept. According to the National Association of Social Workers, 'social justice' means everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. The given equality is to assure the fulfilling of life as the usual saying goes, we only get one life, it is our duty to live it as fully as possible. So, let's imagine ourselves as 'social workers' aiming for that goal. Nonetheless, there is a difference between giving equality and being just. We're sure you've come across this meme at one point of your life...
Hence, through exposing ourselves to different life perspectives, we may realize that not all communities require a one-size-fits-all solution for social justice. For example, a first-world countryman may need help in spiritual issues, but a third-world countryman's is in technological awareness.
Despite that, challenges are usually present for great things to happen. One challenge of multicultural harmony is ethnocentrism such as Euro-centrism. It is the view that Europeans (white) are more civilised, hence, more superior than others (Hill and Church-Gibson, 1998). With that in mind, the White Man's burden is their justification for things like Orientalism. To simplify:
(Some) Orientalists: Our Western culture is so cool. Yours is... weird. Follow ours! We know you need our help!
(Some) People of the East: ...Stop imposing on us! We'll only take what we want.
(Some) Cultural Relativists: (shakes head) Orientalists, please try to look at their culture from their point of view, not yours. Strange and foreign does not equate to worse, you know.
With that, we end our discussion for today. Assalam 'alaykum! (bows)
The era of globalization with the advancement of technology is expecting people to communicate with people comprising of various cultures. One of the benefits of understanding intercultural communication is for harmony and upholding justice in a global community. Harmony can exist when people lower their defenses, learn to accept and celebrate their differences. We should work together as a team for the benefit of everyone, not just our own group or cultural orientation.
Here's an interesting concept. According to the National Association of Social Workers, 'social justice' means everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. The given equality is to assure the fulfilling of life as the usual saying goes, we only get one life, it is our duty to live it as fully as possible. So, let's imagine ourselves as 'social workers' aiming for that goal. Nonetheless, there is a difference between giving equality and being just. We're sure you've come across this meme at one point of your life...
credits to themetapicture.com
Hence, through exposing ourselves to different life perspectives, we may realize that not all communities require a one-size-fits-all solution for social justice. For example, a first-world countryman may need help in spiritual issues, but a third-world countryman's is in technological awareness.
Despite that, challenges are usually present for great things to happen. One challenge of multicultural harmony is ethnocentrism such as Euro-centrism. It is the view that Europeans (white) are more civilised, hence, more superior than others (Hill and Church-Gibson, 1998). With that in mind, the White Man's burden is their justification for things like Orientalism. To simplify:
(Some) Orientalists: Our Western culture is so cool. Yours is... weird. Follow ours! We know you need our help!
(Some) People of the East: ...Stop imposing on us! We'll only take what we want.
(Some) Cultural Relativists: (shakes head) Orientalists, please try to look at their culture from their point of view, not yours. Strange and foreign does not equate to worse, you know.
With that, we end our discussion for today. Assalam 'alaykum! (bows)
No comments:
Post a Comment