How Do Other Cultures View North Americans?
I have been searching for a few years for a way to show my colleagues and fellow travelers to Nicaragua the other side of this cultural divide. When we are preparing people to travel to Nicaragua for our Sister Parish, or Partnership with this community in Teustepe, we discuss a list of items that they might find problematic. We want them to meet and love our brothers and sisters in Nicaragua, so they need to understand that there are some differences in how we see the world. We don't want them to be offended when people from that culture do something that they consider normal, and in fact, praiseworthy in their world, and we tend to see it as a problem or irritation.
Normally we talk about indirect communication, implication versus confrontation, a different sense of time, a different view of the hierarchy in the society, etc. But it always comes off like a mild criticism of the other culture. We always seem to be saying - if they would only change all of these stupid things, we would get along better, and things would work better. We try to persuade our travelers that things there are NOT going to change, because they do NOT see these things as problems. In their world, this is the RIGHT way to do things, this is polite, this is normal. We are the ones who are rude and irritating.
I have just found the perfect resource to help with this. A cultural anthropologist, L. Rogers Kohls, wrote a fine little piece in 1984 about "American" cultural values. This pamphlet was written to introduce the culture of the U.S. to foreign visitors and students so that they would be understanding, and they would NOT be offended by behavior which they might consider rude at best, and quite bizarre at the margins. For example, the author alerts them that most U.S. residents will go to great lengths to describe to you how to reach a spot which is two blocks away, but they will NOT accompany you to the spot. They are not being rude or impolite - you are supposed to get there on your own.
You will find the detailed list of "American" values here:
There are many copies of this on the WWW - this one just happened to be at the top of my Google search page today. Read it - tell me what you think.
Below is a short list of these values with my comments. It might be handy to keep them in mind when you are walking about in another culture.
1. Personal Control Over The Environment - we can change or fix anything - and we will. Most of the planet believes in fate, or a deity, or nature being in charge - not us.
2. Change is good, progress, leads to better things. In most of the world, change is to be avoided, and tradition and stability are valued highly.
3. Time and Its Control - more concern for getting things done on time, than with personal relationships.
4. Equality/Egalitarianism - in most of the world, rank and authority are essential to good order. It provides security and certainty.
5. Individualism and Privacy - In most of the world, being alone, being an individual is NOT a positive thing. Most peoples are focused on the good of the group, not the individual. There is nothing positive about being separate and independent, with ideas that differ from most other people.
6. Self-Help Concept. You can only take credit for what you have done by yourself. You get no credit for being born into a wealthy family. We also tend to deny that the support of the wider society plays any role.
7. Competition and Free Enterprise. Most of the world focuses on cooperation, not competition. Free enterprise goes with this - on the downside of this there is no protective mechanism against failure. Risk taking has high rewards, but also severe penalties.
8. Future Orientation - we actually devalue the past, in contrast to many parts of the world where heritage and history are very important. In some parts of the world, it is seen as sinful to believe that you can plan your own future.
9. Action/Work Orientation - we are workaholics, we value hard work highly . In most of the world, the goal is to avoid work, especially difficult, demeaning labor.
10. Informality - titles are generally frowned upon. Dress is casual, greetings are informal. This is not intended as an insult.
11. Directness, Openness and Honesty. Many cultures have more subtle ways to deal with differences and difficulties. Most Americans will not pick up on these - so do not be offended. Recognize that if you are less than direct, they will accuse you of being dishonest or insincere.
12. Practicality and Efficiency - Does it work, is more important than is it pleasing, or beautiful. Decisions are always "rational", not driven by emotion or relationships - unlike most of the planet.
13. Materialism/Acquisitiveness - we collect more things than anyone else on the planet. We put more energy into that than we do interpersonal relationships.
