Having lived in another country for several years was an eye opening experience for us as a family. To be the ones in the minority to some degree was a bit of a new experience to say the least. It came as a bit of shock to the senses just like the snow we experienced a few weeks ago (who ever signed off on that should be fired). The shock was not so much about the fact that the “others” around us who were different from us created the dominant cultural reality but that in fact we had a culture ourselves.

The previous may seem like an odd statement to make but the reality is when we are inside of our resident culture we do not readily make an assessment of it as a culture. Further to my point we don’t tend to recognize that we are evaluating the merits of our culture due to cultural conditioning towards it from within it. One rarely possesses the knowledge of having or coming from a particular culture until you live in another that is unlike your very own.

This really should not come as a surprise to us at. We see it played out around us all the time. I see it in the sporting world when many from North America can’t seem to understand why the “beautiful game” is the world’s most popular game and not Football – the North American version. Or we even see it as we in Canada pass judgement on the race relations of our neighbours to the south when we have so much to look at in our own national mirror.

I do think, however, this is becoming less and less an issue as we often hear the term “global citizens” bandied about more and more in our day. I am certain we could enumerate a few very good reasons for this if we put our minds to it; travel, trade, individual’s tastes, the transient global community, etc. But on the other hand I continue to see this in ways that affect us all and I think we need to challenge one another regularly to continue to see negative and unhelpful cultural biases eliminated.

I was reminded of this again when having a conversation with one of my neighbours who is from a much different part of the world that I honestly cannot relate to. He told me where he was from which sparked a robust political conversation about a significant conflict in our world today. It was absolutely eye opening to hear his perspectives – ones that I honestly don’t hold currently nor can I readily due to the aforementioned cultural conditioning. Whether he is right and I am wrong is not really the issue. The point is actually that there are other positions on the matter. And to at least hear these positions and stances is likely a good way to begin. It may actually be that we are both right a little and that listening and being heard go hand in hand and that the creation of dialogue is a pathway we need to tread a bit more often.

Let me suggest a practical step or two. Don’t accept uncritically everything you hear or read in or from singular major news sources of the day, read or listen to different perspectives on a regular basis. But better yet – strike up a conversation with someone who sees the world different than you. Maybe its a neighbour you see regularly but never have thought you could ask their perspective due to the colour of their skin. What about that family down the street that you are certain come from a different faith perspective than you – I suspect they would welcome the opportunity.

The key I think is to be open and humble and too not respond like you have been offended as soon as they adopt a perspective that goes “against the grain” of cultural centric conditioning. And best not to bring up whether it is Football or Soccer. I’m pretty sure that one is settled it’s……

Until next time.

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