Michael Reid spoke at the Writers' Center on April 30th. He brought up many interesting points regarding culture. When he asked the audience what their ideas of culture were, various answers were given. Heritage, Socialization, and even Music were different parts of culture that came to people's minds.
Mr. Reid began by explaining that everybody has different levels of needs. Level 1 is basic needs like eating and sleeping. Level 2 is safety and security, like having a house. Level 3 is to find love and friendship. Level 4 is to know that love and friendship will continue (known as status and esteem). Finally, we have self-actualization that allows for the creation of art.
In Mr. Reid's own definition, culture is the quest of people to meet the needs within the bounds of their physical environments. Water, for example, would have a different importance to an island nation than it would to a desert nation.
One idea that was reinforced was that of "willingness." How willing are people to communicate with one another? We all have to be willing to communicate to learn, agree, and understand other cultures. Each individual is different, however, and this can lead to challenges when facing other people. But it is important to try. So important that it can mean (in the most extreme conditions) survival.
So, if we respect other cultures, people, and individuals, we can actually learn a lot about ourselves. We have to put forth an effort and keep at it in order to succeed in communication. I thought Michael Reid's topic was excellent and enjoyed the discussion. But what about you? Can you tell the blog about a time when you succeeded in cross-cultural communication? How about a time you failed? What do you think would make communication easier? I welcome your ideas and thoughts about culture and communication.
