Journal Post #6 (5-10-18)
WUWC 1.4 Whose Fault? Why Values Matter
Reflection: There is a great differentiation between cultures and the following categories present such differences. No culture fits one specific category but these provide common and general reference. It is important to recognize those cultural differences though since an individual’s ethics are influenced by their culture.
Universalism: Try to apply same rules to everyone in like situations. Fairness is to not make exceptions for family or friends. Lay personal feelings aside to look at issues objectively.
Particularism: Behavior depends on situation. Treat family and friends best as possible and let the rest of population talk care of itself, form of in-group protection.
“When universalists come into contact with particularist cultures they may tend to see the societies as corrupt, untrustworthy, overly emotional, and, perhaps because so much depends upon personal relationships and "who one knows", and perceive the society as closed and cliquish. Particularists coming into contact with universalist cultures often feel their people are impersonal, cold, rigid, rule-obsessed, and unfriendly. This is obviously most intense in legal or governmental settings, but ideas about what is just and appropriate permeate cultures and often play a role in interpersonal relationships. Where these fundamentally differ, the cross-cultural results may not be positive”
Monochronic: (clock time) People adjust to demands of time -- schedules, deadlines, etc. People do one thing at a time and finish before starting another.
Polychronic: (social time) Time is adjusted to suit needs of people. More time is always available. Not necessary to finish one thing before starting another. Human interaction is priority.
“For a study abroad student to avoid constant frustration, it is essential for them to have some idea about how a culture is likely to view time. If what you define as "chronic lateness" is perceived in the host culture as "reasonably on time," it is clear that you will need to adjust your expectations of how long things will take to accomplish. It would also be advisable that you prepare to ease up a bit, if you are a monochronic type, on obsessing over maintaining strict schedules in cultures with a more relaxed approach towards timetables and punctuality. On the other hand, you might be a polychronic person even though you have grown up in US-American culture where the majority is not. In that case, going to, say, Argentina or Mexico would be relatively easy and suit your personal preferences, while going to Germany, France, or England might be somewhat more of a challenge”
High Context: relationships depend on trust/ identity rooted in group/ verbal message is indirect or implicit and use nonverbal elements/ communal space/ time is not scheduled/ learning accurately is valued
Low Context: relationships begin and end quickly/ identity rooted in accomplishments/ verbal message is direct or explicit and conversation carried through words rather than nonverbal elements/ private space/ Time is scheduled/ Learning quickly is valued
Folktale
La Llorona is a young woman who wanders alongside rivers weeping as she searches for her child. This folktale has several different versions, but all stories revolve around a woman who had a child without her family’s blessing, as well as before marriage.
One version entails: La Llorona was an Indian maiden in love with a Spanish conquistador. Her father was against their wishes to be married. However, La Llorona became pregnant and gave birth to a love child. Outraged, the father kills her child by throwing the baby into a waterfall, where it drifts away.
It is known to hear along rivers the cries of remorse from La Llorona in search of her child. Children today are also warned not to go out at night or else La Llorona may snatch them away for she wishes to have a child of her own.
