Sports: Another Universal Language

As my fiancé and I watched the Wild play this weekend, I was reminded that the 2010 Olympics are coming up this February. The sports broadcasters were talking with Niklaus Backstrom about his participation in Olympic hockey this coming year. Although Nik plays goalie for the Minnesota Wild he will be playing in the Olympics for his home country, Finland. There are many different players in the NHL who are from different countries around the world who will be playing in the Olympics. The NHL must take a break for two weeks to prepare for the absence of some of its players.

This discussion made me think about how sports tie many different countries and cultures together. There are more than 6,000 languages spoken around the world, (Martin & Nakayama, 127) but if you show 8 different children in 8 different countries a soccer ball, chances are they will all know what to do with it. Sports provide an opportunity for individuals to work together as a team to reach a common goal, to win. In the Olympics sports are celebrated and the world comes together. It is too bad that the peace the Olympics bring typically only last for two weeks. After these two weeks are over, cultural conflicts resume. I wish that the Olympics could go on forever to allow for countries to come together, and the peace brought by the Olympics would be perpetual.

Intercultural Relationships in Everyday Life

I enjoyed reading chapter 9 in our text. It was interesting to read about relationships, both intercultural and not, on both friendship and romantic levels. It is interesting the circumstances that draw people together. Circumstances including work and school put us in close proximity to other individuals. These circumstances are when and where many people form relationships. People are drawn to one another based on their similarities and differences. The similarity principle says that we tend to be drawn to people who hold similar beliefs and attitudes to our own (Martin & Nakayama, 244). I believe that circumstances and similarities bring people together. I met my fiancé at work, and we hold similar political, religious, and personality traits.

I know other individuals who have been brought together because of similar circumstances, but they are very different from one another. The idea that people seek out those who have different personality and physical traits to try to find balance is called complementarity. My brother and his girlfriend are examples of this. He is very conservative, Catholic, and has blonde hair and a fair complexion. His girlfriend is liberal, does not practice a specific religion, and is of Latin background with dark hair and an olive complexion. They have learned a lot from one another because of their cultural and physical differences. I think their complementarity is a wonderful thing in terms of learning about different cultures.

Media Imperialism

Media Imperialism is described as domination or control through the media (Martin & Nakayama, 204). The media is the source for news information in the United States and around the world. The media can control what we think about by what they choose to cover in their stories. It is amazing to think about the power of the media. Since we cannot travel the world on a daily basis and know what is happening in the news, we rely on the media to show us. If the media wanted to cover up a story, all they would have to do is not give the story coverage. Luckily there are widely accepted journalistic codes of ethics that are accepted by members of the media. Accuracy and truthfulness are key aspects of journalistic ethics. Another way to ensure that the media is providing accurate information is to explore a variety of media sources. Different television networks are owned by different corporations, and therefore have different perspectives on the news. It is important to get information from a wide variety of sources to ensure its accuracy. I wonder if people in other countries are able to have access to a wide variety of news sources and information. In some countries there may be only one source for news and that one source could offer a one sided perspective on a story. When only one perspective is heard it is easy to come up with thoughts and ideas that may be unjust and biased. It is important to get news and information from a variety of sources to get more than one perspective. When you hear all sides of a story you are better able to come up with your own thoughts and ideas about a situation.

Melting Pot, Awareness, or Both?

Throughout the fall semester I have learned a lot about different cultures. I feel like these past months I have learned more about different cultures than I have known most of my life. When thinking about the possible reasons for my learned knowledge the "melting pot" theory and increased awareness, because of this class, come to mind. The melting pot theory says that immigrants enter the United States and blend into American society (Martin & Nakayama, 16). Throughout the semester I have met individuals from immigrant families who are blending into our society and still have many cultural practices from their family's home country. Meeting these individuals has provided me with learning opportunities about other cultures. This course has introduced me to new concepts of intercultural awareness and communication. While learning about the many aspects of intercultural communication, I have become more sensitive and aware of people that surround me who are a part of different cultures. Some cultural beliefs and traditions that I have learned about this semester are the Jewish death traditions, Hmong death traditions, Hmong wedding rituals, Jewish birth beliefs. It has been interesting to learn about cultural beliefs different then my own. Not only have I learned a lot about others, but I have been able to reflect on my own cultural beliefs and become more self aware. I hope that I will continue learning about other cultures well beyond the end of the semester.

Conflict Styles

Chapter 8 of our text includes descriptions conflict styles. What is interesting to me about interpersonal conflict styles is that different styles may be appropriate or inappropriate to use depending on where the conflict is taking place. Conflict involves a perceived or real incompatibility of goals, values, expectations, processes or outcomes between two or more interdependent individuals or groups (Martin & Nakayama, 211). When conflict occurs in a work environment, it is important that individuals are respectful. It is important that during conflict things do not get out of hand. If someone is angry, and has something to say that might not be respectful, the last thing they should do is take a direct approach. The direct approach is described in our text as "saying what is on your mind" (Martin & Nakayama, 216). Under some circumstances a person could be terminated from their employment if they used the direct approach. A better approach to use would be the discussion style. The discussion style combines the direct and emotionally restrained dimensions and emphasizes a verbally direct approach for dealing with disagreements (Martin & Nakayama, 218). When choosing to use the discussion style, one does not let their emotions get the best of them, and therefore will not say anything that is disrespectful. The directness and restraint will be able to bring the entire conflict to light, and the discussion will help resolve the conflict.

Outside of the workplace different conflict styles are more acceptable. For example, when a person is among friends or with their family they may be able to be more direct in their conflict style. Family and friends typically are more accepting of individuals for their personal styles. Although, some friends and family could still be offended by directness, so it is important to be aware of your audience when choosing your conflict style.

Anti-Americanism

Anti-Americanism is defined as ideas, feelings, and sometimes actions against the United States (Martin & Nakayama). One strong example of Anti-Americanism could be found in the news on December 7, 2009. In Iran Student's Day is celebrated on December 7 each year. The day has its origins in 1953 when 3 Tehran students were killed in a U.S. backed Shah's regime. The holiday is based on Anti-Americanism. One Islamic leader was quoted saying, “No-one in this country should ever think of removing the widespread hostility towards America from the heart of the public” (http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/58120). It is amazing that a holiday is observed based on Anti-Americanism in Iran. I understand how much the United States has been involved with conflicts in Iran, and I do not support many of the United States actions in that country. I cannot understand why a country would designate a holiday to celebrate their dislike for another country. It also seems like a lot of time and effort that could be spent in more productive or positive ways. It is especially interesting to me since many Americans do not favor what our country has done in the Middle East. For the people of Iran to judge our entire country based on the actions of few is discrimination and stereotyping. If I were to meet an Iranian, I would not assume that they are Anti-American, and I would try to learn about them as an individual. I think it is wrong to judge an entire nation and culture based on the events that were instigated by members of their culture. Instead each person in a culture should be looked at and respected as an individual.

Disney: A Culture Industry

"Disney's animated "The Princess and the Frog" hopped over feel-good football film "The Blind Side," to take the top spot in North American box office sales in its first weekend in wide release." (http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1313483320091213?type=marketsNews) Disney has a No. 1 box office hit this weekend, as it has many times in the past. Disney is the definition of a cultural industry. It has amusement parks, movies, cartoons, and a plethora of associated merchandise (Martin & Nakayama, 190). It is amazing to me how much of an influence one company can have on culture.

If you ask a child in the United States to name some of their favorite movies, they are sure to name at least one Disney movie. If you ask an adult what they remember from their childhood, they are likely to mention something Disney related as well. I am 26 years old, and my first memory of going to see a movie is when my aunt took us to see Bambi in Maplewood, MN. I still remember Thumper saying "My momma told me that if I can't say anything nice, then I shouldn't say anything at all." I still value that saying, and sometimes I think of it and bite my tongue if I have nothing "nice" to say at a given moment.

Another example of how Disney has influenced our culture relates to sports. After winning the super bowl, World Series, or many other sporting events many professional athletes have been quoted as saying "Now I am going to Disneyland!" Even big strong manly athletes have been influenced by the culture industry of Disney. It is amazing the influence that one corporation, Disney, can have on the culture of the United States.

Religion & Conflict

Religion and faith are very important to people. People feel very strongly about their belief in a higher power and an ultimate truth in their lives. When I think about religion, one of the first thoughts to pop into my mind is peace. I think of Holidays like Christmas and Hanukah when families are together to celebrate their religion and each other. People congregate in their religious centers and celebrate their faith. Religious views are strongly held among religious groups. Since people feel so strongly about their religions, it can also cause religious conflict (Martin & Nakayama, 221). Some examples of religious conflict include Christian protests against Mormons in Salt Lake City. Most religious conflict is nonviolent, yet it is not peaceful. The most horrific form of religious conflict took place during the Holocaust. Approximately six million Jewish people died because of religious persecution. It is hard to believe that religion can cause conflict that leads to the death of so many individuals.

Religion brings to mind peace, but has also caused a considerable amount of conflict around the world. Religious groups feel strongly about their cause and are willing to fight for it. Hopefully, some day, religious groups will be able to accept one another. When groups feel strongly about their beliefs, you cannot change their mind. It is pointless to fight over religious beliefs. In the future I hope that religious groups can live in peace realizing that although they do not have the same beliefs, they do not need to protest or fight one another.

Tourism & Intercultural Communication

When I think of intercultural communication, tourism is one of the first things that comes to mind. Chapter 10 of our text states that in 2006, travel and tourism were expected to generate more than 200 million jobs worldwide and more than 6 trillion dollars in economic activity (Martin & Nakayama, 269). Since travel and tourism are such huge industries, and they directly relate to intercultural communication, I am surprised that our text didn't talk about them earlier!

Traveling as a tourist is one of the most important times to be aware of your intercultural communication skills. Good intercultural communication skills are essential in being respected, and showing respect in another country.

Chapter 9 in our text briefly mentions traveling. Specifically it talks about traveling to Morocco as a woman. The women in Morocco modestly cover themselves from head to toe in clothing (Martin & Nakayama, 181). If someone from the United States were to go to morocco wearing a short skirt and tank top, they might be judged as less than savory. Also, this gesture might offend the women of Morocco as it is disrespectful in their culture to show off a lot of skin.

It is important that if you are going to travel that you look into the values, traditions, and norms of the culture you will be a part of. By educating yourself you are respecting their culture, and in turn they will be more likely to respect you.

Color-blind Approach

In class discussion we were asked "How do cultural and social factors affect who you form relationships with?" One of my classmates responded that they do not affect who she formed relationships with. Her response implied that individual characteristics of the person she was forming the relationship with were what determined how close she would be with that person. I liked her response. I think it is important to treat people as individuals and not act a certain way toward them because of social and cultural factors. I agreed with her color blind approach, and I decided to go back to chapter 2 in our text and see what it said about the color blind approach.

Our text says that the color-blind approach is counterproductive to the improvement of U.S. race relations--- for many reasons. The book states that no matter how hard we try, we will always notice color. Based on our text, the second reason the color-blind approach is counterproductive is because it discourages meaningful conversations about race relations. The last reason our book disagrees with the color blind approach is because it allows people to ignore, deny, disregard, and therefore continue to support the status quo--- existence of racial inequalities (Martin & Nakayama, 55).

I disagree with our text. I think that with a color blind approach, eventually there would be less racial inequality in society. I agree that we will always notice color, but with the color blind approach, a person's color will say no more than what color their skin is. A person should not be judged on the color of their skin. They should be judged as an individual. The second point our book makes is also false. A color blind world would encourage people to talk about race relations and how to make them equal and fair. Eventually race relations would be equal and fair, and there would be no more need to speak of them. I think the last point the book makes is also false. I think that living in a not color blind world, it is taboo to talk about race because of inequalities. In a color blind world everyone would be considered equal, and therefore everyone would speak freely and the "status quo of racial inequalities" would be no more. I would love to live in a world where race was nothing more than the color of your skin, and that no one would judge each other or stereotype because of race.

Intercultural and Intracultural Relationships: Interaction Styles

My fiancé and I have been together for 3 years. We have many similarities, and many differences. We both have European American backgrounds. I would consider our relationship to be intracultural. Even though we are in an intracultural relationship, we have used intercultural relationship styles of interaction at many different times throughout our relationship. The three styles are defined as submission style where one partner accepts the culture of the other partner, abandoning or denying his or her own, compromise style when each partner gives up some parts of his or her culturally bound habits and beliefs to accommodate the other, and obliteration style when both partners deal with differences by attempting to erase their individual cultures, sometimes creating a new culture (Martin & Nakayama, 257). Based on each conflict that we have dealt with in our relationship, sometimes I have submitted his style in our culture (and he has done the same for me), there have been many times that we have compromised, and sometimes we have decided to obliterate our culture and come up with a new solution. It is interesting that our text talks about these styles in regards to only intercultural marriages and relationships. I believe they are important interaction styles for all relationships.

Verbal Issues

Chapter 5 in Experiencing Intercultural Communication: An Introduction is about Verbal Issues in Intercultural Communication. It is interesting that different cultures place emphasis on either the context of the verbal communication, or the verbal message of the verbal communication. Placing emphasis on the information from the physical context or if it is internalized in the person is called high-context communication (Martin & Nakayama, 135). When communication places the majority of meaning and information in the verbal message it is called low-context communication (Martin & Nakayama, 135). Our text points out that people in long-term relationships often use the high-context communication style. I believe that my family also uses the high-context communication style. My fiancé’s family, on the other hand, uses a low-context communication style. Their message is typically clear when they are communicating verbally. For example, when my future mother-in-law is having a get together, and she needs help putting things away, she will say "Can you please put the vegetable dip in the refrigerator?" The message is clear in her verbal communication.

One Sunday, my dad and step mom had the family over for dinner. It came time for clean up, and my step mom said "Is there anything that needs to go in the refrigerator?" When what she really meant was "Someone please put the vegetable dip in the refrigerator." Well, my fiancé was not used to the high-context form of communication and when she asked the question, he responded "The vegetable dip needs to go in the refrigerator." He thought she was using low-context communication, and that what she said was what she meant. I got up off of the couch and put the vegetable dip away. On the way home from my dad's I explained that sometimes you have to read between the lines with my family. He has since gotten much better at recognizing the high-context communication style that my family uses. It is interesting how different groups of people communicate in such different ways!

Learning Beyond the Class

Having an Intercultural Communication course this semester has made me more aware of the cultures that surround me. By being more aware of the different cultures around me I am learning new things. For example I recently learned about one aspect of another culture from another instructor at school. My Instructor's mother recently passed away. She informed us that she would be taking a leave of absence to honor her mother's death by "Sitting Shiva." This is a Jewish custom which allows for the honoring of the deceased as well as a time for loved ones to mourn their loss (http://www.judaica-guide.com/sitting_shivah/).

Sitting Shiva takes place for seven days after the funeral of the loved one. During these seven days the mourners are not allowed to do the following:
-They mustn't do any form of work, apart from cooking and cleaning the house. -They mustn't wear leather shoes. -They mustn't have intercourse during the Shivah. -They are not allowed to learn Torah, apart from learning mourning rules, reciting psalms or reading the books of Job and Lamentations. -They mustn't greet anyone "hello" or "goodbye", but after the first three days they may answer if someone else has asked them for their well being. -They may not wash their clothes, iron them, or wear clean clothes. -They may only sit on cushions and mattresses, or on stools that are less than 30 cm high. -They mustn't leave the house, apart from going to the synagogue on Sabbath and going to their homes late at night (if they have trouble sleeping where the Shivah is held). -They aren't allowed to shave, have their hair cut, or cut their nails for 30 days (including the 7 days of the Shivah). -They are not allowed to attend joyful events for 30 days, and if they are mourning one of their parents, they are not allowed to do so for 12 months. However, they are allowed to attend a wedding or a Brit Milah of their own child even during the Shivah itself.
(List is from http://www.judaica-guide.com/sitting_shivah/).

It was interesting to learn about my one aspect of my instructor's religious identity. In her culture, Sitting Shiva is an important way to honor a loved one. Many daily activities are sacrificed during this period of time to focus on the deceased, and to deal with the loss. This custom is very different than what I know for honoring a deceased family member. I appreciate the time her culture spends honoring their loved one, and coping with the loss. My instructor taught me about her culture, and I appreciate it. She taught me something beyond the Lifespan Development course I signed up for this semester.

Identity

Identity is usually defined as being the characteristics that make a person an individual. Do we really only have one identity? I believe that there are many different identities that make us who we are. Judith Martin and Thomas Nakayama list 10 different identities in Experiencing Intercultural Communication: An Introduction. The identities include:

1. Gender Identity
2. Sexual Identity
3. Age Identity
4. Racial and Ethnic Identity
5. Physical Ability Identity
6. Religious Identity
7. Class Identity
8. National Identity
9. Regional Identity
10. Personal Identity

These identities are separate, and combined make up our personal identity. Some of the identities, which make up our personal identity, are influenced by other people in society. For example religious identity is usually something we acquire from our parents. I was baptized into the Catholic Church by my parents choice, not my own. My class identity was determined by my parents as well. I am from a middle class family, and that is how I define my class identity today.

It is interesting that who we are is not always by our own choice. Our gender and sexual identities are very likely based on our biology. Our age identity is determined by our birth, which we also have no control over. Race and ethnicity are determined by our ancestors.

Some of the identities we can control include our national and regional identities. We have the choice to move if we would like to identify ourselves as another nationality or redefine what region we are from. To some extent we have control over our physical ability identity. We are able to exercise and eat healthily to maintain good physical ability identity.

Our personal identity is made up of many different identities. Some identities we have control over, and others we do not. These identities are what make us similar and different to one another.

Family History

"Family histories occur at the same time as other histories but on a more personal level." (Martin & Nakayama, 65). In my family this statement is very true. Political history affected my family's immigration to the United States. My great grandparents came to the United States from Europe. There is some debate over which European country my family actually came from. Some people say Poland, and others say Germany. I believe that my family is actually of Polish decent. I think that because of the political history happening concurrently my ancestors immigration, that they may have not told the truth about where they were from. I believe the events of World War II were what influenced my family to lie about where we came from. Although I do not know where exactly my family is from, I feel that my family history has greatly influenced the person I am today.

It is interesting to think about family history and how it relates to who we are today. Because of the choices of my family members, I live in the United States and was raised Catholic. We celebrate Christmas and Easter, and speak English. If my family were from another country, I may have completely different religious beliefs and speak a different language. I appreciate what I have today. It is hard for me to imagine growing up in a different culture and in a different family. I also appreciate that our country is very diverse. Intercultural communication in the U.S. can help me understand other cultures, their histories, and customs. When relating our history to people of other cultures, we can learn a lot about ourselves and the people around us.

Family Sayings and Values

Values are defined as "deeply felt beliefs that are shared by a cultural group and that reflect a perception of what ought to be, not what is." (Martin, 37). Our cultural groups influence our values. Our parents are members of our cultural group who usually have the most influence in our values. One way they are able to influence values is with their commonly used statements or sayings.

It is interesting to think about the sayings that my parents liked to use when I was little. One of their favorites was "You can do anything you put your mind to." I believed them. They also instilled in my siblings and I a good work ethic. My parents taught me that if I worked hard and had a goal in mind, that I could reach it. I feel very lucky to have been taught these values.

After having a few different jobs, I see that not everyone may have been taught these same values. I have had coworkers who do not work very hard. I also have been around people who think they are entitled to great things without having to work for them. I feel like they are wrong. Because of what my parents taught me, I value hard work to reach your goals. If you have a good work ethic and are striving to reach a goal, you will have success.

Reflection On Our First Discussion Post

The six imperatives listed in our text book for Intercultural Communication include:
1. Peace
2. Economy
3. Technology
4. Demographics
5. Self Awareness
6. Ethics

We were asked to individually rank them according to their importance in intercultural communication. We then had to respond to how our group members ranked the imperatives. I found it to be an interesting exercise. We all ranked Self Awareness as the #1 imperative. After that our lists varied. The biggest differences I found were in our rankings of Technology and Peace. I thought that peace would happen if we could effectively use all of the other intercultural communication imperatives effectively so it was at the bottom of my list. Some of my group members ranked it much higher. Another surprise to me was that my group members had technology at the bottom of their list. I the main communication tool today is technology, and that it is very important in intercultural communication. It was not at the bottom of my list.

Although our lists varied, I think we all had valid points in ranking the imperatives as each of us did. I think I am really going to enjoy working as a group. I really liked to see how each of us had a different perspective on the importance of the imperatives. We all can learn a lot from one another, and I look forward to doing so throughout this semester!

Intercultural Communications Blog No. 1

This is my first blogging experience. I am writing right now as a test to make sure this works.