Cultural Mindfulness by Erica Switzer
Culture is the shared ideas, ideals, and artifacts of a people that are created and sustained for mutual survival and the perpetuation of the way of life. Today, many tend to think constantly of a "world culture," without really analyzing whether there truly is a "culture" that is common to the entire world of nations and heritage. Many questions and concerns arise as to whether there really is a "world culture" and to what extent our "mindfulness" allows us to function as a global citizen. Mindfulness can be achieved in various aspects however, not all aspects seem to be compatible on the surface. This arises the concern if one can truly be completely mindful, when being mindful in one aspect causes damage …show more content…
Striving to provide more financial benefits to the local population while at the same time protecting the natural environment travelers have contact that is more direct with the local families especially their children. As mentioned by Slimbach many locals think, “I like that these tourists spend money here. But I’m uncomfortable with the way our children want to imitate their tastes in clothes and music. Our children no longer value our local traditions or feel much sense of duty toward their elders. Also, I knew all groups in our community weren’t equal in wealth and power, but now I see how much greater it is in the outside world (87, 88).” With our own desire to be mindful in one aspect, we could be potentially harmful or devastating to another aspect. Without being aware of the true privilege and power that exists in the community and the world at large one can cause more damage than assistance. No one individual is going to be able to change all of the world’s social problems overnight, but simply having some knowledge even if it is very limited is better than entering the situation completely blind. With our knowledge we have to practice global dexterity, “the ability to adapt behavior across cultures without losing who you are in the process (How to Adapt to Cultural Changes in Foreign Countries).” When adapting to new behaviors Andy Molinsky recommends to keep in mind that it is “often very difficult to perform behaviors you aren’t used to, even if you have an intellectual understanding of what these behaviors are supposed to be. From my work interviewing and working with hundreds of professionals from a wide range of different countries and cultures, I find that it is very common to feel awkward, inauthentic, or even resentful when trying to adapt behavior overseas ( When crossing Cultures, Use Global
Culture is the shared ideas, ideals, and artifacts of a people that are created and sustained for mutual survival and the perpetuation of the way of life. Today, many tend to think constantly of a "world culture," without really analyzing whether there truly is a "culture" that is common to the entire world of nations and heritage. Many questions and concerns arise as to whether there really is a "world culture" and to what extent our "mindfulness" allows us to function as a global citizen. Mindfulness can be achieved in various aspects however, not all aspects seem to be compatible on the surface. This arises the concern if one can truly be completely mindful, when being mindful in one aspect causes damage …show more content…
Striving to provide more financial benefits to the local population while at the same time protecting the natural environment travelers have contact that is more direct with the local families especially their children. As mentioned by Slimbach many locals think, “I like that these tourists spend money here. But I’m uncomfortable with the way our children want to imitate their tastes in clothes and music. Our children no longer value our local traditions or feel much sense of duty toward their elders. Also, I knew all groups in our community weren’t equal in wealth and power, but now I see how much greater it is in the outside world (87, 88).” With our own desire to be mindful in one aspect, we could be potentially harmful or devastating to another aspect. Without being aware of the true privilege and power that exists in the community and the world at large one can cause more damage than assistance. No one individual is going to be able to change all of the world’s social problems overnight, but simply having some knowledge even if it is very limited is better than entering the situation completely blind. With our knowledge we have to practice global dexterity, “the ability to adapt behavior across cultures without losing who you are in the process (How to Adapt to Cultural Changes in Foreign Countries).” When adapting to new behaviors Andy Molinsky recommends to keep in mind that it is “often very difficult to perform behaviors you aren’t used to, even if you have an intellectual understanding of what these behaviors are supposed to be. From my work interviewing and working with hundreds of professionals from a wide range of different countries and cultures, I find that it is very common to feel awkward, inauthentic, or even resentful when trying to adapt behavior overseas ( When crossing Cultures, Use Global