an observation...
Nov. 10th, 2005 07:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
burnunitseveral, actually.
a. until we are factually an oppressed minority or have endured historically long suffering (greater than 300 years, say) or have lost a war, middle and lower class european americans will not ever know the trials of the other ethnic and cultural groups. that will always be there to indict us, often deservedly so.
b. until we know that, we may never be treated, with equality, either
c. likewise, until that happens, probably no one will ever write of us a sentence like these representative examples:
"Russians may stand very close to you when conversing. And they are very demonstrative, so don't be surprised if you are on the receiving end of body hugs, backslapping, shoulder pats, and other casual contact."
and
"Be prepared to be patient. Whereas American and Canadian businesspeople tend to think in terms of days and months, the Japanese do so in terms of years.(...) Among a group of Japanese businessmen, the one who is most silent is probably the one in charge, especially if he is also older."
d. if you've ever felt like the exception to a description (for example, let's say the ones above!) then you probably are exceptional. I wonder if that's an excuse for ignorance of reality for a lot of people. Especially exceptional people. Does there seem to be a lot of otherwise-exceptional people saying, "Well that doesn't apply to me. That can't be universally, generally, or even somewhat true. Q.E.D." (whatever THAT is--whether a generalization about a group of people--let's say white Americans, or men, or geeks, or what-have-you)
e. I think it behooves exceptional people not to be ignorant of how people perceive them, fairly or not and to continue to be exceptional by 1) proving folks wrong and 2) showing empathy for a history that may negate or outweigh their own personal experience. Yes, it can suck, but knowing it sucks means you probably have some insights and maybe could help rather than be reactionary about it.
Two books I recommend are Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands and Do's and Taboos Around the World for Women in Business (the quotes above are from the latter)
feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
[edit: these and other observations, many of them turned upside down by drink, will be open for relaxed discussion when I join the rest of the cool kids at omegacon tomorrow! see you there; boo yah!]
a. until we are factually an oppressed minority or have endured historically long suffering (greater than 300 years, say) or have lost a war, middle and lower class european americans will not ever know the trials of the other ethnic and cultural groups. that will always be there to indict us, often deservedly so.
b. until we know that, we may never be treated, with equality, either
c. likewise, until that happens, probably no one will ever write of us a sentence like these representative examples:
"Russians may stand very close to you when conversing. And they are very demonstrative, so don't be surprised if you are on the receiving end of body hugs, backslapping, shoulder pats, and other casual contact."
and
"Be prepared to be patient. Whereas American and Canadian businesspeople tend to think in terms of days and months, the Japanese do so in terms of years.(...) Among a group of Japanese businessmen, the one who is most silent is probably the one in charge, especially if he is also older."
d. if you've ever felt like the exception to a description (for example, let's say the ones above!) then you probably are exceptional. I wonder if that's an excuse for ignorance of reality for a lot of people. Especially exceptional people. Does there seem to be a lot of otherwise-exceptional people saying, "Well that doesn't apply to me. That can't be universally, generally, or even somewhat true. Q.E.D." (whatever THAT is--whether a generalization about a group of people--let's say white Americans, or men, or geeks, or what-have-you)
e. I think it behooves exceptional people not to be ignorant of how people perceive them, fairly or not and to continue to be exceptional by 1) proving folks wrong and 2) showing empathy for a history that may negate or outweigh their own personal experience. Yes, it can suck, but knowing it sucks means you probably have some insights and maybe could help rather than be reactionary about it.
Two books I recommend are Kiss, Bow, or Shake Hands and Do's and Taboos Around the World for Women in Business (the quotes above are from the latter)
feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
[edit: these and other observations, many of them turned upside down by drink, will be open for relaxed discussion when I join the rest of the cool kids at omegacon tomorrow! see you there; boo yah!]