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The other day I got to thinking about some of the ironies of
history. And it occurred to me that in some dream-altered
way that we are still fighting the Crusades.
You know except for the rare expeditions such as the
ones taken by Thutmes III, the ancient Egyptians didn't
get involved much with the cultures of the Levant and
others in the Middle East. In fact it seems that the
Egyptians thought those peoples were crazy.
No comment on that. But it seems to me that a good
general rule of thumb might be the one I have always
held to with regard to the people in the apartment
buildings I have lived in: Don't get involved with
your neighbors. Because it almost always turn out
badly.
Difficult to do these days, though. It is no longer
just a matter of dealing with the countries whose
border lies next to yours. Nations today are connected
by a huge web, including instantaneous electronic
sources. And while that can often be good and serve
to broaden understanding, it can often intensify the
clash between certain cultures.
CNN provides news to countries the world over. And
yet along with that it also provides the product
commercials that go along with it. Across the globe,
a commercial that shows women laying in bikinis out
by a pool might very well convince some that we in
the West are what they think we are — a decadent
culture that uses women. Meanwhile, we here see videos
of women wearing the burka, and we become upset at
what we also feel as an abuse of women. And this is
just one small example of the cultural differences
that are involved.
One thing is for sure, the process of acculturation
won't suddenly stop, no matter which direction the
flow happens to be moving at the time. Mass commun-
ications has let the genie out of the bottle and it
is difficult if not impossible to put it back in.
Information flows across the globe. It flows across
borders and across cultures. As R.E.M. wrote many
years ago — "The atmosphere's no country at all."
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R.E.M."Radio Free Europe."Also you might want to check out Barbie in a Burka.
🙂 good post, Edward … for myself I always thought that crossing borders has to be done in an individual ways … as individual persons, and I know for sure that adapting to each others cultural backgrounds isn't something that just happens because you want it to happen or be like this … but on the other hand it's this special process of adapting that can make life more exciting or exciting in so many ways you even couldn't imagine before … crossing borders always has to be done with respect … respecting others is not a one ways street … I like the connection to R.E.M. :up:
Thanks for your supplement, Dirk. As you say, respect, that's difficult, but the attempt can be worthwhile. Meeting and interacting and learning about different cultures can also teach a person something about their own culture. Or at least that is the case if we want it to be. :up:
🙂 I think we only can be like mirrors for each other … reflecting each others personality … and that's just the fun part of interacting :p
Another fun part of interacting across borders — getting cheap stuff on the internet. :pBTW, and speaking of feeling young, I almost got evicted back in 1984 for playing "Radio Free Europe" about 6 times at maximum volume on the stereo. Seriously. 😆
:p yeah, life seems to get cheaper on the Internet … but somethings are just priceless … like getting evicted for playing music … good music … at maximum volume 😆
:yes: … we will see, I'll be in Indonesia tomorrow morning …
BTW too I do hope that you and Theresia will get to enjoy "no country at all" in a more literal way. :yes:
I really enjoy "crossing borders". My.opera is my favorite website on the internet, because I can cross whatever border I choose, and learn of any culture I choose, at any given moment of the day. (And I'm not just talking about political borders.) There is rarely any "cultural clash" here, and when there is, it can usually be resolved in a few comments, or those involved finally just agree to disagree in some form. Haven't seen anybody bomb anybody here yet.:smile:
"decadent culture that uses women."Everyday when I come home from work, my wife waits to help me take off my shoes and wash my feet. Then she gives me lunch she prepared while I was away. What? Of course she likes it! I am the light of her day… :PTo put joke by side, there are some parts of the world that such behaviour is a normal part of everyday life in one family. Even though it is not acceptable in Europe or America. We think that those parts of the world are not "modern" but it is in their cultures and we must accept it as a difference.I don`t care too much about differencies in politics 😛
@ Star.Originally posted by Stardancer:
Except with questionable humor. :p@ Darko.:lol:I am glad you have such a fine and (cough cough) acquiescent woman to make your life wonderful. :p
I simply can't help getting involved with my neighbors. I am just too curious to stay away. I like people. I have developed a technique over the years. When I leave my house I put my individual personality on hold, sort of adjust the gears to neutral. My mission is not to change everybody I meet into an image of myself. It is in fact the other way around. In order to learn new stuff, I have to put aside my ego and be objective. I guess some ten years of newspaperwork in all regions of society have tought me that. The way I see it, trouble starts when individual personalities clash, not culture or religion or political ideology but personality. I am a Christian, but my personality is not fanatic in any way, which means I can easily be around non-Christians, and I very rarely preach. I am a socialist, but for the same reason, I don't wave the flag a lot. If I was more of a 'burning soul' as we say in Denmark, I would experience difficulties meeting my neighbors – who, in my neighborhood means people from six or seven different cultures. Fortunately, I am not. Fanatism and the lack of ability to look outside your own box is the root of all conflict. That, and fear, but fear is an entirely different story.
Thanks for your comments Martin. Your perspective is more of one of up close and personal.I don't dislike people in general. And the reason I don't get involved with my neighbors isn't that I dislike dealing with people — although to be honest I am getting more that way these days. No, the reason I don't get involved with my neighbors is that it always turns to shit. At least eventually. Someone stops by to borrow a cup of sugar and I am glad to give it to them. And then they stop by to borrow a light bulb. And I gladly give them that too if I happen to have one. And then all of a sudden they are coming over every other day wanting to get stuff. Actually, expecting to get stuff. And it's hard to get rid of them. And then if you say no a couple times in a row, they suddenly become angry. And it can start out so damn innocent. You invite a neighbor over for a beer or a cup of coffee. And you spend a pleasant hour with them. And then suddenly there they are, frigging knocking at your door all the time. Or you are kind to a neighbor in need and help them with a problem. Only to hear 3 months later that the person has been saying totally shitty things about you. I've had all those things happen across the years, some many times, and other things that happened that I didn't include. And finally I learned my lesson. I'm not the Invisisble Man because I want to be. I'm the Invisible Man because I have to be, for my own sanity and to have peace in my life, in my home. If there are people out there who have not experienced these type of things repeatedly, well then they must be either living a charmed life or they associate with with a "better class" of people than I do. As for the social or cultural aspect, well, I've already expressed my view on that one.
Originally posted by Aqualion:
Yes you are right, I think that is the key. It becomes then a kind of "you go to them" type thing. I very much enjoy our conversations, too. :up:
I like our occasional conversations, Ed. I really do.I am extremely carefull with letting people get involved in my private life and inviting them inside my home. I have had enough of the same experiences you mention to know better. I have to know people really close before I invite them inside. However, meeting people on neutral grounds, outside my home, is another story. Fortunately, we have tradition in Denmark of meeting in associations, clubs and communities, mostly small-scale local organisations based on common interests in certain areas, fx. hobbies. Like the poet's organisation down town, or the local recycling thing, I am involved in, or the 'neigborhood newspaper' we are trying to create on the block this spring. And then there's the church in which my wife sings, which have different social activities, much like the streetwork project I was employed at back in Horsens. Enough places in which I can meet people without getting too close, if you know what I mean.Sometimes, on this basis, I will meet people with whom I 'click' and lasting friendships might emerge.My life is not charmed, but I take the liberty of counting my blessings once and again. There are a few.