Cultural ignorance interferes in the lives of many. Let’s start with the definition of ignorance as stated in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Ignorance is the state or fact of being ignorant which means having a lack of knowledge, education or awareness. We are living in a global society. The differences in our values, norms, practices and beliefs don’t have to separate us. We need to be smart in defining effective ethical guidelines to deal with “the otherness of the others” (Ess, 111).
Gaining familiarity with those you commonly interact with, albeit at a store, work taking a walk, or for a less obvious way; communicating online. For consequentialist reasons this is a priority necessary for us to gain something from another culture. In online interaction there are many emotions and tones that are hard to convey or misconstrued which lead to confusion and sometimes animosity. While you can sense this more easily face to face, online communication can go on for some time building up bitterness that one is being hurtful and that may not, in fact, be the intent.
I like to challenge others to break down barriers of cultural ignorance by communicating with others with a genuine interest in learning why they practice traditions or beliefs that I may not. Ask for “permission to go there” attitude society can become a better place. Those sitting around us right now, maybe in our own house, maybe our neighbors, may not have the interest in expanding their horizons at all. I am ok with those who choose that route so long as they contain themselves not to be offensive to others. It’s a shame but I am certain we are not ready to say the US is fully open to our culturally diverse population. Another thing that doesn’t help is when one party voices a concern, the other culture may bash them and the tension scale continues to rise, thus, the cycle continues. To transform society it takes a lot of supporters that are willing to hear both sides, and with some gentle understanding, allow the concerned party to be ok where they are at knowing that they can ask, and learn when they are ready. Like Ess states “We learn to shift from the initial uncertainty, fear and hostility that deep cultural differences often inspire, to a posture that is more open to and actively interested in such differences.”
I completed a course that had some service learning attached to it. Since my time in high school things have certainly changed. After my first session with these high school students it became crystal clear how privileged my own children are. Even something as simple as using search engines seemed to me to be much more difficult for them, but this was a microscopic result of the culture they grew up in. When comparing them to children in the community I live in, I would have never thought things so miniscule could be affected by the place you were raised. What are the underlying factors causing the separation in the way these communities use search engines? Yes, this is a small observation, but I’d say it indicates something greatly engrained in cultural differences. Over the course of the semester I realized how each of them had their own story and when you put all their stories together it is no wonder the classroom was not easy to control. We all have a story; everyone should afford the human privilege of respecting others. While I do not believe we have cultural imperialism in the US as a societal whole, I am sure that some have deep roots towards this in certain religious sects or ethnic values.
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