In understanding different cultures and the world, we do not find them, we construct them. This gives us the understanding that culture can be viewed in a lens that aligns with our own such that we try to see the world in the eyes of the people we face. I think this is important because it allows us to empathize with people – if we were just more understanding of each other, then maybe something as great as wars can end.
I think human rights being considered universal values is a good concept to teach people. Despite differences in race, gender, creed, and socioeconomic status, we all fall under the same sun and moon. This means that everyone is equal, and therefore have rights. This is interesting as society was built in an inequitable manner, but at the end of the day, we are all human. I don’t think anyone is above anyone.
I think that perceptual flexibility is our capability to understand our own culture, but also to shift our perspective into the culture of another. As Global Engagement Minors, I find that this is more and more important in a world that is heavily interconnected. Perceptual flexibility allows us not to necessarily forego our culture and adopt a new one, but to see another culture in a light that broadens our own and allows us to see beyond our immediate world. In a word, it is assimilation.
A “relatively unexplored” cultural subgroup Hofstede mentions is occupations, particularly of ‘values and related sentiments’ of workers around the world of IBM and similar workers unrelated to IBM.
They were similarly correlated because people are similar in countries around the world and generally follow the dimensions outlined by Hofstede and other researchers. This goes to show that people around the world are generally alike.
Power Distance – coming from the Philippines, I see time and time again how both the elite and the working class perpetuate a culture of a power imbalance, specifically in politicians. In my country, politicians are typically not viewed as public servants, but more as royalty. Clearly, I do not agree with this and I hope to change the system one day. Politicians are able to bully locals by buying out their businesses or by telling them they cannot be challenged during elections. A good amount of the people, on the other hand, feel that politicians are to be idolized since they have been in power for years (given that political dynasties are rampant in the country). I do not think the country should work this way as it puts the regular Filipino at risk of stagnancy for life. I believe that people in my country should strive for growth instead of keeping the status quo.
