What culture works best for me?

Noel, J. (2008). Developing multicultural educators (2nd ed). Long Grove, IL: Waveland.





Components of culture-

This section charts out specific aspects of cultural communication, organizational, and intellectual styles and draws examples of how they function in certain societies. This book is extremely well structured easy to follow and well written. I am learning a lot such as: the organization of time as monochronic or polychronic. I want to move to a polychronic society. I feel like that would be less productive, but overall healthier for my body. I am sure both styles entail benefits and disadvantages, but I think that too much of either can be problematic. I noticed the differences in countries like the Dominican Republic where people run on island time and they show up when they can, if they can and in Mexico, where people's lives took priority over deadlines. I never knew that was a mode of communication or that there was a classification for concepts of time. This classification and structure of cultures is fascinating to learn.


High Context Society  Pro's                                  Con's

                                   -accountibilty                   -less freedom for socio-economic mobility
                                   -more human contact        -more room for unhealthy and unfair relations
                                                                              such as nepotism or abuse of power
                                   -low stress                        -not very productive, less capitol, poverty

Low Context Society Pro's                                  Con's

                                   -independence                   -less healthy human bonds and lack of social
                                                                               support and the all important sense of belonging
              
                                   -highly productive             -emphasis on productivity has lead to the neglect
                                                                               of human wellness and lead to stress and disease

                                   -fluid socio-economic mobility    -loss of sense of belonging and connectedness
                                                                                         to geographical location, family, and respect
                                                                                         of history and elders


Personally after living in a low context society moving to a high context culture was so refreshing for my mental health. Honestly, I was so stressed that I couldn't breath. I now seek out the high context culture in my home by reprioritizing where my time and energy is spent. I seek out high human contact activities and communities like contra dancing. There are so many aspects to culture the beauty of living in a multicultural society, you can pick and choose which aspects work for you and embrace them.


Functionalist Perspective on Cultural Socialization- education serves only to maintain the predominant power in power. [This viewpoint is so sad yet true. I see it everyday. Schools are extremely political and the children with the most influential parents can shape the policy in the district. SAD.]