To what extent does culture influence perception and/or reason?
When people are born and brought up in a certain society, they are inevitably shaped by cultural traditions and norms which in turn influence people's perception of their surroundings. For example, even though I was not born in Sri Lanka, like both my parents were, I was brought up with the same cultural traditions and customs that I would have had in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan culture has definitely influenced my perception, especially regarding respect. In Sri Lankan culture, it is expected that you have a deep respect for your elders. When my parents came to the US, they thought that all the young people they met were disrespectful, when really they were just not brought up with the same cultural traditions and norms that my parents were.
Also, in Shotokan Karate, we are expected to follow the traditions and customs of Japan. So for example, it is considered very rude to sit with the soles of your feet pointing an elder person. I also read an article a while ago about the different manners that cultures around the world had. For example, in Germany and Kenya, you are expected to finish all the food on your plate, otherwise the host will feel insulted because they will think that you did not like their meal. People in different cultures have various perceptions on many things, especially on respect.
Article link: http://www.oh-i-see.com/blog/2013/11/11/20-cultural-dos-and-taboos-manners-around-the-word/
I definitely agree that every culture has it's own thing, and that the people who grow up in it are definitely shaped by said culture. But it's also interesting how there are some general things that cultures have in common. For example, with respect to your elders, I think ( I don't have that much experience with cultures) most societies expect at least some sort of respect, though how far it goes differs between cultures, and some are certaintly more strict than others. It's also kind of interesting how places that seem to be on opposite ends of the world can have similar expectations, for example, (with your example) with Germany and Kenya both expecting guests to finish all of their meal.
ReplyDeleteHow different cultures shape the perception and reasoning of those who grow up in them probably explains why people don't get along so often. Granted, they don't always get along in the same culture, but when combined with a language gap, the problems can seem insurmountable, as what makes sense to one group is illogical to another.
I definitely agree with you that culture does influence perception. One of the things that came up while talking to a partner during our questions game last class was that people also perceive sounds differently because of culture. For example, if someone who grew up in a culture surrounded by violence and war, hearing a pop sound would probably put them in defense mode or make them scared. However, people who grew up in a culture without much violence, only hearing about it on the news, a pop sound would probably not even faze them at all.
ReplyDeleteDo you think that culture has a larger influence on reason or perception? I think it has a larger influence on perception, and perception will lead to reasoning. As you said about your parent's and their Sri Lankan views, their culture made them perceive kids in America as disrespectful.
I think its very intriguing how difference cultures have different effects on people. It even seems a bit weird when you think about it deeply.