Cultural Assumptions 2

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Cultural Assumptions 2

• More of the underlying assumptions that Americans
  make which complicates their understanding of
  other cultures and thus how to communicate to them

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V. Equality of all humansIntroduction

• Relationships are horizontal between two
  autonomous individuals who are presumed to be
  equals
• Basic meaning is equal opportunity (not leveling
  everyone to a common social level).
• Equal say in decision making
• The majority do not violate the rights of the
  minority
• Though not always practiced (treatment of
  minority groups) few would argue these groups are
  inferior or should remain in lower classes
• Concept is absurd to most of World today
• As humans are higher than animals, so some humans
  are always higher than others
• S.E. Asian caste system categorizes people
  intrinsically different without the same rights,
  or opportunities
• Lower castes are only paying for previous sins in
  a former life.
• If they accept the suffering, their sins will be
  purged and later born into a higher caste next
  round.
• To say that all are equal is to say that sin is
  never punished, and righteousness is destroyed.

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b. Informality

• Because of our view of equality, NAs dont
  understand hierarchical relations
• Where rank is important giving respect is vital
  or a horrible insult results
• Americans like to kid around, but can be
  destructive, especially with a superior.

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c. Competition and Free Enterprise

• Winning is part of NAs culture
• Schools train for competition and self-reliance
• Little place is given to losers, weak, failures,
  slow or retarded
• Western mentality is to play by the rules.
  Umpires act as God and in like manner the
  government keeps everything fair.
• Competition
• This is foreign to much of world
• Many teach not to compete or take issue with
  another
• Told not to try to be the best or disagree with a
  teacher or elder

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d. Direct and Confrontational

• NAs want to face a problem and solve it quickly
• Japanese prefer to work indirectly to achieve
  ones purpose
• Skill in social maneuvers is praised
• Bluntness is embarrassing.
• Better to solve the problem in private and
  announce it in meeting
• In Thailand a 3rd part is used to reach
  agreement, even to choose a mate or buying a
  house (like our broker)

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e. Cooperation in group

• Competition motivates individuals to cooperate as
  long as the personal goals can be realized. Thus
  commitment is only partial
• Other cultures think we are only opportunists

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VI. Priority of Time over SpaceIntroduction

• NAs has high value on time (it is scarce and
  should be saved). It can be wasted and lost
  forever. Employers buy the time of employees.
• Non-industrial cultures work is not tied to time,
  but to a task to be done, seasonal fluctuations,
  temperature and rain, or ceremonial cycles.
• Rituals, dramas, and church services begin when
  people arrive! Visits seldom pay any attention
  to the clock

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b. Linear Time

• NAs concept of Time has a beginning and end,
  flows at a steady rate, without repeating and can
  be measured and planned
• Two questions always in the Western Mind
  How/When did things begin? And How will they
  end?
• In the rest of the world it is not a commodity
  nor is it linear.
• In Africa it is episodic and discontinuous
  (mythical time, historical time, ritual time,
  agricultural time, seasonal time, solar time,
  lunar time, etc)
• In S. Asia time is cyclical and linear, born and
  reborn, where these cycles are part of the
  greater life of a god, with beginning and end.

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c. Future Orientation

• For NAs the future is most important
• We plan as if we could control the future
• Spend little time learning about our ancestors
• Old ways inferior to new ways
• Keep date books with schedules months in advance
• Other cultures focus on either past or present
• Traditional Africa though focus on the past
• Mythical past of great tribal events
• Recent past of known ancestors
• Immediate past and immediate future
• Traditional Chinese thought places emphasis on
  the present

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d. Emphasis on Youth

• Evident in commercial advertising and
  entertainment
• There are few attempts to involve old into
  mainstream society, like they have little to
  contribute
• Around the world the elderly are viewed
  positively, shown respect, given honor, with no
  concept of retirementwhich is a Western concept

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e. Time over Space

• For NAs time is more important than space.
• Land is a commodity that can be bought and sold
  like anything elsewith time land becomes more
  valuable
• Time is precious because we live our lives only
  once and it is gone
• Elsewhere land is sacred and more important than
  time.
• Ties people to their ancestors, cultural heroes,
  or gods
• The closest we come to understanding this view is
  IsraelAll our biblical history is felt
  thereIsrael will die to protect it.
• Perhaps the greatest obstacle to evangelistic
  work with the American Indians is how we took
  their land and put them in meaningless areas,
  gutting their spirit to this day!

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VII. Emphasis on SightIntroduction

• NAs emphasize sight over sound, touch, taste or
  smell (world view, I see or Lets look at a
  situation) Plato made the switch from oral to
  visual ideas modeled by an immobile figure
  visualized on a motionless field.
• Most of the world is in an oral society where the
  primary experiences are passing events and
  memories
• The idea that the world is a dynamic interaction
  of people and other things
• Thoughts are highly organized, but in different
  ways (formulas, proverbs, riddles, myths, etc.),
  mostly dealing with concrete human experiences
  rather than abstract thoughts.
• Usually involve an interaction with hearers
• As we are affected by literature and TV, they are
  by stories.

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b. Abstract Knowledge

• Writing divorces the reader from the messenger
  (writer)
• The concepts of the book are tested, not on the
  credibility of the writer whom we dont know, but
  on the ideas themselves.
• We tend to build abstract systems of ideas not
  related to daily life.
• Missionaries often guilty of teaching ideas
  unrelated to daily lifemore concerned about
  right theology than practical living.
• Jesus taught in practical parables
• Oral people listen to someone they
  respectcommunication is tied to the person

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c. Storage of Information in Writing

• NAs trust a written message invest in school,
  books, magazines with little thought given to the
  traditional non-literate forms of communication
• Much of world depends on oral information stored
  in songs, proverbs, riddles, stories, drama,
  dance, ritual and oratory.
• They do not have to become literate to become a
  Christian
• We do not have to wait the 15 years to translate
  the Bible

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d. Emphasis on Knowledge

• With information storage in written form great
  value on knowledge
• Those who acquire it are given high status.
  Science would be impossible without it.
• Often this is divorced from lifeFaith is usually
  described in terms of knowledge rather than
  discipleship.
• To many understanding the gospel is a verbal
  assent, rather than giving our lives in
  obedience.
• Oral cultures prize wisdomthe ability to deal
  with everyday life, the skill of knowing how to
  live. Many illiterates are very wise.

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e. Systematic

• Writing allows us to organize much information
  and rework them.
• Divorces rational thought from feeling. Printed
  page cannot communicate emotion like an oral
  presentation.
• We stress long rang planning, logical development
  of educational program.
• In oral societies life is experienced for what it
  really isa series of interruptionsthough
  systematic thinking is necessary for leadership
  to guide young believers.

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Missionary Bias

1. Not everyone is effected by all weve discussed
2. Our way of thinking is very deeply held and is
   assumed correct
3. Important to recognize the extent of our cultural
   bias and understand others are the result of a
   different set of bias
4. We dont have to give up our assumptions because
   we need them to organize our thoughts.
5. Our cultural assumptions may run contrary to the
   Bible. We are not a Christian culture though
   highly influenced by it.
6. If we confuse our gospel with our culture we will
   introduce a culturally-bound gospel to others.