Inquiry Conference

I attended a fascinating presentation today on perceptions. The question posed was "Are perceptions real?" He analyzed the social lens' we each possess. These social lenses can include age, religion, stature, gender, education level, language, nationality, and race. They distort reality. What really interested me was the lens of language. Language determines provides a context for perceiving the world. It even determines what we can experience in the world. If we do not even have the words to describe something, does it exist? (1984 anyone?) He discussed a book, "Through the Language Glass" that explores this idea. This book poses the idea that language create the paradigm through which we perceive the world. Language affects more than attitude; it shapes what you desire and fear.

The second half of his presentation discussed lessons he has learned over the years while abroad. I will outline a few here. Americans often sacrifice human relationships for efficiency. Assembly line style restaurants, self checkout grocery stores, even traffic laws. In much of the world, traffic laws are not observed, yet there are few head on collisions. They put their trust in people rather than laws. Don't be an American "Monkey Mind". "Monkey Mind" describes the American tendency to run around from place to place be distracted by every new thing. Relax instead. Recognize what the world has that America does not.

While these lessons were a wonderful introduction into the global world, I felt somewhat conflicted. He stressed going to abroad not with the attitude of "I will change the world" but letting the world change you and your paradigm. While I hope to be able to experience this, I also want to find ways to help those  in the international world. I want to change the world. I do not want to lose all my convictions in the quest to 'understand their culture'. This is one of the reasons I decided not to pursue Anthropology. I do not want to refrain completely from judgement. There is a fine line between cultural context and the idea of moral relativity. Finding that balance will be difficult. I do not want to be rigid and unwilling to learn, but I also do not want to embrace all practices in the name of understanding a culture.