What is Different to us, is the Same to Others

Table of Contents Introduction A Comparison of the Two Cultures Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Over the past decades, there has been a mounting interest in the impact of culture on the psychological, mental and physical health of individuals, especially in circumstances where such individuals leave their internalized cultural orientation to embrace new culture.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on What is Different to us, is the Same to Others specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This scenario, largely referred to as culture shock, is known to affect international students and sojourners who, although characteristically only temporary separated from their mother country, suffer from numerous stressors associated with moving into a different culture (Pantelidou Craig 777). Due to overbearing variations between the internalized and foreign cultures, such individuals suffer from an allay of often negative experienc es, including the strain and stress of adapting to the new culture, a profound sense of loss, apprehension and impotence arising from incapacity to cope with the new environment, confusion in self-identity, and a feeling of being rebuffed or abandoned by members of the new culture (Winkelman 121). This paper aims to compare and contrast different aspects of the U.S. and South African cultures with a view to extrapolate how culture shock is experienced by South Africans coming to the U.S. A Comparison of the Two Cultures The move to a new environment, hence to a new culture, is cited by anthropologists and other social researchers as one of the most traumatic events in a person’s life. Coming from South Africa to study or live in the U.S., most individuals will attest to the fact that culture shock is inevitable. More than anything else, â€Å"†¦the multicultural nature of society in the united states creates daily cross-cultural conflict and immersion, making cultural s hock an important source of interpersonal stress and conflict for many† (Winkelman 121). Although South Africa is also known for its ethnic and cultural diversity, her identities are typically dominated by conceptions of race (Narunsky-Laden 5). More importantly, student sojourners headed for the U.S. soon realize that multiculturalism implies totally divergent things in both countries, thus end up experiencing culture shock. In the home culture, multiculturalism often refers to a mosaic of diverse cultures living within a multihued nation, while in the U.S., sojourners come to realize multiculturalism intrinsically implies lots of people with different colored faces and traditions living together (Ulin 809).Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This conceptual variation is difficult enough when the sojourner is conscious of the differences beforehand, but even more difficult when the sojourner is unaware and fallaciously assumes that cultural diversity in the U.S. operates under the same tenets as it does in South Africa. Indeed, students and other sojourners who are ill prepared to face the multicultural nature of society in the U.S. soon realize that culture is more often a source of variance than of synergy. Moving on, body language and non-verbal communication are yet other important aspects of culture that often leads to anxiety and distress when misinterpreted or generalized, not mentioning that scholars have singled them out as major contributors of culture shock among sojourners (Pantelidou Craig 779). In terms of spatial behavior – an integral part of body language – North Americans stand closer to each other and touch each other more in normal conversations than do the South Africans (Billikopf para. 13). Maintaining less personal space and touching each other more in normal conversations in the South African culture is not only considered impolite, but it is seen to border on inappropriate behavior. In equal measure, Americans make more eye contact than South Africans do, hence a sojourner from the African country is more likely to be viewed as shy or introverted in conversations while in actual sense they are not. Through observation, it has been revealed that shaking hands and other gestures prevalent between the two cultures means totally different things, and scholars have argued that generalizing these cultural attributes across cultures may prove dangerous (Winkelman 123). Shaking hands in business negotiations in the U.S. is a cultural sign of the end of negotiations and the beginning of cooperation, while the same implies beginning of negotiations in South Africa and other African countries (Trompenaars Hampden-Turner 56). There exists intense cultural relativism in customs of food between the two cultures. Indeed, the dietary habits, culinary patterns, and table habits in the American culture in trinsically differs from the South African culture. Anthropologists have often posited that different people who reside in different countries across the world have different customs for eating food (People Bailey 16), and migration researchers have pointed that food and eating habits may form formidable pressure points for international students and other sojourners going into foreign culture (Pantelidou Craig 779). This is especially true when sojourners find out that whatever is served on the table in the new culture can only be termed a taboo within their cultural context back at home.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on What is Different to us, is the Same to Others specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More While many Americans delight in eating hamburgers, pizza and sandwiches (People Bailey 16), it is not uncommon to hear of some oriental restaurants serving dog and snake meat, a delicacy that can only be termed a taboo in the South African culture. Such discrepancies in eating habits often cause distress since people are unable to eat the food they are accustomed to (Culture Shock para. 6). It is imperative, however, to note that some customs of food in the American culture, including eating foods by hand, serving food family-style, and remaining standing until invited to sit down, are intrinsically similar to most African cultures (Winkelman 124). Other customs of foods such as not resting your elbows on the dining table, putting a napkin in the laps before eating, and leaving a small amount of food on the plate after eating are inherently different. It is important to understand these habits to curtail embarrassing experiences that could lead to, or enhance culture shock. Although a lot of silences and invisibilities continue to characterize the field of sex and sexuality, anthropologists and other social theorists have cited it as one of the critical areas that leads to culture shock (Par ker 251). In comparing this critical subject across the two cultures, it is evidently clear that the U.S. culture views issues of sex and sexuality more liberally than the South African culture, more so in granting civil liberties to gays and lesbians. These liberties, rarely found in the South African culture, highlights the â€Å"†¦cross-cultural diversity of sexual cultures, sexual identities and sexual communities† (Parker 251). In spite of the momentous conceptual and methodological advances that has taken place in South Africa relating to issues of sex and sexuality, culture still dictates that the subject be discussed behind closed doors, unlike in America where issues of sex and sexuality are openly discussed over dinner, with minors. While an American may not feel embarrassed discussing such issues with minors due to the cultural construction and the moral relativism with which the subject is accorded (People Bailey 16), a South African will most probably feel slighted and embarrassed when issues of sex and sexuality are discussed in the presence of minors. As such, it is important for international students and other sojourners going to America to prepare for such cultural variations to avoid stressful and embarrassing experiences that could aggravate culture shock. Lastly, it is important that the issue of values be discussed. American social, cultural, and religious values are intrinsically different from the South African values. Values are important in determining how an international student or sojourner adapts into the new culture, and the fact that an individual can experience significant distress and anxiety when living in a different culture with different values has been well documented (Culture Shock para. 7).Advertising Looking for essay on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Coming from Sub-Saharan Africa, South African sojourners soon find that some of their own treasured and deeply held cultural values and assumptions may not be equally held in high esteem by members of the American culture, a precedent that may trigger profound culture shock. Conclusion This paper has, in detail, compared and contrasted different aspects of U.S. and South African cultures, and how these aspects often leads to culture shock. More, specifically, the paper has discussed experiences of multiculturalism, body language and non-verbal communication, customs of food, sex and sexuality, and values within the context of how they affect and influence international students and other sojourners as they get exposed to the new culture – the American culture. Of most importance is the fact that such students and sojourners need to deal with these cultural variations in a relaxed and non-judgmental manner (Culture Shock para 7). Adequate physical, mental and psychological pre paration before embracing the new culture is also necessary to avoid generalizations which might prove dangerous (Pantelidou Craig 777). Stressful experiences in new culture will undoubtedly be reduced when the above is taken into consideration. Works Cited Billikopf, G. Cultural Differences? Or, are we really that Different. 2009. Retrieved from https://nature.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7article/article01.htm Culture Shock: Causes and Symptoms. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.comfsm.fm/socscie/cultshock.htm Narunsky-Laden, S. Cultural Economy in Post-Transitional South Africa. Critical Arts: A South-North Journal of Cultural Media Studies, 24.1 (2010): 1-30. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Pantelidou, S., Craig, T.K.J. Culture Shock and Social Support. Social Psychiatry Psychiatric Epidemiology, 41.10 (2006): 777-781. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database. Parker, R. Sexuality, Culture and Society: Shifting Paradigms in Sexuality Research. Culture, Health Sexuality, 11.3 (2009): 251-266. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. People, S. J., Bailey, G. Humanity: An Introduction to Cultural Anthropology. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. 2009. Trompenaars, A., Hampden-Turner, C. Riding the Waves of Culture: Understanding Cultural Diversity in Global Business. London: McGraw Hill. 1998. Ulin, R.C. Revisiting Cultural Relativism: Old Prospects for a New Cultural Critique. Anthropological Quarterly, 80.3 (2007): 803-820. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. Winkelman, M. Cultural Shock and Adaptation. Journal of Counseling Development, 73.2 (1994): 121-126. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database. This essay on What is Different to us, is the Same to Others was written and submitted by user Lucille N. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

buy custom Recruit Select and Induct Staff essay

buy custom Recruit Select and Induct Staff essay Full life cycle recruiting refers to the process of finding, evaluating, and assimilating new employees into the organization. The process helps the business to fulfill its staffing needs through hiring qualified individuals that will ensure the success of the organization. Some company carry out this process in their organization while others delegate this duty to personnel agencies. The management should consider all the policies that affect recruitment in the organization. The policies include equal employment opportunities and discrimination which if not considered would cause conflicts in the workplace thus inefficiency in the work force. Full life cycle recruiting consists of a series of sets that interlink. When a post in the organization becomes vacant, the job description of the vacant post is evaluated by the human resource department. The job description receives approval from the management and using appropriate media the post is announced internally or externally depending on the target audience. The organizaton may use memo, news papers, internet and professional bodies to source for applicants. Some organization visits tertiary institutions during career fairs to recruit workers into the organization. Recruitment of workers is effective if the announcement reaches the targeted audience. For an external audience, the organization should use means frequently used by the public. Applicants send their information to the company. After evaluation of their professional qualifications and their presentations, a successful candidate receives the job offer. The recruitment process may start again if the selection panel is not contented with the candidate, cases of corruption affect the selection process, or the candidate turns down the job offer. The organization has to re-advertise the position to receive other applicants. The selection process narrows down the option available to the recruitment team. The candidate that has the best combination of qualities is offered the job. The candidate offered the job receives the terms of employment and negotiations on the saalary may take place. Induction is the final process in the recruitment cycle; the candidate signs a contract agreeing to the terms of employment. The reporting date is established at this stage. The organization evaluates the workers documents conducting a background check to check the credibility of the worker. The organization may evaluate criminal records, previous employee files and referees quoted by the worker in his resume. After evaluation and validation of this information, the employee reports and is introduced to the organization. A member of the staff is selected to induct the new employee. The person selected should be knowledgeable to represent the organization is the right way. Induction determines the ease of settling into the organizations practices. Induction should take a log time to ensure that the new employee understands the activities conducted in the organization. Equipping the new worker with the information needed to work efficiently in the company enhances the organization effectiveness. Buy custom Recruit Select and Induct Staff essay

Substituting Baking Powder and Baking Soda

Substituting Baking Powder and Baking Soda Holiday baking can be more of a challenge if you discover all your baking soda got used up for baking soda volcanoes and invisible ink. If you have baking powder, it will save you a trip to the store because you can use it in place of baking soda. If your problem is being out of baking powder, you can make your own using baking soda and cream of tartar. Heres how to make the substitutions: Using Baking Powder Instead of Baking Soda You need to use 2 to 3 times more baking powder than baking soda. The extra ingredients in the baking powder will have an effect on the taste of whatever you are making, but this isnt necessarily bad.Ideally, triple the amount of baking soda to equal the amount of baking powder. So, if the recipe called for 1 tsp baking soda, you would use 3 tsp baking powder.Another option is to  use twice the amount of baking powder as baking soda (add 2 tsp of baking powder if the recipe calls for 1 tsp baking soda), then omit the salt (which adds flavor but also affects rising in some recipes). Making Baking Powder You need baking soda and cream of tartar to make baking powder.Mix 2 parts cream of tartar with 1 part baking soda. For example, mix 2 tsp cream of tartar with 1 tsp baking soda.Use the amount of baking powder called for by the recipe. No matter how much homemade baking powder you made, if the recipe calls for 1-1/2 tsp, add exactly 1-1/2 tsp of your mixture.Cream of tartar is used to increase the acidity of a mixture. So, you cant switch baking soda for baking powder. You can switch baking powder for baking soda, just expect the flavor to change a little. If you interested in understanding more about cooking chemistry, you may be interested to learn why copper bowls are better for whipping egg whites or the real reason eating a big turkey dinner makes you feel like taking a nap.

Country eassy 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Country eassy 5 - Essay Example Some of the main wood products that the country exports to other parts of the world include plywood, veneer, wooden floors, and lumber core plywood (Liu). Deforestation is not a major issue for the government of Taiwan. The annual rate of forest loss in the country is nearly 3 to 5 percent which is recovered using plantation of more plants and trees. The major causes of deforestation in Taiwan are large-scale industrial development, logging, and increased rate of population growth. The government of Taiwan takes huge interest in preserving its asset of natural forests. The Forestry Bureau under the Council of Agriculture (COA) is laying the role of a guardian for the country’s one of the most valuable natural resources. It is not only working to increase forest productivity and improve forest health but also it is playing its role in making people aware of the need to protect the forestland of the country (Forestry Bureau). Liu, C. Does the country export wood products to other parts of the world. Hla.hlc.edu, n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2012.

Focus Groups Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Focus Groups - Essay Example The colours used to identify objects, the tone used to communicate , and the environment in which it is done all are important with teaching a particular subject matter. The method by which an instruction is passed on coupled with the quality of content also has an impressionable impact on understanding capability of the recipient. To support the above hypothesis a study was conducted on two groups of children from kindergarten, each group comprising of 10 children between the age group of the age 4 to 5 years .So that there is minimum disparity in the final results due to the level of understanding among the children of the two groups the IQ of the children in both the groups was almost the same. The main purpose of choosing this segment of kids was their total dependence on their facilitators for explaining the content to them. Unlike a slighter older group who can get study materials from reference libraries and the internet, this group due to their limited exposure, would have minimal external influence on the material they would be taught . Their understanding on the subject matter would depend mainly on the method of instruction, the kind of content and the mediums used to deliver it. The first group ( Group 1) was exposed to Montessori way of education and the second group (Group 2) to the traditional public elementary school way of conducting classes. The experiment was presided over by two experienced teachers. Children from both the groups were to be evaluated on a spelling test of 30, five lettered words which would be conducted after a period of about 20 days. The outcome of the two groups would be evaluated on the average scored, scored by each group. Group 1 was introduced to phonetics through the Montessori method of education which lays more emphasis on child development and the over all build up of the child. Here the children were exposed to phonetics in the play way method which helps them learn the spellings by recognising

The Statue of Liberty Lending Credence to the Word Freedom in America E

The Statue of Liberty Lending Credence to the Word Freedom in America The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognized artifacts of freedom in the world. It has the ability to create emotions that range from happiness to anger all at one time. The best way to analyze such a powerful image is to use Kenneth Burke’s idea of pentadic analysis. By using this method of the analysis, we will be able to answer the rhetorical question: How does the Statue of Liberty lend credence to the word â€Å"freedom† in America? To begin with, it is necessary to obtain some background on the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States in 1886 as a gift from France and dedicated as a national monument in 1924 (1). Standing at approximately 46.50 meters and weighing 225 tons it was the largest structure, at the time, to have entered the United States via Ellis Island, New York (1). Before the entrance of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island was used as a border for immigrants who wanted to be a part of â€Å"the land of the free and the home of the brave (2).† With the coming of the Statue, there was something tangible for new Americans to see when they entered the country. With its newfound fame as the first visual representation of the immigrants, the Statue also soon became a link to the idea of freedom and a brighter future. In 1976, a renovation project began to fix some mistakes made in its initial transport to the United States. Lee Iacocca, CEO of the Chrysler Motor Corporation at the time (3), led this renovation. Iacocca began calling the Statue of Liberty, â€Å"Lady Liberty†, as he was fixing the crown, torch and replacing the copper with bronze (3). This new title also shed some light on the significance of the Statue because now liberty and justice had taken over the form of a woman, tasked to watch over the United States like a mother does her children (3). With the background of the Statue of Liberty, we can move on to the importance of the application of Burke’s pentad model in this artifact. Burke’s initial idea of pentadic analysis stems from his view of dramatism (4). According to Burke, dramatism is a way of analyzing material with the desire to form a direct link between human motives and clusters of terminology (4). Foss (1996) points out that dramatism has two fundamental assumptions. The first assumption is t... ...-act, agency-agent, agency-purpose, purpose-scene, purpose-act, purpose-agent, and purpose-agency (4). For the purposes of this analysis, the ratio of act-purpose will be used. By ordering the ratio in this manner, we are stressing the fact that the act and the purpose have the most influential effects on the pentad. However the dominant factor in all of this is the act – the representation of the American Dream and freedom. The significance of the act is defined by the historical struggle of creating a nation of independence and freedom, also referred to as the scene. The statue itself, the agency, communicates this message to the world and at the same time aims to carry out the underlined purpose, by persuading people to remember the ideals that our nation was founded upon. This is where the element attitude can enter the picture. As mentioned earlier, attitude deals with the manner in which the purpose is portrayed. The Statue of Liberty is an object and therefore does not have the ability to verbalize, however, the attitude seen in her towering presence and the stern look on her face reinforce the purpose and allow the message to be effective. The Statue of Liberty Lending Credence to the Word Freedom in America E The Statue of Liberty Lending Credence to the Word Freedom in America The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognized artifacts of freedom in the world. It has the ability to create emotions that range from happiness to anger all at one time. The best way to analyze such a powerful image is to use Kenneth Burke’s idea of pentadic analysis. By using this method of the analysis, we will be able to answer the rhetorical question: How does the Statue of Liberty lend credence to the word â€Å"freedom† in America? To begin with, it is necessary to obtain some background on the Statue of Liberty. The Statue of Liberty was given to the United States in 1886 as a gift from France and dedicated as a national monument in 1924 (1). Standing at approximately 46.50 meters and weighing 225 tons it was the largest structure, at the time, to have entered the United States via Ellis Island, New York (1). Before the entrance of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island was used as a border for immigrants who wanted to be a part of â€Å"the land of the free and the home of the brave (2).† With the coming of the Statue, there was something tangible for new Americans to see when they entered the country. With its newfound fame as the first visual representation of the immigrants, the Statue also soon became a link to the idea of freedom and a brighter future. In 1976, a renovation project began to fix some mistakes made in its initial transport to the United States. Lee Iacocca, CEO of the Chrysler Motor Corporation at the time (3), led this renovation. Iacocca began calling the Statue of Liberty, â€Å"Lady Liberty†, as he was fixing the crown, torch and replacing the copper with bronze (3). This new title also shed some light on the significance of the Statue because now liberty and justice had taken over the form of a woman, tasked to watch over the United States like a mother does her children (3). With the background of the Statue of Liberty, we can move on to the importance of the application of Burke’s pentad model in this artifact. Burke’s initial idea of pentadic analysis stems from his view of dramatism (4). According to Burke, dramatism is a way of analyzing material with the desire to form a direct link between human motives and clusters of terminology (4). Foss (1996) points out that dramatism has two fundamental assumptions. The first assumption is t... ...-act, agency-agent, agency-purpose, purpose-scene, purpose-act, purpose-agent, and purpose-agency (4). For the purposes of this analysis, the ratio of act-purpose will be used. By ordering the ratio in this manner, we are stressing the fact that the act and the purpose have the most influential effects on the pentad. However the dominant factor in all of this is the act – the representation of the American Dream and freedom. The significance of the act is defined by the historical struggle of creating a nation of independence and freedom, also referred to as the scene. The statue itself, the agency, communicates this message to the world and at the same time aims to carry out the underlined purpose, by persuading people to remember the ideals that our nation was founded upon. This is where the element attitude can enter the picture. As mentioned earlier, attitude deals with the manner in which the purpose is portrayed. The Statue of Liberty is an object and therefore does not have the ability to verbalize, however, the attitude seen in her towering presence and the stern look on her face reinforce the purpose and allow the message to be effective.

How Media Affects Society Essay

There are still so many people that will insist that the images on TV and words and picture in Newspaper are not responsible for the problems of the society. The media is a good source of information and entertainment. In this first section I will talk about how the media affect our awareness, knowledge, attitude and behavior. You will see how the people turn to media to learn about Moral, Values and interpersonal relationship from the media. The media give us a perception of various culture, religions and believes. These help the average person to identify him and others. It show how people live like, what they believe in and describe the society. For example most media portrait most middle eastern Arabs as terrorist. They describe their ways of life as not conform with the principle of democracy. But the truth is we do not know anything about their belief. Most television viewers consider Arabs as terrorist because of the way they are portrait in the news. Heavy usage of these images may result in the cultivation of this perception. News that we get from certain media contradict the real society. You have to actually understand their religion and beliefs in order to make a statement about the person or the society. The media have a great effect on the society and in our life experience. We sometimes try to apply these concepts to our everyday life. Teenager like to watch TV shows about Love, fashion, Relationship, Violence, Speed and many other things; when older people watch about Food, Health, workout, antiques and news from the world. Things in TOGO (West Africa) there is a TV show that airs every Thursday evening at 8 o’clock. when you go around all the houses in the country at that time everybody is sitting and watching that series. I do not recall the name of the series but it just impressive how a simple TV show can gather so many people at the same time. This affects everyone behaviors at that particular time. Media can be a great source of wisdom and knowledge but we should realize it’s impact on our society, our family ,our kid and our self. Media also causes people to have a negative view on themselves affecting their self esteem. If you were watching tv or watching a movie chances are that the stars of those shows are going to be attractive, slim or muscular. I believe that this gives a negative effect to teenagers who are still developing. By seeing this they think that they have to look and act the same as the people portrayed in these magazines or shows.