How American Are You?

One of our tasks during language school is to begin to understand the culture. Language is only one part of communication. In the blog we have shared some of our cultural learning. When we went through missionary training at the Center for Intercultural Training (CIT, www.cit-online.org) we learned about the framework of cultures and how to enter a culture as a learner.

Adapting to a new culture is not easy. The word picture that sticks out in our mind is one of square pegs in round holes. At home our square shape fits pretty well into the square holes of American culture. But other cultures can be pictured as round. To fit into the round hole of a new culture, we need to loose our corners. Ouch! Ouch for us as we lose deeply engrained habits and values. Ouch to the people in the host culture as our pointy corners bump into them! Looking at our own culture objectively can help. We thought you might like to take a look at American culture with us. We have been reading a book called, "American Cultural Baggage" by Stan Nussbaum. Here are the author's Ten Commandments of American Culture:

1. You can't argue with success. (Be a success.)
2. Live and let live. (Be tolerant.)
3. Time flies when you are having fun. (Have lots of fun.)
4. Shop till you drop. (Be a smart shopper and a good consumer.)
5. Just do it. (We are people of action.)
6. You are only young once. (Do whatever you can while you have the chance.) Seize the day.
7. Enough is enough. (Stand up for your rights.)
8. Rules are made to be broken. (Think for yourself.)
9. Time is money. (Don't waste time.)
10. God helps those who help themselves. (Work hard.)

You may want to argue with some of these, but they do seem to fit our overall American culture. The author goes through them and other values using proverbs and sayings, explaining how these values play out so that a foreigner can understand them. He then discusses how these cultural beliefs can get Americans in trouble in other cultures.

Here are some examples of how proverbs may need to be rewritten in other cultures:

If you want something done right, do it yourself. "If you want something done right, get some friends to help you." (p. 74)

"If the shoe fits, wear it. If the shoe would fit (if an accusation is true), don't put your foot into it and let people see that it fits." (page 113)

"an Indian friend once remarked to me (Stan Nussbaum), 'For you Americans, a problem is something to solve. In India, a problem is something to live around.' " (p. 135)

Reading this book and living as a foreigner has challenged some of our thinking. Not just what we do or the reason we do it, but even deeper - the values that are so engrained we are often not aware of them until we experience conflict or stress because of them. While many of our values are based on God's word, there are others that are based on culture and in these values, we can be more flexible.

Want an interesting read? Pick it up. The book is not pro or anti- American culture. Possibly find an friend who has recently moved to the United States and ask him/her to read it as well. I think you would have some very interesting conversations!