Demystifying Cultural Paradigms: A Shocking View of Reality
Cultural Paradigm is a shocking and amazing fact that an individual my find as he/she begins the study of human or learners' diversity. In simple words, this paradigms are how people look, and experience things as compared to other people and other places.In my study of this topic, although I am aware of the many differences existing in many culture, I found myself so amazed of the following facts I just discovered:
- In America, friends find humor in insulting each other. It’s a strange anthropological rite of passage in America. You're not part of the group until they start insulting you and laughing at everything cool. If you're roommates haven't started insulting you and laughing about it you're not quite a member of the group yet. It's a strange American thing. Whereas it doesn't work in all cultures. You have to be real careful of things like that ( Prof J. Ivers (2020) , BYU-Idaho Online Learning Video Transcript). Hearing this fact helps me to explain what is going on in with my friends here in the Philippines when we make fun and insult each other. I think we are already adopting this culture although most of the time we end up apologizing.
- African people have rich culture to understand, in their place they seem to be perfectly living a good life and finds other culture such as American culture absurd. Having more wives with them is okay. You may watch the national geographic documentary about some Sudanist guys experience of other culture in this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT0kzF4A-WQ
- Beauty has many different definition. Slim in other country is ugly but beautiful in others ( see also this TED Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/delali_bright_cultural_clashes_in_defining_beauty#t-241643)
- Yes, I found that it is "Meritocracy Paradigms in education" is the most shocking to me and I admit that I also have this thinking just like most people.
- Meritocracy says things need to be earned. You need to deserve what you get. If you get something good it needs to be deserved. You need to stand out to deserve it. Prof Ivers (2020) mentioned that the smartest kids are the only one allowed in top ranking schools instead of the dumbest ones so they get the best education to succeed.
Study of Cultural paradigms is truly amazing. Understanding and doing something with these paradigms could be the key to problems in education.
Rerences:
Prof J. Ivers (2020) , BYU-Idaho Online Learning Video Transcript
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BT0kzF4A-WQ
https://www.ted.com/talks/delali_bright_cultural_clashes_in_defining_beauty#t-241643)
Hi Melvi,
ReplyDeleteI loved your blog post! You made it very dynamic and interesting to read. I also was impressed by the paradigm we have about learning in schools that Prof. Ivers taught, he made me ponder of what other paradigms we have and we don´t know it can be different.
I love your images!