The better we understand others, the more effective citizens we become. Having a objective perspective helps us appreciate the world we live in and the people around us.
Its important to gain a global understanding--usually we tend to view our own way of life as "right" or "better" but its important to think critically about the strengths and weaknesses of all ways of life, especially our own. We can understand ourselves only to the extent that we understand others.
Verstehen is the german word for understanding. A german philosopher said that "understanding" is not just to observe what people do, but also to share in their world of meaning, coming to apreciate why they act as they do.
I once had a Missions professor who said that to understand somone else while you are in their country you must be vulnerable. If you go to another country and take on the roll of listener, and learner, rather than ambassador or proud patriot, you are far more likely to be accepted into this society.
This is also everyday life. If you listen to others view and ideas, whether you agree or not, you are posing no threat.
This is just the begining of a paper i am writing.... also i am just really pissed off at close minded people living in an ethnocentic world. (click the word ethnocentric) I told my communications teacher today that my parents always made sure that I accepted people who are different from me. Simple curiosity. God made all people different, each culture unique. A belief in God insists on celebrating the beauty of culture.
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1 comment:
the small minded people that you encounter everyday...they do not even make up a fraction of the rest of the world. without that small town, you would never have known me...you would never have known Marco. who knows what other opportunities wait for you in this next year? do not let the fools rob you of your joy.
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