What Should We Do When We are Confronted with Other Cultures?

     We should be extremely careful when we confront other cultures. First, we should not be dogmatic and automatically dismiss the other cultures’ ideas and traditions because we are never sure whether our culture and its belief are actually right. However, we should also not accept everything and change who we are and what we believe in because those ideas and beliefs may be corrupt and immoral. Since every culture has different ideas of what is right and wrong, we must be very prudent when we decide what to accept and not to accept.

     I believe that there are no RIGHT or DEFINITE ways to act when we are confronted with other cultures. However, I think that is necessary to first study more about those cultures by learning their language, their belief and custom, and the origins of those beliefs and traditions. If we do not understand the thoughts behind those cultures, we will become dogmatic and stubborn in our belief that our culture is the “correct” culture. We not respect the new cultures because we believe that those societies are queer or even repulsive, so we will never accept those new cultures.

     After we know more about the new culture, we should compare our culture with the new culture. Where do these two cultures come from? What do these two cultures believe to be right and wrong? Why do these cultures believe these things? Which ideas harm people? By comparing the two cultures, we will be able to determine which ideas are right and which are wrong. However, we should not decide on what to accept based on the factor of popularity. Just because others believe that something is right does not necessarily mean it is right.

     Let me give you an example. As a Chinese Christian girl living with an atheist family in a Korean society while attending an American school, I was confronted with many different cultures ever since I was very young. I knew I could not live only by one culture, so I learned about all the cultures I was surrounded by as thoroughly as possible. Then, I had to ponder on which parts I was going to accept. I did not necessarily choose the easiest or the most popular things, such as the Chinese culture telling me to hide my weakness. My decisions were based on what I believed was right.

     Finally, when we are confronted with something in a culture that is extremely immoral, we should try to change that part of the culture. We should not do it by force though. Don Richardson confronted some elements in the Papua New Guinean culture by teaching them his own culture and allowed them to choose between the two culture. Likewise, we should tell those people our belief and explain why we consider that part of the culture so corrupted.