Ruminations on Cultural Understanding

If you haven't yet read about, or finished, the guessing game below, please ignore this post for the moment, scroll down to the previous post, and read it.

With a few directed searches, I'm sure you all have guessed where I am now:

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

 

 

It hasn't been as big of a change for me as you would expect. My family often made trips to India over the summer, so I knew what life here was like before arriving. While I would prefer living in the US, this stay in India has taught me some important lessons.

 

One thing that seems so obvious in retrospect, but is really only apparent when you live in other countries, is that the world is huge. We never really appreciate the fact that despite being the same species, us humans have grown and developed a myriad of cultures that are so diverse that it would take lifetimes to experience, much less understand, all of them.

 

By coming to India, I am now able to see things from a completely different viewpoint that only an Indian can give me. Despite the diversity in the US, due to the fact that everyone I met was from the US, I could never get the point of view I get here.

 

Now, I truly understand what an enormous task international negotiations must be. Everyone around the world has different viewpoints, and very few people have clear understandings of viewpoints other than their own. This single fact is the sole impediment between humanity and peaceful collaboration.

 

That leads us to the point that the globalization we see today isn't really globalization unless it is free of a profit-motive. Once a person frees himself of greed, they can wholeheartedly launch themselves into learning about and comprehending other cultures and viewpoints. Even if they don't agree with that viewpoint, understanding it empowers them, because now they know the true reasons for a certain group's actions.

 

If I learn to understand the Indian during my stay here, I will carry with me a huge advantage. Indians are increasingly breaking out onto the world stage, and if I do any business in the future, chances are Indians will be involved. With a knowledge of the Indian mindset, I'll be able to deduce what motives guide an Indian, and therefore be infinitely more successful dealing with them.

 

Even if I fail at analyzing the Indian mindset, at least I'll return to the US knowing that there's a whole world out there for me to explore.

Return

It's been so long since the last post that this blog has almost died. But, suddenly finding myself with a wealth of time and many new interests, I've dedicated myself to a comeback. Unlike before, I will try my best to utilize all my efforts in maintaining this blog.

 

Of course, before starting, I need to give a few updates, and I have had some pretty major changes in my life.

 

1. With my sister's departure to MIT, my family has entered a new stage of life. And this new stage is taking place in a new location. As I write these words, it is the middle of the night in my previous home in Beaverton, Oregon. I'm in a city with a (purported) population of 18 million people. On the streets I can see S-class Mercs and street-dwellers driving and walking side by side. All around me are the sounds of construction, the drone of fans, and the smell of sweat, pain, hope, desperation, and contentment. Of course, I'm not in the US.
2. Now that the big one is out of the way, I can focus on the smaller changes. This blog is primarily going to focus on my activities and interests. One reason I am reviving the blog, and making dedications to maintaining it is so that I compel myself to find new interests and take up new projects.
3. Some posts may just be my own ramblings. I hope to share any insights of mine I find particularly helpful. Many of the first few posts will be like these, as I take time planning future, more practical, posts.

I assume many of you will have noticed that I left out where exactly I have moved to. If you have not guessed (the details were intentionally ambiguous), I implore you not to search for city population stats, and instead play a little game with me. Here are a few facts about the city I'm in. See how long it takes you to guess where I am.

 

1. This city was originally a cluster of seven islands.
2. This city saw its first economic boom during the American Civil War, becoming the world's most important cotton trading center.
3. This city is home to a mosque that can only be reached at low tide.
4. Despite being the richest city in its country, it is also home to a 535 acre slum.

If you couldn't get it yet, here's one last hint:

 

     5. The city derives its name from the name of a goddess of the Koli people.