Culture and Professional Communication

This post is styled in letter correspondance.

Vanessa finds culture and personality a hindrance in interpersonal communication; but let us earnestly investigate.

You have treated us too well; agent Vanessa, with this deeply felt post, rather than the holidays us.

But you treated us, too, with a beautiful opinion that culture is a cause of interpersonal conflicts: but isn't that perfectly natural and stating the obvious? For everyone would then be so inclined to think you hadn't, or they didn’t, already know? But we, here and now, like to believe you knew better than that.

But in case it might not have been clear to you, agent Vanessa, allow me to personally give you a treat, consequently.

It makes perfect sense to presuppose differing cultural backgrounds are interpersonal conflicts themselves; simply because difference presupposes conflict, or would anyone decry otherwise?

It is akin to asking if happiness and sadness caused some of the happiness and sadness in our lives, or wouldn't anybody say likewise too? That would be the most inconsequential question of every household in every territory.

So, agent Vanessa, difference is inherently conflict and vice versa, and that makes the question somewhat brain-twisting. Haha!

But, of course; that is not my treat; for I think I know the source of your question, and therefore, here and now, is the real one below.

Conflicting cultural backgrounds are hotbeds for city bedlam; including suburban and rural ones, in any fashion of rule in any social disposition of any state. These conflicts are, from time to time, taken up by anthropological studies, for close scrutiny, with presumably at least some hope for partial resolution.

First and foremost, the means of communication, coupled also with the means of operation or agency, are different from culture to culture, and even from country to country; even though 2 countries may share almost the same culture (china and singapore), but a far away almost. It is the same for language: even though many people speak English all over the world, English in Singapore hardly sounds like English in Africa or Japan or USA; which is sociolinguistics. Similarly, though cultures of different countries are fundamentally the same; by way of territorial difference alone, culture is different enough to be framed separately and respectively; which is socio-cultural.

When agency and means of communication are different; where in fact, agency already presupposes communication as one of its cornerstones; conflict (argument, displeasure, misgivings, ill-feelings, grudges, double-cross, blackmail etc) is inevitable. Just the fact an agent thinks to himself or herself that she is about to communicate with another totally different agent, culturally and therefore mentally, is conflict enough! Because what she sees and hears when he/she interacts with somebody different in actual; or is going to see and hear, as she/he can imagine before the actual, are themselves conflicts: because they are different and therefore the difference. IF THERE IS ALREADY CONFLICT BEFORE THE ACTUAL CONFLICT, agent Vanessa, THEN ALL THE BETTER THERE WILL BE SUCH AS THE LATTER, or would anybody contend otherwise?

So is it any pleasant surprise, agent Vanessa, to say that differing cultural backgrounds are any blame for interpersonal conflicts, or would you hopefully feel unpleasant now? And that these conflicts of culture are exclusively due to differing agencies framed in differing socio-cultural environments, in which also their unique socializations drive, and to that you couldn’t cry foul?

Therefore if I have solved for the above argument; and your treat, consequently, let me move to better arguments and treats!

The only question that would be worthy of argument or treat, is in the method of interpersonal communication one can use in overcoming differing cultural backgrounds that cause conflicts, which hadn’t been asked by agent Vanessa yet; and is not obvious in her question.

But I think the same logic and skills and sensibilities apply: treat every other agent, differently, respectfully, kindly, and appropriately given also the context and mood of the interaction, because every agent has different temper and styles of interaction, regardless of whether cultural differences are present. The interpersonal and delicate method you employ to interact with a Singaporean friend, and supposing you are good at it, shall be the same one you use with an American or Japanese. This is not saying you use the same exact skill; for every agent is different, rather you use the SAME SPIRIT OF BEHAVIOUR OR MOTIVATION!!!

With the above, you will do just fine, with any soul or body; foreigner or not, even with a Tibetan or Eskimo boyfriend, or so in whom I presume you will find discording humor!!

Before the treat is over; your other question: personalities are also somewhat agencies, predispositions, and are no doubt genetically hardwired: but nurture is as much, if not more, important than nature. Therefore I would say personalities are some sorts of dispositions rather, and are also themselves largely framed in and by socio-cultural backgrounds.

And now the treat over; hopefully you have risen to Agent Vanessa!!

Cheers