Tag Archiv für 'Kultur'

Dimensions of Culture

Due to the fact that certain lectors begin to introduce Geert Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions in a few courses this term, I remembered something from my Intercultural Communication’s course last semester. Here’s a small perspective concerning Hofstede’s dimensions of culture as excerpt from an email conversation with my lector James of the IC course, and I believe it might become a quite valuable note (for myself and whoever likes to adopt this idea) for future development:

Hofstede is controversial. Some people think he is right (especially people who do marketing). I think that both his methodology and his conclusions are grossly wrong. I also give reasons for this in some of my classes. The only thing I like about him is some of his terminology.

You will have to get used to the idea that some [people] can have extremely different opinions.
It’s not necessarily wrong to introduce Hofstede (even if you then reject his ideas). My own current approach is to introduce the general idea of a dimension (and criticise it), and then present a combination of Hofstede’s and Trompenaars’ dimensions as “useful words”. As words they are useful, as dimensions not (IMHO).

Kommentare geschlossen

Me and my day

Before I will speak about examples on how a small glimpse of my daily life would appear to be, I want to clarify that I do not set my life within a schedule or its parameters. I certainly like to follow some order, but do not revise my daily habits or even life’s special events under such generalizing rule just to have a schedule that keeps myself a day, week or a month busy.

Instead, I live for the moment - I live for the now. But why and how can you do this in our modern world? Yes, we face the outburst of civilization all day. All of us who are here use already a part of this civilization - its digital revolution called “internet”. I do not want to emerge upon the internet itself and how it changes or affects people, but instead I will link this towards our daily life of course. So what happens with all of us?

Once you are born as a member of a society, you have to learn about it and do your best to understand the society. You grow up through an educational process while your body is being prepared naturally for breeding and reproduction. Then you will see through your intelligent mind that all of our world and certainly the society in which you live is being bend together as i.e. technology, ethics and politics or any other things merge together to create a huge apparatus that controls more or less our lives. We have to work to earn money, which we can spend on food, clothes or fuel to drive the car to our work, or buy a bike to cycle to the gym to keep our body in shape… and much more. But the key is that all things that are being bend are meant to be broken.

To abolish or defame our societies is not imperative to the subject of this escape from that reality in which we apparently see ourselves. Instead, the act of breaking a bend is not destructive, but a way of personal escape. As you break, you emerge from the situation and find your path in a new center if situation demands such act. I personally achieve a break as I allow my mind to be set free to think whatever its free will wants to think, while I subjugate still to society’s means. As I’d break apart from society, I would be left alone as an outcast, and an outcast has per nature’s rule no chance of survival - and still prefer to survive than running into the daggers of my own backstabbing.

That may explain why I allow to break out and escape in my mind. There I can live for the moment - as I can live for the now. On top of this, it is not a withdrawal from society but only an alternative path chosen by the individual. The moment itself grants me permission to think and use my free will in my mind, while we all know that the pure free will is revoked by any society that provides its members with laws and order.

This interlude shall be used as if you see through a lens while reading the following excerpt about my daily habits and my daily life. Me and my day at best:

House-Work: Once or twice in the week my time is consumed with this ravish exhaustion of my mind and body. Cleaning my home is important for me, as it will grant me a freshly renewed base to let my thoughts dwell on other things while I am here. It includes all kinds of work while I do certain things more often in a week such as doing the dishes of course. I have no hard feelings while vacuum cleaning, as I see it as a must. Same goes for cleaning the bathroom or kitchen, or any other part of my living center called home. Unfortunately, this kind of work is limited due to the amount of other work

Money-Work: Living without money is not a near possibility, I sometimes earn money through my skills and mind as a programmer and webdesigner. It is a must, as it will give me money - if ever. But I’d rather prefer to do something else than that, if money and status would not rule the world, I would rather prefer to work as a lecturer for Media-Culture.

Work in: Entertainment is a must for the mind. Through this, I read, I write - and yes, I am an artist. However, I have no difficulty to go out on a Saturday night to the clubs where I meet people, friends and new faces. Last year I went out five times a week, by now its only once or twice. Saves money, saves prestige, and it saves your health. Sometimes I walk with my dog once I take her off my parent’s house, I love to be outside in summertime and prefer to sit inside with lots of candles in the winter. All adds the welcomed spice to life - without it, its tasteless.

Resume: I do not get tired at my exhibits, instead I am eager to face the next phase of my future while I celebrate each moment of it. Anything else might be of no use to present it here as this can be summed up in two ways - twisted desire that fascinates for the moment vs. tedious habit that grew up from society’s expectations. And what would I do without this woman?

Tags: , , , ,

1 Kommentar

The Ideal Understanding

The ideals I share within my life are ideals that represent the following: Ideals are made to be an ultimate object or aim of endavor, as they are goals within our personal reach. Through an ideal’s positive factor, they become a regarded model, basically an example for yourself and for others once you are able to share them. My ideals are merely equal, as there is no priority or hierarchy meant while I count them up. However, the final part will explain itself, and it will stand as basement for any other ideals as I see them as most important ones amongst the many.



My Idealism


Helpful and Obedient
As you are living in a modern world, you are usually limited through society. Law and order exists, and you are expected to obey these rules and codes of conduct. You are submissive to the command of authority, while you are able to offer your own self towards society. You are helpful, you are granting access to your own understanding - your helpful manners and obedient self will match each other in equality to ensure that obedience and helpfulness will not fight against each other or against any other of your ideals.


Courteous and Kind
Respect for and consideration of others is as important as being polite to everyone regardless of their age or position. Good manners make it easier for others to get along with yourself, and through this gentle behaviour you will gain an inner strenght and ability to interact with the many. To treat others as you want to be treated is the root of a potential future.


Cheerful and Friendly
Respect shall be shown towards others in two ways: As first, you must grand them your respect as you respect yourself, and as second, you must be able to respect them even higher than yourself if necessary. To act cheerful with a look for the bright side of things assists in the act of being friendly towards others. While respecting one, there is no excuse to respect another less without provocation.


Thrifty and Protective
Repaying my life through the ideals that I wish to preserve for myself is one way, while the help and assistence I can offer for others is another. Saving and protecting beings as much as conserving nature is a foundation of carefully saving time and property.


Brave and Courageous
To face danger although you are afraid is a duty on its own. Danger may be the result of your thoughts about people, society or structure, and you may be threatened for your opinion. To have this mental and moral strength to preserve these thoughts is a vital ideal for your survival in society.


Clean and Fair
For the mind, body and spirit it is a requirement to have an honest mind. To be free from idealistic failures, a moral corruption or sinister connections of any kind is an important ideal if you wish to act respectful towards another being. A fair judgement is achieved only in this way, as there is no excuse for misguided thoughts. The body and mind will be trained with fitness, as I choose the company of those who live by high or even higher standards.


Reverence and Respectful
Certainly, the majority of individuals has a basic set of believes settled around a religion. For religious matters, as where spirituality equals with religion, I have the honor or respect towards a belief even if it is not my own. I acknowledge positive religions, as it would be the sin of mind to be disrespectful towards the belief of another, while I reserve the right to expect the same ammount of respect for my ideals and believes.


True and Trustworthy
To tell the truth is imperative, it is a sign of honesty and acknowledgement to show that you can depend on somebody, i.e. trustworthy people keep promises. However, the truth must not be told always once you have to protect somebody from your knowledge to limit the chances of pain of this person.



Loyalty and Honor


Loyalty is what exactly?
If I see myself as a political man, its as if I’d face myself unswerving in allegiance. Take this as being faithful to one’s lawful sovereign or government. The same goes for military activity as much as politics, even if some people aren’t as loyal as they should - traitors exist everywhere.
But primarily, loyalty for the single human being in our society goes beyond political idealism. Instead, when speaking about loyalty, the individual of society considers this as a faithful act to a private person to whom its fidelity is due, or if focussed upon objectivity its a faithful act to a cause, ideal, custom, institution, or product.
As loyalty within political structures reflect the primary meanings of loyalty such as a devoted trust in whatever people can think of, the word loyalty requires other things too.
I could not be loyal without honor and my “Second Eye” view - which reveals the other opinions concerning my possible loyalty towards me. That should actually conclude that I am a very disloyal man - or not?


Where and how is my loyalty centered?
I think not that I’m a disloyal man -or I’d be an outsider of society- because I indeed have the honor and loyalty towards myself. This is very important, hence without it, there would be no other choice of loyalty at all. With this, I keep track of my ideals, my concepts, my principles, my visions and my opinions and judgement.
Coming as next is the most usual and open-hearted act of loyalty - to be loyal to your clanhouse - mostly known as family. My beloved ones and close friends are those that I wouldn’t dishonor unless they make the mistake to be considered for exclusion. But that happened only once so far.
The rest belongs to the loyalty concepts of politics. I am a politician and know how to keep my focus upon my party, my adversaries and government. And I am a supporter of various groups too. Here I am as loyal as you can imagine - and have no need to backstab or plot treachery.



Mistakes or Wanted?


Have you noticed that I am loyal to my adversaries? My enemies?



Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” — Napoleon Bonaparte


It would be a mistake by me if I’d not trust them, not honor them as much as I honor me. If I’d see myself higher than them, I’d be more likely going to fail my own loyalty by loosing my position, my abilities, my interest, my devotion, my desperation, and my demand for law, order, righteousness and idealism. Loyalty indeed implies a firm resistance to any temptation to desert or betray - and if you’d betray your enemies… to who could you be loyal to in the end?


Current mood: Skeptisch

Kommentare geschlossen



Mein Name ist Mike Schnoor und ich präsentiere dem frivolen Internetuser ein erstklassig privat geführtes Medienblog. Die Themen siedeln sich zentral in der Medienwelt an: Web 2.0, Weblogs, Video on Demand, TV, Radio, Print, Medien, Marketing und Kommunikation.

Wer anderer Meinung ist, erreicht mich schnell über das Kontaktformular.

Subscribe to Bloglines TopBlogs.de


© Copyright 1997-2007 by Mike Schnoor. All rights reserved. Telagon Sichelputzer is powered by WordPress: RSS Beiträge und RSS Kommentare
Über uns | Archiv | Kontakt | Plugins | Login | Datenschutz | Impressum