There is a saying that goes, people are afraid of things they don’t know. That is wrong. I have traveled extensively while serving in the military and had the privilege of engaging with numerous people from different cultures, religions, etc. and differences between cultures can present challenges. Instead of saying, people are afraid of things they don’t know flip it. I believe that people are afraid of the things they do know. Truth be told, challenges exist in all cultures, religions, etc... the good news is we have the power to overcome most differences if we agree to do three things: Demonstrate respect for others, learn from our mistakes and communicate with one another.
Bear in mind that everyone has an image of what their respective world looks like in their mind that shape what they believe to be good, bad, and ugly. Coincidently, the individual can also present varying degrees of good, bad, and ugly as they see fit. The challenge occurs when a person projects their good/bad/ugly characteristic to that “unknown” person, place or thing using the worst of what they do know. When this occurs an individual’s thoughts are limited and subsequently restricts their possible outcomes/possibilities.
Have you ever noticed that the individual who demands the most respect is usually the last person to give it? True respect is a two-way street. There are only two ways that people tend to give respect: Immediately or over time. If giving another person respect occurs over time, it is generally given when the individual has proven themselves worthy of respect. Once respect is given, either instantly or over time, it is important to not that it can be lost in an instant.
Mistakes are going to happen. It is most important to not back away from the mistake without making a serious effort to learn from the mistake and make the necessary changes.
My learning from personal observations is that there are three true lubricants that allows different cultures to rise above their differences and interact with one another with less friction: Demonstrate respect for others and communicate with one another. Since our society is composed of individuals we must realize that we ultimately set the tone for what is acceptable and what is not. We may not be able to influence everyone, but we can try to create an environment where we respectfully approach one another and take personal responsibility to be mindful enough to communicate through our differences.
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