Who else can be more sensitivity to culture than we people who make a quick gesture of apology when their feet touches another person. Same etiquette holds true in our culture where books and written materials are treated with respect and as a form of goddess of learning. Imagine how a disrespectful offender is looked upon.
These are few common examples to sensitize us on this topic. Now similarly, when it comes to some other regions of the world, time can have same intensity of cultural value. A recent experience was during a 1 day visit to Niagara Falls. Loads of Indian Film industry crew men were present for a outdoor shoot at this marvelous place. Wow that was a moment of pride for me to see a film being shot and the female performer dressed in a sari. Some music was running in the background and the director and then the performers were doing re-take after re-take. We were in the line standing for about 40 mins for a film crew. This was a day of vacation for about 300 people standing in line. Not a single person lost patience. Not a single person probably expressed his loss of patience. Everybody was observing the act being performed.
The crew finally let the tourists go to their awaited destination under the falls of Niagara. No sign posted to appreciate people's patience and no word of gratitude from the crew was no surprise.
The moment people started passing near the crew members, all they could hear is "Hurry up guys". Excited crew member must have used these words without realizing what it would really mean in that situation. With tourist around this crew from world over, the lasting impression left was not good by any means.
How can one be sensitized to surroundings? What do you suggest?
Ameya,
ReplyDeleteA very nice column! I am totally impressed by your writing style, the content, and no doubt the question raised in the end. I am looking forward to read more about you and your experience.
Now, about the question you raised. Yes, I do agree with you that the behavior of crew members is not at all acceptable. But, who should be blamed for this? Is it their own problem, or is it because of the demigod status given to these so called 'filmstars' by our own society. Society thinks filmstars are our 'hero' because of what they do, thats why these so called 'heros' think what they do is more important, they should be given top priority, and no doubt the attention. Thats why they want others to 'hurry up', so they can perform their divine work.
Remember SRK's detention at Newark airport(in USA), everyone knows about it because it catches all the media attention, every one starts debating over it, but when our real hero, APJ, was frisked at Delhi airport(in India), the media reports it after a month, and no one really cares. I think, it is our time to sit back and think, who are our real heroes, and who deserves what kind of status? Remember that Intel add...pom pom pa pom....
Very apt examples.....Teaching cultural sensitivity to the 'would be onsite engineers' and the film crew being insensitive towards Niagara tourist crowd. I was just pondering over.....what's the difference in the situation in the above examples where same set of people (from same country) are sensitive to culture differently? Well....prior example gives good business/opportunities and the later had nothing to gain from being sesitive !
ReplyDeleteThis forces me to think..... "Are we only sensitive to fulfil our selfish needs? Should the cultural sensitivity be not an naturally imbibed quality?"
First and the foremost...one needs to shed away "WO KYA KARLEGA?" attitude. In all, I feel to be culturally sensitive one needs to be "sesitive" to the impression that he/she is creating.
Mind Blowing Ameya ! Really very good writing style.
ReplyDeleteI think, the incidence happened at Naigara falls is a mere reflection of tendency of Indian Minds. Few words of appreciation ("Thank you for patience") would have definitely resulted into Smiles on the faces.