Page 16 - Communication across Cultures

Communication across Cultures

derstanding and appreciating the diversity of cultural “software” is crucial for building
inclusive and harmonious societies, as well as promoting cross-cultural collaboration
and understanding.
In summary, viewing culture as our software helps us recognize its role in shaping
our behavior, identity, and interactions. It emphasizes the importance of understanding
and respecting different cultural systems to foster meaningful connections and promote
global harmony.

1.1.3 Culture Is Like the Water a Fish Swims in
Culture can indeed be compared to the water in which a fish swims. Just as the
water surrounding a fish shapes its environment and influences its behavior, culture sur-
rounds individuals and societies, shaping their thoughts, actions, and perspectives.
A fish lives in water where it finds food, reproduces and protects itself from danger.
A fish notices everything except the water it is swimming in. The fish takes the water
for granted because it is totally surrounded by water and it really cannot imagine an-
other environment. The same is true for us. Our culture is so much a part of who we
are and what the world is like for us that we do not notice it. We take it for granted. For
most people, for most of their lives, everything they see and do takes place in the same
culture. Everyone is swimming in the same water. They couldn’t describe the water
even if they wanted to.

Culture permeates every aspect of our lives, often so deeply integrated that it be-
comes invisible or goes unnoticed. It affects the way we think, communicate, and inter-
act with others, much like how water provides the environment for a fish’s movement,

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