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I added the other names and will copy this one for us to turn in unless I hear from anyone for more edits. edited for spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. -- but still needs 6 more NAMES for the title page



This is the "short" version.



=__**For the final paper:**__ =

To thrive as the human race, a movement must commence in which each person goes beyond cultural awareness and becomes culturally literate. Merely acknowledging that groups of people have different customs, traditions, beliefs, and ways of being is simply not enough. The human race must dig deeper and reveal the unconscious culture which controls the majority of our thoughts and actions. To ignore, or be ignorant of the fact that much of the conflict and intolerance among man, as well as the destruction of the Earth and it's species is directly related to the delusional thoughts and disfunctional institutions of the human race, is to allow the covert demise of the planet to continue down a toxic path. In order to make the world a better place, one in which can sustain and support the human race, it's fellow species, and the planet, it is critical to deeply examine the origins of human culture. As we unwrapped the main ideas of Hall's work, we were introduced to many important ideas. One of the main thoughts shared within the book was the idea presented about the need to totally understand the aspects of a specific culture, we must live within the culture. Many traditions or actions are hidden from the view of outsiders and until a person is living among the people of the culture, these traditions are hidden. We also must never jump to conclusions that someone from another culture is purposefully not being respectful. Within their culture, their actions might mean something totally different. As humans, we are born with similar characteristics. We learn the patterns specific to our culture and once learned, our cultures are no longer in sync. Situational frames such as dialects and behaviors presents many challenges in understanding cultures. Languages can't be learned in a classroom as effective as learned within the context of the situation. Through observations, the outsiders can learn from the habits of others. Everything becomes condensed using only important words and knowledge. Play is a situational behavior that is often ignored within our western culture. Through suppression, man's situational needs have resulted in distortions in the way we live, the meanings we have of life, and how our personalities evolve. Action chains are evident in human lives. If any part is left out, action must start all over again. Overcrowding can cause disruptions in chains unless the overcrowding is part of the culture and they work within the constraints as long as everyone behaves, talks, thinks, and feels according to common patterns. In certain cultures, these chains are a committed way of life. White Americans will break a chain at the drop of a hat if they don't like the way things are going. If these chains short circuit, courtships may turn to rape or a dispute may turn into a murder. People learn in many different ways. Our culture has a dominate influence on our memories. Some cultures emphasize verbal memory in schools which will carry over to the expectations of their jobs having to remember large chunks of information. The US is often looked at as inferior because of the need to refer to manuals when working instead of having these processes memorized! The way one learns and what one learns is culturally determined. Once we are programmed by culture, it is difficult to change behaviors. To change behaviors takes a huge amount of time. Our schools are doing a poor job. Play is one of the most important activities that lead to attainment of adult skills. Through huge misunderstandings the schools reduce the most intelligent to a bored creature. Our schools don't allow for play at all points in the educational process. Another problem is that research has shown we learn from peers not adults. Schools don't have this in place. Schools have rules enforced and patterns of behavior determined. If you don't fit those patterns, something is wrong with you. Our system rewards the highly articulate and those who can work with numbers. Other are left behind. These patterns are internalized into our educational system so difficult to change. We must except that within all cultures there are things that don't make sense to us. In order to understand ourselves culturally, we need to validate the cultures of others. Understanding ourselves and our world is critical today. Cultures give us our identifications through language dialects, ethnic backgrounds, and even skin color. We must develop bridges between these cultures in order to overcome the greatest separation between people. Two key terms come to mind after reading Hall's book; communication and understanding. When dealing with other cultures, we need to move slowly toward understandings before jumping to conclusions. Use interpreters of the culture to help with these understandings. Communication between groups will run smoother if all are aware of traditions and beliefs of other groups. Awareness of cultural differences is crucial in the development of relationships with other cultures.

