Cultural competence and implications for our current political environment; two men who lived under Soviet communist rule; the Happiness gap.

Welcome to the July edition.

In SAVVY, understanding cultural competence and the elements that define culture provides the opportunity to navigate the intense political environment that is upon us in the USA.

In SKILLS, it is important to practice cultural competence and empathy if we are ever to close the gap on political division. How you choose to get the news and “facts” shapes your values, beliefs, norms and worldview.

In SOUL, how is it that people in cultures where they have fewer modern conveniences can often be happier than we who have so much at our fingertips? What is the antidote to the happiness gap?

This month, I took a Danube River Cruise leaving from Budapest, Hungary and arriving in Prague, Czech Republic. Besides all the cathedrals and castles that impressed me with such history and architecture, I equally enjoyed speaking with many people of such different cultural perspectives.

Two fellow passengers shared their life stories and I was fascinated to compare their escape from Soviet communist rule and their current political beliefs. Daniel lived in Romania and Adam was from Poland (not their real names). Daniel had applied to the government, with great difficulty but ultimate success, to leave Romania. He and his wife have lived for decades now in the USA. Adam, on the other hand, escaped on a work trip to Europe through a refugee support network in Italy. He left a wife and young child in Poland and was eventually able to bring them to the USA decades ago.

The whole trip and these men in particular got me thinking about the intricacies of culture, cultural competence and implications for the intense political environment that is upon us in the USA.

Tip 1: What is cultural competence?

A Google search presented many definitions. But one that resonated with me was:

“Cultural competence is the ability of an individual to understand and respect values, attitudes, beliefs, and mores that differ across cultures, and to consider and respond appropriately to these differences in planning, implementing, and evaluating health education and promotion programs and interventions.”

As I listened to Daniel and Adam describe their lives under communist rule, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to:

• Stand in long lines to get basic supplies and food from stores where shelves were often almost empty. (Remember how it was during the early days of the COVID pandemic.) 

• Watch every word you utter, especially any dissatisfaction with the government, in case you were reported even by a family member and get arrested and incarcerated.

• Get no credible information to know what is happening in the outside world other than what the government allows. 

Born and raised in Australia and a longtime citizen of the USA, I have taken for granted the values, attitudes and beliefs of our culture that Daniel and Adam now embrace:

• Easy access to basic food and supplies.

• Freedom of speech.

• Freedom of the press... and much more.

Cultural competence isn’t just about ethnicity, race and country of origin. It can apply also to our current political season as we see the contrasting differences in values, attitudes and beliefs of all political groups and subgroups.

Tip 2: What is culture?

Again, a Google search presented many definitions and here is the one I liked:

“Culture can be defined as all the ways of life including arts, beliefs and institutions of a population that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture has been called ‘the way of life for an entire society.’ As such, it includes codes of manners, dress, language, religion, rituals, art.”

What five things define culture?

The elements of culture definition are based on five main elements:

• values and beliefs

• norms

• symbols

• language

• rituals

Aspects of culture surrounding language include:

• body language

• spoken word

• symbols, which are components of culture that are non-material

SKILLS

As I talked with Daniel and Adam and marveled at how they had come to America, I discovered that both men were enormously appreciative of the freedoms they now enjoy that I have taken for granted. I also discovered that they both differed in how they viewed the Presidential race and the future they wanted for the USA.

Tip 1: Empathy for the values and beliefs, norms, symbols, language and rituals of the other person.

As I sought to compare and contrast Daniel and Adam’s political preferences, I saw how important it was to seek full empathy for what lay behind their political party of choice. Daniel was a strong supporter of the Republican Party, while Adam was equally for the Democrats.

• Daniel had legally emigrated from Romania. Adam had escaped from Poland as a refugee seeking asylum in the USA.

• Daniel decried the influx of illegal immigrants, while Adam knew how many of the immigrants felt and what drove them to risk illegally crossing the border.

• Daniel viewed Democrats as abandoning Christian values and supported restrictions on the rights of gay and transgender individuals and on abortion. Adam valued diversity and individual rights and was wary of forcing any one set of religious or other values on everyone.

• Daniel wanted a strong leader who projected power over what he considered a loosening of values that had gotten too liberal. Adam feared the suppression of individual rights and freedom to believe what you want that he had suffered under communism.

Daniel and Adam had meals together, traveled together and yet held very different views on politics. During this divisive election season, it is too easy to demonize and dehumanize the people of the “other” side.

Taking the time to empathize and get to know the person behind the conflicting views can start the process of healing toxic division.

Tip 2: Be aware of what information, data, news, authoritative sources you choose with which to inform yourself.

While the USA values free speech and freedom of the press, that also means that there are broad opportunities for misinformation, verifiable and reliable information, propaganda and science-based “facts.”

I noticed in the conversations I had with Daniel and Adam that they chose very different news channels, websites, print and online material with which to inform themselves. In addition, social media algorithms ensure that whatever information bubble we choose, we will get more of the same.

When I switch the channel to the “other” news outlets, it is so interesting to see how different the values, beliefs, norms, symbols and language can be. Of course I am grateful that I even have the option to switch channels and get a totally different perspective. It takes a disciplined and intentional practice to broaden the information stream beyond a familiar and cocooned bubble.

SOUL

I travelled to Ghana in January this year and saw women (mostly) carry heavy, deep and wide aluminum containers of water on their head every morning. I watched school children as their first duty of the day, each carrying a bucket to the water source and in a neat line, following the leader back to school. This was the only way to get the water they needed for the day.

It was almost unfathomable to me that this daily, tedious water ritual did not seem to phase the women or children at all. In fact, I was told that in general, the people were happier than many Americans. How could that be when to get water, we can have instant access to drinkable water straight from the tap anywhere we want it?

As I have studied more on the Law of Attraction and other cultural and spiritual perspectives, I am clearer now on how dissatisfaction evolves:

• When the gap between what you have and what you want is large and even increasing, there is the potential for unhappiness and dissatisfaction.

• For example, if you want a brand new kitchen, but you have few funds to make that happen, it is easy to notice daily what’s wrong with the kitchen you now are “stuck” with. The frustration and unhappiness builds.

• Conversely, when the gap between what you have and what you want is small to nonexistent, there is much potential to be happy.

• If there is no concept or desire for water at your fingertips from the faucet, there is little dissatisfaction with the long, hard and tedious task to fetch water.

• You don’t know what you don’t know and don’t miss it.

The antidote to the happiness gap?

Begin feeling excited and happy about what will be coming. You can start enjoying the new kitchen before it is right in front of you through the power of imagination. The Law of Attraction knows no difference between your imagination and “reality.” It sees your imagined thoughts and focus as “real” and brings you more of that good feeling of anticipation. This can even lead to serendipitous ways to meet that budget sooner.

(By the way, the Law of Attraction is like the Law of Gravity. Whether you believe in it or not, the universal law still works.)

You actually know how to do this already. Have you ever booked a trip to a tropical paradise you can’t wait to get to? It is confirmed but still months away. Even so, the anticipation and excitement to sink your toes into the fine sand is almost palpable. You are already enjoying the sun, sand and sounds of the waves before you are anywhere near paradise.

Happy imagining.

UNTIL NEXT TIME

Thanks for joining us this month. See you in late August.

David