Making Ethical Decisions
In our personal lives and on an everyday basis, we make decisions that often have multiple consequences for ourselves and the lives of others. It is especially important in an intercultural context to ask ourselves a couple more questions when we are confronted with ethical dilemmas in a foreign culture.
- Who or which group perpetuates this cultural practice and why?
- Who or which group resists this practice and why? Who benefits? Who suffers? Is this voluntary or involuntary?
- Does this practice bring unjustifiable suffering to an individual or group at the benefit of another group?
- What is my role and my "voice" in this ethical dilemma?
- In considering my own behavior, should I publicly reject or condemn this practice and withdraw from the cultural scene?
- Should I go along and uncover a solution that reconciles cultural differences?
- What alternative solutions or creative outcomes can I envision that both honor the cultural tradition and simultaneously stop the intolerable practice?
- At what level can I implement my solution? Who are my allies? Who are my adversaries?
- Should I assume the role of a social change agent in the local cultural scene through grassroots movement efforts?
- What systematic changes are needed within the culture for the change to sustain itself?
Final considerations
In becoming more flexible intercultural communicators, we can engage in several considerations. First, we can continue to identify and refine our own values and ethics. We should also commit to considering perspectives and experiences of our global brethren. Further, we must be willing to experiment with different styles of thinking, sensing, experiencing, valuing, behaving, and learning, with the aim of becoming more inclusive.
Additionally, we need to practice more "parallel thinking," which means substituting any global or local event with members of your own in-group then crosschecking to see if you would arrive at a similar attribution or emotional reaction. We can also continue to develop compassion in the context of global human connection, and take mindful peaceful steps and spread peaceful thoughts to others. We can also develop nimbleness to adapt to daily changes. Finally, we can practice the following guidelines for flexible intercultural communication.
- Be adaptive.
- Be creative.
- Be experimental.
- Make detours and have the courage to try again.
- Know thyself, continuously.
- Be other-centered.
- Respect identity issues.
- Intentionally develop mindfulness.
- Be willing to make hard ethical choices.
- Recognize that flexible intercultural communication is a developmental, lifelong learning journey.
Both playfulness and mindfulness are required to transform an intercultural journey into a discovery process. Some journeys are filled with trials and tribulations. However, with the information and skills of this course combined with your own committed practice, you will undoubtedly uncover many treasures and delights. Exploring and experiencing the new terrain of different cultures requires courage, but pays off in discovering and experiencing the divine richness of the human spirit.
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