Lesson 4 One World, Many Ways
Same World, Different Lenses
When you look at a picture that your friend shows you on his or her phone, do you notice who is ____ the picture first or where the picture was taken first?
Whichever you look at first, that perspective may reflect your cultural values without you being consciously aware ____ it.
These different points of view exist as personal and individual ____ but groups of people in a particular neighborhood, city, or country may also have striking similarities.
In her book titled East Meets West, author Yang Liu, who was born in China ____ moved to Germany when she was 14, attempts to illustrate perspectives from her eastern and western heritages in several different contexts through eye-catching illustrations.
They seem to open up a friendly discussion on the essence of ____ not only between individuals but also between groups or communities.
How Do You Solve Problems?
The picture above is an illustration ____ two different approaches to solving problems.
The picture on the left shows a straight line while the one ____ the right seems to follow a more meandering path; however, they both end up reaching the destination.
In simple terms, the process ____ reaching a goal has a beginning and an end.
On the left, the most direct ____ can achieve a goal with the expenditure of as little energy as possible.
On the right, several other factors seem to require attention before the same goal is reached, which is why the path is less ____
Is ____ emphasis on the end result or on the process?
Putting it in other words, do you value efficiency or ____
The answer to these questions depends on the characteristics of the individuals and communities ____
How Do You Express Your Feelings?
Does the expression on your face always mirror how you actually feel ____ in the picture on the left?
Or ____ you often hide your true feelings in order not to hurt others around you?
Do people express their feelings in different ____ depending on the context?
In social situations, some ____ consider carefully how their displays of emotion might be interpreted by others.
Students have likely ____ similar situations after a big test.
If Nika remained calm after she ____ a perfect score on her exam while Manfred got 70% and cried in disappointment, would the expression on each of their faces reflect how they feel?
Nika may not want to make Manfred feel ____ so she might try to hide the elation she feels by being cool about it.
However, Manfred may simply display what he ____ at the moment.
A “blue” person may ____ critical of Nika and understanding of Manfred because Nika is not being honest while Manfred is being genuine.
The opposite may be true from the “red” perspective: Nika is respecting others' moods while Manfred is making classmates feel ____
A simple way to look at the distinction is to ask if it's more important to honestly let feelings show or ____ it's more important to consider the feelings of others.
These perspectives on ____ manners, when repeated, may become a normal cultural practice.
The picture below shows
The picture below shows the different perspectives of the role of a person in ____
Is the individual more important as the picture ____ the left shows, or is the group more important as shown on the right?
Some people see themselves in the context of ____ group.
____ think themselves to be part of a larger whole, placing importance on harmony and relationships with others, possibly at the cost of their own personal recognition.
Other people may emphasize individual talent and personal ____ that stand out beyond the group.
If a group member has a good idea, should she suggest the idea to the ____
A “blue” person may be praised for having ____ creativity to make a goal easier to reach.
On the other hand, a “red” ____ might consider how the new idea affects the group dynamics and take into account the possibility of friction between members during a change.
Which Is More Important, the Individual or the Group?
Generally speaking, even though differences are what makes each culture unique, they may also ____ barriers to understanding.
Yang Liu's book isn't about ranking ____ differences in terms of which is better.
____ book is designed to show that there may be other ways to look at the world.
Maybe it's ____ to think of culture like taking photographs.
The individual photographer uses a variety of different methods to capture what she feels is ____ most important aspect of a scene.
Is it the lighting or the ____
Should there be people ____ it or not?
____ a close-up or a wide shot better?
Likewise, cultural understanding comes from being open to the idea that differences may come from ____ value on different aspects of life.