Forum Moderators: rogerd
Get that?
For example: I just raised a question in a different forum here at WW that, at first blush, made sense to couch in terms of U.S. considerations. (What WWW business model to use and why.)
Guess what? People in other countries likely have the same issues and people from those other countries would likely benefit by seeing the thread as a chance to share insights relevant to their home country.
But . . . I didn't open up the dialogue that way.
This 'epiphany' goes beyond that one post. I'm certain, when I'm shaping an issue for discussion, that I seldom pause to reflect on how the issue might play out in a different culture, nation, etc.
I'm not talking about 'being sensitive', which is important and which I may overlook when employing local phrasing, suburban/urbane New Jersey humor, etc. You know that business about 'you don't get me'. Guess what? I get it. You don't. (I've got to work a little harder and be a bit more discriminating ;-) Arggh, extra work!)
It seems that I just don't stop to think internationally when I fire up a post or jump into one. I think locally, yet many of the issues here are not uncommonly global.
Do you think and speak (type) local?
Do you have any idea what I'm talking about? (Do I?)
Here's a question: When one participates in a global community how does one think globally before acting?
Thanks.
Wouldn't the ability to "think globally" necessitate at least some facility not only with other languages than one's own, but also some facility with CULTURES other than one's own? So much of the things I don't "get" when posted by the non-USies among us (in my case f'rinstance) are as dependant on the other poster's culture as on hisser language....
Flash of insight. I 'think American' - without even thinking about it.
Thats because you are American, how could you even imagine you could think like any other country unless you had lived there for a number of years and got to understand the culture?
When one participates in a global community how does one think globally before acting?
You don't think globally! just be yourself, in other words be natural and your personality will shine through
be natural and your personality will shine through
It doesn't work like that though.
Pat someone on the head or point the sole of your foot at them in Thailand, and you're showing (considerable) disrespect.
Give someone white carnations in Japan - it's a symbol of death.
Turn down your fifth glass of vodka in Russia and you're being needlessly prudish.
It's not your intentions that matter when you are a guest of a culture outside your own, it's people's perceptions of your behaviour.
I'm really not sure how this translates to online, but I imagine when most people are online, they feel that they are still in their country... regardless of what language they are reading or writing in. For instance, I don't start feeling like I'm in Germany when I'm reading a German newspaper online.
This means that there is a place for cultural sensitivity online - not one to be taken to extremes, for sure. But always "being natural" (but only according to your own cultural norms) may not always come across positively to those readers from other cultures.
The one thing that I do try to do consistently (but not always) is to use complete sentences and proper grammer. It's hard enough for someone who speaks English as a second or third language to understand proper Queen's English let alone read and understand the shortcuts street slang we sometimes toss around.
It's not your intentions that matter when you are a guest of a culture outside your own, it's people's perceptions of your behaviour.I'm really not sure how this translates to online
Ah... I think you just nailed it.
There's a BIG difference between when we visit a country or have visitors to our country. In those cases there are definate courtesies and customs that will/should influence our actions. BUT here at WebmasterWorld (not on all boards) - it's accepted - or should be - that the meeting space is culture neutral meaning that we don't want one particular culture to influence the tone of the Board.
Pat someone on the head or point the sole of your foot at them in Thailand, and you're showing (considerable) disrespect.Give someone white carnations in Japan - it's a symbol of death.
Turn down your fifth glass of vodka in Russia and you're being needlessly prudish.
I thought the question related to an online community not what and how you would react if you had a person sat in front of you?
Take this forum, we all have our nics but most of us don't know the country of origin of a lot of the members but that still does not make us react in a different way to what you would sitting facing a person in your home town and answering a question what is web related, that's why I said "just be yourself"
As it happens I have met a lot of webmasterworld members numerous times from all around the world and both them and myself have reacted in a natural and neutral way and it has given me a better understanding of what they post and the words they have chosen which is how they would talk anyway.
I thought the question related to an online community not what and how you would react if you had a person sat in front of you?
Yes it did, you're quite right - and, yes, it's a lot harder to be culturally insensitive on a written forum about webmaster activities than on fora concerned with other topics.
I just wanted to make a point that being yourself is not necessarily a safeguard sometimes.
If you are naturally evangelical and you start posting on a board where the membership is predominantly Marxist, somebody's going to get upset. (Probably not the Marxists).
Equally, if you're a gastronome and one day you write something like "I love the taste of fried pork and anyone who has never tried it is missing out of one of the world's greatest culinary sensations..."
... well that's just incendiary.
I'm not saying you should never just relax and be yourself... I'm just saying that sometimes it's worth reviewing how much aggravation your comments are going to cause before you post them - even if they seem harmless to you. (Once again this is the issue of your readers' perceptions above your own intentions).
I agree with you, however, that a lot of this is largely academic on an IT related bulletin board.
Nevertheless, on any forum, language barriers can create misunderstandings and problems. If a visitor doesn't have a good command of the forum's primary language, they are more likely to not read the TOS, or to cause/take offense in discussion.
I don't know how this might translates to discussion in forums, but some cultures are more open and blunt than others. I managed an operation in a Latin American country for a while, and no local employee would ever dream of contradicting anything I said (no matter how stupid) since I was the boss.
I'd guess that some topics - business, government, law, religion, politics, etc. - might be quite challenging to discuss in a forum with worldwide participants.
