drs. Geert van de Ven

Intercultural CommunicationGeneralized knowledge vs

fine tuning on the spot

Wageningen University Studium Generale

5th of March 2014

1 Introduction

2 Case history Indonesia

3 Knowledge and its pitfalls

4 Intuition and its pitfalls

5 Conclusion: What if neither intuition nor knowledge works?

Knowledge: Top Down

Edward Said: Orientalism

Ian Buruma: Occidentalism

Pitfall of satellite views

Risk 1Typecasting and cliché for a

whole hemisphere

Orientals in Orientalism

• Mystical • Mysterious• Subservient• Elusive

Westerners in Occidentalism

• Rational• Scientific• Dominant, direct • Rude

Not seeing the cultural mingling

• Our Western classical knowledge?

• Kamikaze = typical for Japanese culture?

• Silicon Valley: All white male American trademark?

Risk 2

At first sight?

Details?

Dutch Icons

‘Subcultural’ Icons

Although there are pitfalls to knowledge it seems that we are desperately looking for a top down overview and control. And there is nothing wrong with that. As long as we give our first sight a second chance.

A second chance

Knowledge or getting to know

So./st.?

Intuition: Bottom Up

Intuition: a chance in meeting• Gut feeling vs intuition

• Passiveness vs alertness:

- The ‘sound of silence’- The ‘tone and rhythm’ of

language and the body - Eye contact

The Sound of silenceYou: ‘I'd like to talk about my job application.

I already figured out a few possibilities.Te.: ‘That's good that you're already thinking about it! Where are you going to apply though?’ SilenceYou: ‘I have to apply before the 30th of March’Te.: ‘Well then you are certainly on time!’

Long silenceYou: ‘How much longer do you have to work today?’Te.: ‘Oh. It's very busy. Good luck with your job

application!’

Is it polite?Pakistan customer: ‘ I WANT10 stamps, please'Employee: ' I BEG your pardon?'P. Customer <talking louder>:

' I WANT 10 stamps, now, please.'Employee: ' I'm sorry, Sir, do you mind asking it

politely?' P.Customer: ‘I WANT 10 stamps now, PLEASE’Employee <irritated>: ' Well, all right then, here

they are. Next, please' P. Customer: 'Enough for Pakistan?' Employee: 'Could you queue up, Sir, please?'

 

It’s in the eye of the beholder

 

- Static knowledge vs a diverse and dynamic getting to know (better)

-A satellite view vs a helicopter view

-Holding on to clichés: indolence vs the need for a temporary grip

Conclusion on knowledge

• Gut feeling vs fine tuning and spontaneity on the spot?

• Only verbal vs synchronicity of verbal and non verbal

• Subtlety is prone to misunderstanding. But repairs are possible

Conclusion on intuition

Epochè: 1 ‘Suspension of judgement’ about someone or something (second chance) 2 uestioning the acceptance of yourview on the world as being ‘natural’

Conclusion: what if…?

Paradise Lost