People sometimes tend to become stubborn and intolerant of other beliefs and habits. We may find it difficult to accept other ways of life. However, being close-minded and intolerant does no one any good, especially when we have so much to learn from other cultures. If you want to gain new experiences and learn about the world, it is important to learn to accept and respect other cultures.
Strengthen Your Knowledge Base
Improve self-awareness. One of the most important ways to learn to respect other cultures is to take some time to reflect on your own beliefs and biases. Everyone has what’s called a “filter.” It affects how we view other cultures.
- Filters reflect the way you see the world. It is affected by many different factors.
- Factors that influence opinions or filters include ethnic background, religion, and age. Filters are also affected by income level and education level.
- Take a moment to look through your filters. Ask yourself questions like “How does my income affect the way I view other people” or “Does my religion cause me to hold any prejudices?”
- Improved self-awareness will help you understand new things about your own culture. This in turn can broaden your horizons and allow you to understand cultural differences.
Read a book. To respect other cultures, it is important to learn about them. You can broaden your knowledge by doing research. Start by reading, target the culture you are interested in, and learn about it.
- For example, if you are interested in Japanese culture, you can find a book on Japanese history. Background knowledge about history helps you understand the culture.
- You can also try reading novels. Reading a novel that describes a new culture can give you a clearer idea of what life is like in that culture.
- Try reading Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, which tells an interesting story about life in Nigeria. Or consider reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love about Italy, India, and Indonesia.
- Ask the administrator of your nearest library. Seek advice on works of fiction and nonfiction.
Study religion. Religion is an important part of many cultures. Learning more about another religion can help you understand other cultures. Make an effort to learn some religious knowledge.
- Attend another worship service. If you are Catholic, you may have only attended traditional Catholic Masses.
- Visit an alternative worship service like visiting a synagogue or mosque.
- Be sure to ask if tourists are allowed at religious ceremonies. Also, adhere to any dress or behavior rules.
- Do some research. Read books and newspapers about different religions. For example, you can read about what it means to be a Buddhist.
Take courses. Further education is a great way to learn to respect other cultures. You can go to a nearby night school and take traditional classes, such as Russian literature.
- The university also offers courses in other aspects of culture, history, and religion. Many of these types of courses can even be found online, and some are free.
- Invite a friend to take a class with you. You both will have a lot of fun learning Spanish for the first time.
Talk to people you didn’t know before. Make an effort to talk to people from another culture. Making new friends or having in-depth conversations with people you know can help increase your understanding of another culture and, in turn, strengthen respect.
- Try to immerse yourself in certain environments and interact with people from different cultures. If you’re in college, the school may sponsor some multicultural awareness events. You can participate in as many of these activities as possible.
- Make an effort to make new friends. Join a new sports team or visit a multiethnic area.
- Spend time talking to people. Hearing their stories and experiences is a great way to connect with a new culture.
Respect Other Customs
Become a supporter. Becoming a cultural supporter is a great way to respect other cultures. This means that you define yourself as a person who respects cultural autonomy and stands up for people from other cultures when their rights are violated. You can become a cultural supporter in your school, work, and community.
- People belonging to cultural minorities often face discrimination. You can make it clear that you do not accept any form of discrimination.
- For example, one of your colleagues may tell jokes that are offensive to other cultures without even realizing it. You can try saying: “Li Lei, I know you don’t mean any harm, but this kind of comment is offensive to me and others.”
- Stand up for the rights of others in your community. For example, if your city is trying to prevent the construction of a mosque, you can join an online civilized petition and make your voice heard.
Correct misunderstandings. You may have some preconceived assumptions about other cultures. For example, when you travel to India, you may get the idea that people there are not very honest. Direct questions can be difficult to answer thoroughly.
- But in India, it is rare and impolite to answer certain questions directly. You can observe cultural differences for yourself by taking the time to observe other people interacting.
- Many British people think Americans are hypocritical. This is because Americans tend to express more optimistic emotions than people from other cultures.
- When you talk to a British person, try to be sincere. You can communicate with each other about cultural differences.
- Your cultural filters may make you feel nervous when approaching women wearing hijab. But don’t be afraid, approach her generously on the bus and say, “Excuse me, is this seat occupied?”
Ask questions. The best way to learn about a new culture is to ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask about the other person’s customs or beliefs. Just be polite when doing so.
- Maybe you have a coworker who likes to bring in novelty foods for lunch. Try: “What are you eating? It smells delicious.”
- Maybe you have a coworker who always comes to the office later than everyone else. Don’t assume she’s lazy, ask nicely. You might find that her coming in late to pray was approved by your boss.
- If you have a friend from Japan, you can learn about bowing customs from him. He may be happy to talk to you about his culture.
Keep an open mind. When interacting with people from other cultures, try not to let preconceived notions influence your feelings. Show respect by making every effort to keep an open mind. For example, try new experiences and be prepared to learn new things.
- Maybe you are traveling in Europe. Food may feel unfamiliar to you, but be willing to try new things.
- Remember, differences in behavior alone do not determine whether a person is good or bad. For example, Middle Easterners are more particular about greetings and small talk than most Americans.
- Be willing to participate when you encounter types of conversations you have not experienced before. You might learn something, and you might enjoy the feeling.
- Show your respect. Don’t roll your eyes or frown when you encounter an unfamiliar sight.
Teach your children respect. The best way to learn respect is to be educated about different cultures at a young age. If children grow up learning about various cultures, they are less likely to develop discriminatory ideas when they grow up. Make an effort to teach your children about other cultures.
- If your child comes home from school and asks you why his friends can’t play on Saturday, you can use the opportunity to educate. To explain, some faiths or cultures consider Saturday to be a sacred day.
- Find a school that teaches multiculturalism. Before enrolling your child in school, ask if the school teaches multiple languages or if the children have access to a variety of arts.
- Lead by example. If you act kind and courteous, your children are more likely to follow your example and learn such behavior.
Try New Things
Eat new foods. Food is an important part of every culture. For many people, food represents not only nutrition but also history and heritage. Try to try foods from other cultures.
- Invite some friends to join you for some Ethiopian food. Not only will you taste delicious food, but you may also find it fun to eat with your hands.
- Ask your Muslim friend about her favorite halal treats. Ask about how to cook it.
- Try cooking something you haven’t done before each week. You can cook dishes from around the world and let your family explore new cultures with you.
Participate in a new cultural activity. Different cultures have different leisure activities. Try joining a rugby team or going to a bar to watch a football match. You may meet some people from other parts of the world.
- Try new types of music. Consider attending a recital of African tribal music or an Italian opera.
- Watch foreign movies. Go see a movie with subtitles at a nearby arthouse theater.
- Appreciate different types of art works. Don’t miss it when the nearby museum showcases Egyptian art.
Learn some new vocabulary. When communicating with people from other cultures, communication will be more effective if you can speak their language. Additionally, if you’re traveling abroad, learning a few key phrases can help you feel more at ease.
- Learn new greetings. If you make an effort to be friendly and say hello with “Hello!” or “Bonjour!” instead of “Hello,” your new neighbor will know you’re very welcome.
- Take courses. Many universities have language courses, and members of the public can apply to audit them for free. Make good use of these resources.
- You can also take online classes or download translation apps on your phone.
Traveling is one of the most effective ways to learn about another culture. When traveling abroad, you can immerse yourself in the daily life of a new culture. Don’t be afraid to explore areas you’ve never been to.
- Be a quality traveler. For example, if you decide to travel to the United Arab Emirates, be aware that women there must dress modestly.
- Try some “local” activities. During your trip, there will be many tourist attractions that you want to visit, and they are very representative. Feel free to ask locals to tell you which area is their favorite.
- Pay attention to your safety. You want to have a good time, but be sure to pay attention to your surroundings and not lose judgment.
Tips
- Watch movies from different countries, such as Hollywood movies or those about historical events. They can be eye-opening and help you understand different societies.
- If you are into fashion, try clothes and styles from different cultures.
- There are many magazines about various cultures.