I feel like there is a fine line that runs in between the political correctness that promotes cultural exclusivity and the mind numbing flavor that serves to get in the way of informed debate and discussion. Finding a way to respect cultural differences and the fact that some language can be damaging to the way that minority populations get ahead...well it seems like the worst job in the world sometimes. Here in Chile; the combination of a language with fewer words and a culture that came of age in geographic isolation makes for an environment where there isn't much pussyfooting around the truth. Cait and I have come across this in the way people talk with each other..."this is my black friend" or "my fat friend". There just are
n't delicate words and so people just say it the way they see it. The other thing that is different is the acceptance of the human body. Sometimes I wonder if the lingual limitations actually lead to an acceptance of what we are, rather than a sensitivity about what we should be. This frankness has even showed itself in job interviews that I've had. In one particularly memorable one, Caitlin and I were interviewing together for some teaching work on the side. The man hiring us is a career educator and in the discussion about what types of classes we might each excel in, he laid out on the table in very plain language what he thought about our strengths, weaknesses, and styles. He garnered this all from our conversations and presented it without any varnish at all. He was spot on and there was a lot of 'holy shit he just nailed me/you/us" looks being exchanged back and forth. At the end of the day though, it's more refreshing than not and it makes you wonder what would be the better system?
n't delicate words and so people just say it the way they see it. The other thing that is different is the acceptance of the human body. Sometimes I wonder if the lingual limitations actually lead to an acceptance of what we are, rather than a sensitivity about what we should be. This frankness has even showed itself in job interviews that I've had. In one particularly memorable one, Caitlin and I were interviewing together for some teaching work on the side. The man hiring us is a career educator and in the discussion about what types of classes we might each excel in, he laid out on the table in very plain language what he thought about our strengths, weaknesses, and styles. He garnered this all from our conversations and presented it without any varnish at all. He was spot on and there was a lot of 'holy shit he just nailed me/you/us" looks being exchanged back and forth. At the end of the day though, it's more refreshing than not and it makes you wonder what would be the better system?
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