We like to see the world from the familiar and safe point of view what we are used to. We get easily shaken when things happen in the way we are not used to. And that is what happens all the time when we get to a new country, with new culture, and a lot of times new language. Then, how many times do we think of the patterns we are used to in our own daily lives? Not very often!
I read the text of Nacirema people, and thought, that sounds mostly quite horrible, but, isn't there equivalents to our medicalized world also? People discover different diseases, and, are not interested what the disease is, but only to get to know the name of the disease, and to get rid of the symptoms. I would like to see doctors and healthcare system rather trying to encourage people to have healthy lives, not concentrating on medication! When I found out the Nacirema, funnily enough, was telling of the American nation, I was a little annoyed. Yes, this is the way we talk of the nations we no so little of! And we do think our way of medical care, clothing, habits etc. are the only right ones.
What are cultural dilemmas?
I think, once again, that cultural dilemmas are not only differences between nations and countries, but they exist also within cultures. One could call them subcultures, and there are many! Are you from a city, or from countryside, are diplomatic and discreet, or straight with words, what are the subjects you are interested of talking?
When talking of illnesses, medical care and health, I have found myself opposed of people who know of such things better than I do, because they study in the medical field. They also learn only the western medical system. What about the natural ways of healing? The most interesting discussion was, when I asked a friend a lengthy question. Why the natural or alternative medicines are first sold in the natural product shops, and kept as rubbish by the medicine world? Then, they are put through so called clinical tests. In the tests, the natural medicines are found effective, and, as a result, only the pharmacies get the right to sell the products as medicine. From that day onward, they are no longer natural medicines, and can not be sold in the natural product shops. I received an answer, "Of course it is that way!"
Sometimes I find it best to avoid discussions with a lot of tension. One example is politics. With both my Finnish and American friends, I have come across contradictory thoughts about politics, which is of course natural. I am interested in politics, and I like to discuss and debate about politics, but when it gets to a situation where we simply can not understand others values and perspectives, and can not agree about the statements, we have desided to leave the subject.
