Comments on: Cowboy Ethics: State of Wyoming Makes It Official — Defining an European-American Worldview http://inclusionparadox.com/cowboy-ethics-state-of-wyoming-makes-it-official-defining-an-european-american-worldview/ Inclusion Paradox The Book Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:13:12 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Andrés http://inclusionparadox.com/cowboy-ethics-state-of-wyoming-makes-it-official-defining-an-european-american-worldview/comment-page-1/#comment-669 Andrés Wed, 17 Mar 2010 04:00:25 +0000 http://inclusionparadox.com/?p=3241#comment-669 Carla- The most difficult chapter for me to write in the book was the one on European American male culture, "I See White People," for the very reasons you highlight in your comment. White males are conditioned to flinch and get ready for the "okay here it comes" when the phrase "white males" comes up. And while we need to remain vigilant to discrimination wherever it shows up whether in the majority or minority cultures, we also need to humanize all parties. We all have a cultural worldview that has come from somewhere. And I believe every culture has its primary redemptive, affirming values and -- applying a Jungian paradigm to groups -- every culture is susceptible to its shadow side, just like each of us as individuals are. If we are going to engage each other as Latinos, Afro Americans, Afro Caribbeans, bi-racial, multiracial, straight, gay. etc. etc, then we need to engage European Americans as another legitimate community with a legitimate worldview. Only when we see each other this way can we even begin to create true inclusion. -Andrés Carla-
The most difficult chapter for me to write in the book was the one on European American male culture, “I See White People,” for the very reasons you highlight in your comment. White males are conditioned to flinch and get ready for the “okay here it comes” when the phrase “white males” comes up. And while we need to remain vigilant to discrimination wherever it shows up whether in the majority or minority cultures, we also need to humanize all parties. We all have a cultural worldview that has come from somewhere. And I believe every culture has its primary redemptive, affirming values and — applying a Jungian paradigm to groups — every culture is susceptible to its shadow side, just like each of us as individuals are. If we are going to engage each other as Latinos, Afro Americans, Afro Caribbeans, bi-racial, multiracial, straight, gay. etc. etc, then we need to engage European Americans as another legitimate community with a legitimate worldview. Only when we see each other this way can we even begin to create true inclusion.
-Andrés

]]> By: Carla http://inclusionparadox.com/cowboy-ethics-state-of-wyoming-makes-it-official-defining-an-european-american-worldview/comment-page-1/#comment-667 Carla Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:15:55 +0000 http://inclusionparadox.com/?p=3241#comment-667 Ah, I didn't think of the *hierarchy* of values. I see your point better, now and I understand. I'm going to add something else: I'm in my early 30s and in my lifetime--other than this post--it's rare that I've come cross positive descriptions of Euro-American values. I mean, in mainstream media. Honestly, it seems like the only time "Euro-American cultural values" are discussed is when those values are trying to shut some other group up, show they're better than them or get them out of the country. I wish I had specific examples other than just the impression I've gathered throughout my life. For instance, I've noted before that when white men are discussed in the media as "white men" it's never good (and this is typically coming from other white people). That always strikes me as odd, no, unfair. Our media typically deals in stereotypes, I get that. But it's damaging, whether we're speaking of minorities or the majority. Ah, I didn’t think of the *hierarchy* of values. I see your point better, now and I understand. I’m going to add something else: I’m in my early 30s and in my lifetime–other than this post–it’s rare that I’ve come cross positive descriptions of Euro-American values. I mean, in mainstream media. Honestly, it seems like the only time “Euro-American cultural values” are discussed is when those values are trying to shut some other group up, show they’re better than them or get them out of the country. I wish I had specific examples other than just the impression I’ve gathered throughout my life. For instance, I’ve noted before that when white men are discussed in the media as “white men” it’s never good (and this is typically coming from other white people). That always strikes me as odd, no, unfair. Our media typically deals in stereotypes, I get that. But it’s damaging, whether we’re speaking of minorities or the majority.

]]> By: Andrés http://inclusionparadox.com/cowboy-ethics-state-of-wyoming-makes-it-official-defining-an-european-american-worldview/comment-page-1/#comment-666 Andrés Tue, 16 Mar 2010 04:25:40 +0000 http://inclusionparadox.com/?p=3241#comment-666 Carla- Thanks for your note. A few thoughts in return: * When it comes to worldviews there are plenty of values that are shared across cultures but one of the things that begins to distinguish one group's views from another's is how they prioritize them -- what are their top ten? This doesn't mean that other cutlures may not have these values but are they as important to them? For example, I remember an epiphany a client had during a crosscultural training session we were doing. He had a flashback to an experience that had perplexed him until that very moment at the Center for Creative Leadership where he was going through some learning with leaders from other countries. They were asked to, from a list of 15 leadership qualites, rank their top 5 in order of importance for being a leader. All the 15 qualities were things that most would agree are good things. But the surprising thing for him was in the patterns that emerged as people from different countries ranked their top five. Things that Americans had as their top 5 were not in the top five for people from the other cultures represented. And vice versa, several of others' top 5 were not the on Americans' list. This, of course, did not mean that if, say, fairness or being ethical was not on the Top 5 of some non-Americans' lists, that they would value unfairnness or unethical behavior. But it did mean that in the hierarchy of values, they had other things that for them were even more important such as justice or interpersonal impact. * I find that even when people share the same value - such as time mangement or love or peace -how different communities choose to interpret what that value looks like can be different, and in fact the opposite of what another culture has decided that value should look like. So for example, in the Cowboy Ethic of "Be tough but fair" there is clearly an interpretation here about what fairness should look like that those from another culture who may also value fainess may interpret it differently, for example as "be generous and fair." This would then lead to different behaviors and assumptions about what would be the right thing to do. These are the reasons that the Cowboy Ethics struck me as a good capturing of a worldview, in this case an European American worldview. The fact that it has received an enthusiastic response from that community means that at some deep level it resonates with them. I would venture to say that if we asked a group of Latinos in Wyoming to come up with their top 10 values, while there would likely be overlap in some of the Cowboy Ethics and their interpretations, chances are high that their prioritizations and interpretations would look different. Thanks for writing! Carla-
Thanks for your note. A few thoughts in return:

* When it comes to worldviews there are plenty of values that are shared across cultures but one of the things that begins to distinguish one group’s views from another’s is how they prioritize them — what are their top ten? This doesn’t mean that other cutlures may not have these values but are they as important to them? For example, I remember an epiphany a client had during a crosscultural training session we were doing. He had a flashback to an experience that had perplexed him until that very moment at the Center for Creative Leadership where he was going through some learning with leaders from other countries. They were asked to, from a list of 15 leadership qualites, rank their top 5 in order of importance for being a leader. All the 15 qualities were things that most would agree are good things. But the surprising thing for him was in the patterns that emerged as people from different countries ranked their top five. Things that Americans had as their top 5 were not in the top five for people from the other cultures represented. And vice versa, several of others’ top 5 were not the on Americans’ list. This, of course, did not mean that if, say, fairness or being ethical was not on the Top 5 of some non-Americans’ lists, that they would value unfairnness or unethical behavior. But it did mean that in the hierarchy of values, they had other things that for them were even more important such as justice or interpersonal impact.

* I find that even when people share the same value – such as time mangement or love or peace -how different communities choose to interpret what that value looks like can be different, and in fact the opposite of what another culture has decided that value should look like. So for example, in the Cowboy Ethic of “Be tough but fair” there is clearly an interpretation here about what fairness should look like that those from another culture who may also value fainess may interpret it differently, for example as “be generous and fair.” This would then lead to different behaviors and assumptions about what would be the right thing to do.

These are the reasons that the Cowboy Ethics struck me as a good capturing of a worldview, in this case an European American worldview. The fact that it has received an enthusiastic response from that community means that at some deep level it resonates with them. I would venture to say that if we asked a group of Latinos in Wyoming to come up with their top 10 values, while there would likely be overlap in some of the Cowboy Ethics and their interpretations, chances are high that their prioritizations and interpretations would look different.

Thanks for writing!

]]> By: Carla http://inclusionparadox.com/cowboy-ethics-state-of-wyoming-makes-it-official-defining-an-european-american-worldview/comment-page-1/#comment-659 Carla Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:05:28 +0000 http://inclusionparadox.com/?p=3241#comment-659 I appreciate the attempt to name white American men's cultural values... but the notion that the 10 ideals listed above is "Euro-American" is hard to swallow. Flip them. I can't think of any culture that embraces the reverse. Human beings form values out of their particular group experiences but the beauty about us--and I think, what we so often fail to enforce--is that these values/ideals turn out to be universal. The danger is in believing that good values/ideals are endemic to one cultural group and not another. Also, it's important to remember that the list is what we should aim for--not what we actually do. It's one thing to know the goal--most of us know it--but it's another to hit it. Allow that to be human is to miss the mark. I appreciate the attempt to name white American men’s cultural values… but the notion that the 10 ideals listed above is “Euro-American” is hard to swallow. Flip them. I can’t think of any culture that embraces the reverse. Human beings form values out of their particular group experiences but the beauty about us–and I think, what we so often fail to enforce–is that these values/ideals turn out to be universal. The danger is in believing that good values/ideals are endemic to one cultural group and not another.

Also, it’s important to remember that the list is what we should aim for–not what we actually do. It’s one thing to know the goal–most of us know it–but it’s another to hit it. Allow that to be human is to miss the mark.

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