A couple of times over the last week, on- and offline, the conversation has led into cultural habits and how it is likely that despite us believing differently, if we were in the same position to those we complain about, we would act similarly.
Power corrupts?
I am not sure if this is true. I think it is more that we see powerful corruption happen publicly more often, whilst the low-level corruption flies under the public radar. I don't think politicians are inherently corrupt, any more than they are corrupt from the rest of us. They are representative because if we were in the same position, we would do the same as they do.
For example, this is the "perception of Corruption Index 2020-2022"
Top 10 least:
Top 10 most:
Now I wonder, just as a little thought experiment. If you were walking around lost in the middle of the night, in one group of those countries, where do you think you would feel the safest?
It wouldn't be politicians on the street, would it?
But, the politicians were raised on the same streets, albeit usually from the more affluent areas of the country. This indicates a strong cultural element involved, and suggests that despite the average person wanting a less corrupt government, they live in an environment that essentially breeds government corruption.
Chicken, or the egg?
Hard to say, but the more fractured a community becomes, the more likely there will be increased levels of social corruption, where people are more in it for themselves, at the expense of others. And then, in order to survive, family tends to stick together, which increases a type of cronyism and then, that could get translated into cronyism at scale, government corruption.
While our environment doesn't make us, nor is it a done deal in defining us, it definitely influences us heavily and therefore, creates population generalizations, even if they don't always hold up at the individual level. There are many factors that go into each individual, so even if one aspect fits the generalization in a person, it doesn't mean all generalizations fit.
I know that for me, my own behaviors have been affected after living in Finland for twenty years, as while the culture has similarities, it also has differences from Australia. For example, I have become less social with a narrower group of friends and, I am far less afraid of spiders. There are plenty of other aspects too, where I value the sun and warm weather a bit more, because it is far rarer here than in Australia and as such, I am more likely to take advantage of it when it arrives.
Also, I am less "security conscious" on the streets and feel safe everywhere I go, no matter the time of day or night. And, I am more complacent with my personal belongings, because there is almost zero risk of someone taking something that doesn't belong to them. There is a social convention in play and Finns can be trusted, but that doesn't mean that every Finnis trustworthy. It is a generalization that creates a heuristic that works most of the time, as that is what a generalization does.
While it seems like a contentious and potentially controversial topic these days, what is also interesting to note is that people will generalize their own culture also. I work with people from all over the world and while they might not like having generalizations applied to themselves, they apply similar generalizations to their own culture too.
For example, as a bit of a social test for those who are willing, I wonder what three terms you would use to define the people within your country culture.
For instance, as an Australian I would go with something like;
Laid-back, friendly, humorous.
Fins would often describe themselves as;
Hard-working, honest, trustworthy.
None of these describe all 25 million Australians or six million Finns, but at a general level, do they fit?
Probably.
Is generalization unfair, or is it something that we have to do to be able to navigate a complex world, mixing with people that we don't know and likely will never have the time to get to know to the depth required to know enough about them as an individual?
Personally, I think generalization is required in this world and even though it might often be wrong, it gives us a starting point to build a relationship from, or protects us from being taken advantage of. We can't walk around the streets of the world assuming we are safe, because the fact is, that isn't the case and in many places, it is highly dangerous to do so.
Weirdly perhaps, I think one of the reasons that I have been able to work it out in Finland, is not that the cultures are that similar, but that my personality although it is Laid-back, friendly and humorous, it is also one that happens to be hard-working, honest and trustworthy. This means that I can be different here, and also, similar.
What are your thoughts on this?
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
