【Talk about English】 我们究竟是什么 (Episode9-3/5)

英语自学网

第一个提出鉴别个体文化和集体文化重要性的是以为叫做Geert Hofstede的荷兰学者，本期主播Marc Beeby会领着我们一起看看他的研究成果，一起来听听吧。
         
       

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Hints:
        Geert Hofstede
        Rebecca Fong
        George Zhang
        Emma Kambangula
        Namibia
        英式拼写
全文听写
The second of Geert Hofstede's cultural value dimensions is less complicated than it sounds, the uncertainty avoidance dimension. Rebecca Fong explains, with comments from Dr George Zhang from China and Emma Kambangula from Namibia.
Countries which try to avoid uncertainty are ones in which people dislike situations in which they feel that things are unstructured or they feel that the situations are unpredictable or the outcomes might be unclear. These types of cultures tend to worry about the future for instance. Cultures which worry about uncertainty tend to adapt themselves to this by instigating measures to prevent uncertainty. Now how do they do this? They form rules so they insist on rules of social behaviour, things like punctuality for example, and they're very precise and hard working in order to guard against uncertainty. These kinds of people believe in experts and very often they'll call experts in their culture by their title to reinforce the fact that these are people who know and represent certainty.
In the Chinese culture you are taught to listen to the parents when you are young and going to school, listen to the teacher and obviously when you become a member of society and you have to listen to your local officials who are considered the parent figure they'd learn to understand individual bit doesn't make a lot of sense unless you are member of a community. So a person or an object in his place, in his or her place, is absolutely important in a way that reflects the kind of Confucian doctrine in the Chinese culture which places emphasis on, people should be functioning where they are supposed to be.
At the other end of the scale from the high uncertainty avoidance people are the low uncertainty avoidance people and these are people who tolerate a lot of different types of ideas or they tolerate racial mixes or they tend to be more relaxed and laid back and unemotional in a wide variety of different situations.
One thing I respect about the Namibian culture is when it comes to relationships. I found
myself being friends with everyone I want to be friends with. But my friends from other African countries, one of them was very much shocked to find that I was very close to a friend who was white because in Namibia I don't need to look at your tribe or the colour of your skin. I have to follow my heart. My family's called the United Nations because you'll find people from all walks of life. I find that quite positive and it makes me proud to be Namibian.