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Four Overarching Patterns of Culture: A Look at Common Behavior
Justice has been the dominant cultural framework of people in the West for two centuries, ever since the rise of constitutional democracies. Consciously or not, most people in the West have a strong awareness of right and wrong. Their sense of morality is generally rooted in an obligation to the rule of law. In democratic societies, the rule of law ultimately relies on constitutional documents ratified by a widely-accepted process of development and implementation.
For millennia, honor has been the dominant cultural framework of most people in the East and Middle East. Here, people know that speech and behavior display respect or disrespect. While pervasive in all relationships, honor and shame are most important in the family, extended family, and local community. In the East, honor is not necessarily an internal feeling, as it is in a justice culture. Honor is more often an external attribution bestowed by others rather than claimed by oneself.
Harmony is prevalent globally in indigenous cultures. Many indigenous peoples do not distinguish between the supernatural and natural worlds. All aspects of life are connected. Interactions with spirit beings are the key to maintaining harmony in order to be secure.
Reciprocity is a common cultural framework in the Global South. Here, one learns to develop connections with the right people in given circumstances for needed resources. These connections may or may not be characterized as "friendships" and provide not so much close friendships as reciprocal exchange. In some places, reciprocity is the means whereby one survives.
"Overarching Patterns is not only a wonderful piece of insightful research on a complex subject--culture--but an absorbing narrative on the variegated patterns globally. The flow of ideas, laid out in very succinct chapters, holds attention throughout and provokes incessant reflection. For anyone fascinated, intrigued, confused, or just inquisitive about patterns of culture in various global contexts, this is almost a mandatory read."
--Prabir Jha, Mumbai, India, President and Global Chief People Officer of Cipla
"Fascinating! The book deepened my understanding about how 'consciously incompetent' I am when it comes to understanding other cultures. . . . This book is an extremely helpful resource for anyone engaged in cross-cultural work. It will heighten awareness and understanding of cultural divides and lead to more effectiveness in getting things done with and through people from other cultures."
- Stephen Anson, Perth, Australia, Co-Founder and CEO of Vortala Digital
Robert Strauss is the owner of Global Perspectives Consulting in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. GPC clients excel in complex global marketplaces through the acquisition of cultural competence. Strauss is also lead faculty of the courses "Program Development and Accountability" and "Research Methods" in the Anderson College of Business at Regis University in Denver, and he is the president of Worldview Resource Group, a not-for-profit organization that equips cross-cultural workers in a story-based worldview approach to mission. WRG works with agencies located in India, Southeast Asia, North Africa, Western Canada, Mexico, and all of Ibero-America. Strauss is the author of Introducing Story-Strategic Twelve Steps toward Effective Engagement (Wipf & Stock, 2017). He and his wife live near Denver.
Christopher Strauss has two masters degrees from St. John's College in the Western great books and the Eastern great books. He has taught and tutored at Pikes Peak Community College, the University of New Mexico, Santa Fe University of Art and Design, the Santa Fe Indian School, and Santa Fe Preparatory School. He owns and operates Sycamore Editing, and roasts coffee in Santa Fe, New Mexico for Ohori's Coffee Roasters. After reading full tilt for twenty years, he still comes across writers he cannot believe he did not find sooner. He lives in Santa Fe with his wife and two children.
For millennia, honor has been the dominant cultural framework of most people in the East and Middle East. Here, people know that speech and behavior display respect or disrespect. While pervasive in all relationships, honor and shame are most important in the family, extended family, and local community. In the East, honor is not necessarily an internal feeling, as it is in a justice culture. Honor is more often an external attribution bestowed by others rather than claimed by oneself.
Harmony is prevalent globally in indigenous cultures. Many indigenous peoples do not distinguish between the supernatural and natural worlds. All aspects of life are connected. Interactions with spirit beings are the key to maintaining harmony in order to be secure.
Reciprocity is a common cultural framework in the Global South. Here, one learns to develop connections with the right people in given circumstances for needed resources. These connections may or may not be characterized as "friendships" and provide not so much close friendships as reciprocal exchange. In some places, reciprocity is the means whereby one survives.
"Overarching Patterns is not only a wonderful piece of insightful research on a complex subject--culture--but an absorbing narrative on the variegated patterns globally. The flow of ideas, laid out in very succinct chapters, holds attention throughout and provokes incessant reflection. For anyone fascinated, intrigued, confused, or just inquisitive about patterns of culture in various global contexts, this is almost a mandatory read."
--Prabir Jha, Mumbai, India, President and Global Chief People Officer of Cipla
"Fascinating! The book deepened my understanding about how 'consciously incompetent' I am when it comes to understanding other cultures. . . . This book is an extremely helpful resource for anyone engaged in cross-cultural work. It will heighten awareness and understanding of cultural divides and lead to more effectiveness in getting things done with and through people from other cultures."
- Stephen Anson, Perth, Australia, Co-Founder and CEO of Vortala Digital
Robert Strauss is the owner of Global Perspectives Consulting in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. GPC clients excel in complex global marketplaces through the acquisition of cultural competence. Strauss is also lead faculty of the courses "Program Development and Accountability" and "Research Methods" in the Anderson College of Business at Regis University in Denver, and he is the president of Worldview Resource Group, a not-for-profit organization that equips cross-cultural workers in a story-based worldview approach to mission. WRG works with agencies located in India, Southeast Asia, North Africa, Western Canada, Mexico, and all of Ibero-America. Strauss is the author of Introducing Story-Strategic Twelve Steps toward Effective Engagement (Wipf & Stock, 2017). He and his wife live near Denver.
Christopher Strauss has two masters degrees from St. John's College in the Western great books and the Eastern great books. He has taught and tutored at Pikes Peak Community College, the University of New Mexico, Santa Fe University of Art and Design, the Santa Fe Indian School, and Santa Fe Preparatory School. He owns and operates Sycamore Editing, and roasts coffee in Santa Fe, New Mexico for Ohori's Coffee Roasters. After reading full tilt for twenty years, he still comes across writers he cannot believe he did not find sooner. He lives in Santa Fe with his wife and two children.
276 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 4, 2019
About the author
Robert Strauss
31 books10 followersRobert Strauss has been a reporter for Sports Illustrated, a feature writer for the Philadelphia Daily News, a news and sports producer for KYW-TV in Philadelphia and a TV critic for the Asbury Park Press. Now a freelance writer, his byline has appeared on more than 1000 stories in the New York Times, and in many other publications like the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Star-Ledger, the Philadelphia newspapers, Fortune, Sports Illustrated and even Today's Machining World. He is an adjunct instructor of writing at the University of Pennsylvania and a contributing
editor at New Jersey Monthly.
editor at New Jersey Monthly.
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