by Carl R. Wells
discomfort is the feeling of “uneasiness” that we experience
while interacting with someone from a different culture. It is
the feeling that abled people get when they have to decide if
opening the door for someone who is physically-challenged is
helpful or harmful, welcomed or offensive. It is the feeling
that Americans get when international students chatter among
themselves in their native language -- we wonder if they are
talking and laughing about us. It is the feeling that we get
when someone from a different culture gets on the elevator with
us – we question whether we should speak or make eye contact.
It is the feeling men get when they must decide if a female
business colleague expects them to open the door, or not open
the door (given the changing gender roles of today’s society).
It is the feeling that whites get when they become the minority
among a group of African-Americans.
discomfort is not just an intellectual problem. It shows up
below the surface of our awareness and causes us to act or react
automatically or habitually. When we drive through an
economically disadvantaged neighborhood, we automatically lock
the doors. When we see Hispanic or African-American youths
traveling in groups, we automatically make assumptions about what
they are doing. At the root of cultural discomfort lie
assumptions about who “we” are and who “they” are. These
assumptions about others make us feel uncomfortable, cause
stress, hinders our effectiveness, or lead us to act unfairly.
cultural discomfort, we must keep in mind that we will always
feel some level of comfort or discomfort when interacting with
someone of a different culture. The key is to not allow the
discomfort to dictate our actions or reactions. Also, we must
work towards turning fear into curiosity. Healthy curiosity
about cultural differences can lead to cross-cultural dialogue
and relationships. When dialogue and relationships
occur, we are on our way to testing assumptions, and hence
managing cultural discomfort.