Writing to the World

20a Think about what seems “normal.”

Your judgment on what’s “normal” may be based on assumptions you are not even aware of. But remember: behavior that is considered out of place in one context may appear perfectly normal in another. What’s considered “normal” in a text message would be anything but in a request for an internship with a law firm. If you want to communicate with people across cultures, try to learn something about the norms in those cultures and be aware of the norms that guide your own behavior.

Like most people, you may tend to see your own way as the “normal” way to do things. How do your own values and assumptions guide your thinking and behavior? Keep in mind that if your ways seem inherently right, then—even without thinking about it—you may assume that other ways are somehow less than right.

Know that most ways of communicating are influenced by cultural contexts and differ widely from one culture to the next.
Pay close attention to the ways that people from cultures other than your own communicate, and be flexible.
Pay attention to and respect the differences among individual people within a given culture. Don’t assume that all members of a community behave in the same way or value the same things.
Remember that your audience may be made up of people from many backgrounds who have very different concepts about what is appropriate or “normal.” So don’t assume unanimity!