Lessons about cultural differences

Multi-Cultural Competence
The author of this brief reflection and response has learned a great deal when it comes to multi-cultural competence and learning about the same. This brief reflection serves as a recitation of what lessons were learned, why they are important and what the author must and will keep in mind as the learning continues to evolve and thrive. Among many other things, the author has learned that the learning never stops and there are a number of reasons for this. While it is possible to become well-versed in cultures and what makes people different, it would be a mistake to think that there is a point where the learning is no longer necessary or that the changes to culture stop happening.
Learning Explained
The author of this response has learned a few things about culture as part of the learning that has been completed thus far. First, there is nothing wrong with being proud of one’s culture. Indeed, many people hearken to the homeland in which they were born or the same area from which their ancestors came from. However, there is a fine line between pride in such details of one’s history or the history of one’s ancestors and being improper. The author of this response has come to know this as being cultural humility. In other words, the author is proud of the culture from which the author comes but the author also understands that there is nothing elite, superior or “better” about that culture as compared to anyone else. All people have a right to celebrate their heritage and a line is cross when it becomes anything resembling elitism or who is “better” than anyone else (Waters, 2013).
Another thing I learned is that cultural learning is something that can be done in high levels but it is something that never really stops. It is not as if it is a large book that can be completed and then there is nothing else to learn. One reason for this is complexity and variations. There are so many variations and manifestations of culture. Even people within the same culture are going to vary based on the unique facets of their family, their upbringing and how they develop and grow into adults. Beyond that, cultures are always changing. For example, the American culture during the Revolution and just after it was first formed would look a certain way. The culture during the Industrial Revolution and during the time of the Civil War would be very different. The culture during the Civil Rights era and even up to now would also be different. The point is that cultures are always evolving and changing. Even if someone thinks they have a good fix on what the culture is at present, it is only a matter of time before it changes and it will be hard to say what precisely will change and how people will react (Smith, 2015).
All of the above obviously feeds into social services and public services positions in general. Even if social service personnel should strive to be as impartial and dedicated to servanthood as they can be, there are social service workers that miss the mark. Beyond that, a lot of the people to be served are themselves a tad flawed when it comes to what they believe and why. While it is not the job of social services people to change minds in all regards, they do have a duty to make sure that they care for themselves, their children and so forth in the right and legal ways. Culture can sometimes be the genesis of people and situations as to why this is not done, for whatever reason. It is important to be culturally sensitive while at the same time communicating what is necessary under common ethics and the law.
Conclusion
Culture is something that is very funny. It can strongly unite people but it can also make them angry and virulent to the point of violence. Many to most situations can be resolved without violence but there are other situations that are nonetheless difficult and hard to navigate. Social services people in general have to remember that they will not win every time.
References
Smith, K. (2015). A massive, silent cultural revolution has changed America. New York Post.
Retrieved 9 August 2017, from https://nypost.com/2015/06/06/how-a-massive-silent-
cultural-revolution-has-changed-america/
Waters, A. (2013). Reflections on cultural humility. http://www.apa.org. Retrieved 9 August
2017, from http://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2013/08/cultural-
humility.aspx