Monday, April 21, 2008 Globally: not all the same! POST A COMMENT LOCATION MATTERS? Are you a East versus West turf kinda-person? I never thought location much mattered. I'm more along-that-old-saying, "If you Cut Me, Will I Not Bleed..." - which hints that we are all kinda-made-from-the-same-stuff inside, so thanks Newsweek for F-ing with my head. Yeah, well...you live, you learn. I'm trying. According to this Newsweek Article (Blame the Bugs), location not only helps to form the way we think, it also effects our immune system. So there might be some truth behind another saying: What hurts you doesn't hurt me, it makes me stronger (if I'm on the right coast)! For example, The USA... "epitomizes individualistic, do-your-own thing cultures, ones where the rights of the individual equal and often trump those of the group and where differences are valued." Versus folks in Japan that... "exalt the larger society: behavior is constrained by social roles, conformity is prized, outsiders shunned..." So, The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence (if that fence is someplace-far-far-away). Or how many pathogens....confused yet? (your ass must be from the west coast)... "Societies that arose in places with fewer pathogens had the luxury of individualism, which is less effective at limiting the spread of disease but brings with it other social benefits, such as innovation." So basically, Your-Moms-Better-Than-Anyone-Else's (if she's from the right coast)..."For years scientists have scratched their heads over why collectivism declines with distance from the equator, and why living in colder regions should promote individualism (you'd think polar people would want to huddle together more). The answer seems to be that equatorial regions breed more pathogens." So along that thinking multi-racial people might create the best of all-worlds...in theory at least. Source: Newsweek Labels: Culture, environment, Health, race relations posted by Henry Cruz at 11:57 PM 0 Comments: Post a Comment << Home     ARCHIVES October 2005 . November 2005 . December 2005 . August 2007 . September 2007 . October 2007 . November 2007 . December 2007 . March 2008 . April 2008 . May 2008 . June 2008 . July 2008 . August 2008 . September 2008 .