Other - Cultural Diversity…So What? Why Bring It Up? from Deremiah *CPE: MarketingProfs Question 5785

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Cultural Diversity…so What? Why Bring It Up?

Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/22/2005 at 4:00 PM ET 2669 Points

Black History…So What? Cultural Diversity…So What? Why Bring It Up?

Yeah…so what about Black History? And all of that bunk about cultural diversity…Who gives a hoot anyway? And what does this have to do with Marketing? Why bring it up?

Yeah I agree…Why bring it up!? By now most of you have discovered that I am black at least on the outside and I’m sure no one will argue that (lol). No joking (lol) It’s not shoe polish!…But another point we can’t argue is that while we’re all a different pigmentation on the outside we are the same color on the inside. Red blood, White blood cells and bluish greenish veins. As a matter of fact my brains not even black…but mindsets can be. So having begun my life in poverty my father joined the army creating an explosion of movement in my life and at the same time teaching me the value of learning how to accept change and appreciating diverse cultures as a normal part of growing up. Couple that with living in 13 cities here in the US and two cities in Germany and now you’ve got a very interesting internal mix going on inside of me. You’ve got a traditional African American kid with an Anglo-Saxon disposition (go figure). In all actuality I’m African American, Indian and White. The dark skin of my African ancestors has hidden my Indian and White blood-lines but not the characteristics of these two cultures that I sincerely appreciate. Anyone whose friends with me will tell you that they feel very much at home when hanging out with me. I feel it’s important for you to understand this about me before you take your position on my questions (below) and this is the same way you would a business if you wanted to help offer the best advice…background, background and more background. The best advice is what I’m looking for here today. Some of you will avoid answering the question because it’s easier to do that, others might feel more comfortable saying what they feel off line but it does not change the fact that ---this--- is a “Very Relevant Question” to consider in Marketing especially in a world that is forcing diversity down your throats every waking minute of every day. But for me creating diverse relationships is not a new marketing concept. Most of my non-black friends like my openness but others love to hate me because it confronts something they would rather avoid talking about sort of like religion and politics (you don’t discuss those in public). Somehow and for some strange reason if you’ve gotten this far I believe that you are much brighter than that and way more intelligent than some might give you credit for. Thanks for your most deepest, most honest and most sincere answers. Choose to answer one or answer them all. But have fun and know that expression is in the mouth of the beholder. Remember you are born to be great no matter what culture you come from!

QUESTIONS HERE:
Now my (5) most important questions that I can’t answer without your assistance:

How do you view the way Black History month is promoted in February?
Does it matter to you? or does it bother you and why?

Do you think through marketing that people could be taught to appreciate the Black culture better?

Culturally do you think that we can be taught to appreciate our differences and how does marketing help us do that?

Do you think some people are offended by the marketing of cultural diversity and why?

Does appreciating our culturally diverse backgrounds pose a threat to our respecting our own cultures?

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RESPONSES

Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/22/2005 at 4:04 PM Author

Well thanks all my KHE brothers and sisters...you know me, please be free, to be who you were mean't to be.

If you would like to hear my responses at the end of this post, reply saying "Yes tell us yours Deremiah" and I will...no problem.

Thanks for your time and all of your answers. If anything is unclear please let me know. Is there anything else I can do for you?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Cultural Passion Evangelist)
Posted by Peter (henna gaijin) on 2/22/2005 at 6:04 PM Accepted

Does it matter to you? or does it bother you and why?
Do you think through marketing that people could be taught to appreciate the Black culture better?
Culturally do you think that we can be taught to appreciate our differences and how does marketing help us do that?

All of these can be answered yes, but pragmatically the next question would be who will pay to do this? Not likely a for profit company would do this, but perhaps a NGO or government org may take this on.

Business Week had an article in their Feb 21 issue on the NAACP. Interesting reading. They may be the most likely ones to fund such a venture.
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/22/2005 at 6:18 PM Author

Gary,

loved your response. Great sense of an appreciation for your own culture has seemed to pour over into your own views about others.

WHAT MY DADDY TAUGHT ME ABOUT CULTURE DIVERSITY STILL WORKS TODAY...
I remember my dad teaching me the guidelines of securing strong cross cultural relationships and it was:

Never let anyone else make you feel that you are less (valuable) then they are and never put yourself above anyone else.

In other words be respectful towards others in everyway you possibly can. Gary don't you think that good cross cultural relationships should just come with proper home education?...It's sad that it doesn't but I'm so glad yours did.

WELCOME GARY (WE ARE FAMILY)
Well Gary just know that my door is always open and you're kewel enough to hang out with me in anything I do.

CULTURAL RIOT ACT...
If my culture trys to make you feel uninvited then I'll just have to read my culture the riot act. You can not usher in non-discrimination across cultures by discriminating across cultures. This is one of those areas where I have disagreed with some black leaders and the message they send of unifying to the degree they use exclusionary methods. This does not jive well. I think I can not love my Blackness and hate the whiteness with in me.

I AM EVERY CULTURE
I am every culture I am and I must celebrate them all with a sense of respectful reverence. Like we celebrate the beauty of a rose of many cultures we should easily see the need to celebrate what we have in common and what we have that's different.

BLACK HISTORY IS NOT A MONTH
My adopted son Christopher did the poster for the McDonald's campaign which was bout celebrating Black History 365 days a year. If you're Black how can you not celebrate who you are in your Blackness...I agree Gary Black History does not answer the problem and in some ways ii probably creates even more counter problems the more agressive the campaign gets. So what can we do now that it's started?

HOW CAN WE MAKE BLACK HISTORY work for my white brothers and sisters in a way that it's not counterproductive or Counter Culturally Productive.

Thanks Gary...

So what do you think?

Don't be quite now...it's too late..."I Did it"

"CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG". (LOL)

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Culturally Productive Evangelist)
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/22/2005 at 9:02 PM Author

Randall aka my "Houston Soul Brother",

thanks so much!!!

I think your response is a call to us respecting each other in a dignified way. Yes, I too think that we widen the gap when we focus more on the difference but I am not beyond us respecting the difference.

I actually love celebrating my German heritage as I was reared in Germany during my most Impressionalble years 7-12. I even notice traits in my mannerisms that are definitely Germanic in nature. When ever anyone brings up Germany I want to hear about it. But as a result of living in Germany I have also developed a strong passion for loving my Jewish brothers and sisters. I wasn't forced to celebrate Anne Frank when I read her as a child but I did fall in love with that little girl. https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0553296981/qid=1109120763/sr...

Can't we celebrate who we are without asking others to have to celebrate too?

Shouldn't we just fall in love with people because they are great?

Do we have to force feed it?

Celebration of this type becomes dissappointment in the hearts of those who may not be ready to digest another "I gotta respect yo Blackness" because It's Black History month.

A POEM TO BRIDGE THE GAP.....byderemiah 2-20-05

They Love Me For Me

My friends love me
because they understand the value of true L-O-V-E. They recognize me
because of what I am
and not because of what I make them to See
If I force feed them
how can I make them appreciate me
for being me
Can't we see how intimidating
all of this carzy-ness can be
Only because I want them to appreciate me
for being Black like me
Can't they just love me
for being who I am
without forcing them and measuring
it to see if they truly give a _ _ _ _!
Has history driven itself off course
can you appreciate what you appreciate
without being forced.
I love my friends no matter
what their nationality
should they have to love me
or celebrate me
because the truth is
they'll never be Black like me,
Indian like me or white like me
so as the Beatles say
Let it be,
Let it be,
Let it be,
Let it be
cause you can't fix the history

Copyright: 2005, Deremiah.

Well Randall keep on doing your thang and know that there is much love in the "Windy City" for my brother in Houston. Is there anything I can do for you?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Challenging People Ethically)
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/23/2005 at 7:52 AM Author

Virago,

I agree with you that lack of education and cultural arrogrance (a failure to expose yourself to communication beyond the visual Aids of TV, Radio and magazines) can really bring forth additional communication that is not founded on the truth but purely speculation. Another way to look at is you can not criticize what you have failed to come to know or embrace.

Cal I'll be back to comment on your post. You always offer so much in depth analysis that one can not make the mistake of avoiding re-reading what you have written. Thanks buddy.

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Cultural Positivity Excites!)
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/23/2005 at 4:53 PM Author

Frances,

Your thoughts are relevant and I appreciate you jumping in and sharing your insights. The two most interesting thought provoking points that you made which really made me think were:

Frances>I believe that before one reacts to a 'culture', one should try and understand its rationale.

Frances>If the marketing of Black history month is not helping people (of all colours) to answer that question for themselves, I'd guess it fails.

Both of these are well said. We do need to try to understand before we condemn and if we are not creating a more holistic cause how is the campaign for Black history month failing. Is it just good enough to say once a year every February…Here we are yall…I don’t think so.

Virago,

Virago>I think it's the government's role to strongly encourage through culturally tolerant policies and education to really promote cultural intelligence.

Although my old US Democratic mindset would love to agree I’m at war with my appreciation for Republican values too in that I believe that real change needs to start at the grass roots. As a teacher of history (at least in America) the people are supposed to be the government in its most simplest essence. What can we do to challenge people to recognize that the power to change things resides with them.

As far as the Chinese government or people are concerned I’m desperately in love with their people regardless of what stumbling blocks my skin color creates for them. And being an unaccepted foreigner is not a problem to me because there are times when Blacks even in my own culture have a problem tolerating me (lol).
Posted by sammykarij on 2/24/2005 at 3:35 AM Accepted

I'm a Kenyan and have never been to States. I have many friends there including one who got married to a white American whom they met here in Kenya.

But yesterday I watched a program in Kenya which featured Kenyan Students in a Kenyan University celebrating history month. It kept me thinking- why would such a day be of any meaning to a Kenyan?
How do you view the way Black History month is promoted in February? Does it matter to you? or does it bother you and why?

Response to your first question:

Do you think through marketing that people could be taught to appreciate the Black culture better?

Yes and no. One of the aims of marketing is creating positive perceptions. Whereas it is easy to do so for a product you have control of, how do you change the actions of the blacks which project images that could be interprated as negative by others?
Posted by tjh on 2/24/2005 at 1:16 PM Accepted

Until there's some kind of Golden Age where most individuals planet-wide arrive at the education level, experience quotient, and emotional maturity to:

(1) respect and enjoy the variety that human cultures (both racial and social) offer, and,

(2) achieve their own comfort and integrity with their own culture(s), and,

(3) truly arrive at the "big tent" thinking that all humans have a huge list of commonalities related to sheer survival, joyful achievement, and cooperation regardless of other differences:

Until something like the above really happens, there will be this long, slow, often painful climb out of the muck of arrogance, bigotry and exclusion.

Marketing helps, if it goes towards these issues - these issues that promote greater freedom, peace, respect and continued achievement for each person.

Other things help besides marketing. It's a long-shot to believe that marketing can actually cause individual change in the short term of a lifetime.

And thinking about these things, and working on them via all kinds of channels, it seems to me that it must be addressed on an individual level, as opposed to addressing "the masses".

So, long term, I think legislation forcing acceptance is not likely to work, although short term enforcement helps put a lid on acts of hate.

During and after enforcement, education and other forms of help must occur to get us through it.

Personally, I like my white, caucasion racial culture and history. I wasn't raised to like it however.

I was a 60's teen, and after years, found myself thinking my "culture" didn't really exist - that I was guilty of things, many things, that happened dozens or hundreds of years ago. It really took me most of my life to start realizing that it is ok that I am a member of a racial culture, and oddly, several social cultures.

Black history month is, and has been, ok with me. Anybody celebrating their culture is wonderful, and it's an interesting time for me to participate, learn, (try their food, listen to their music, hear stories! lol), etc.

If one day far in the future we've lost our memories and participation in our various cultures - that society is likely to be far too homogenous for me.

But I think marketing money would be better spent if it promoted universal values that included everyone, promoted the benefits of those values ("what's in it for me?"), and made it obvious how desirable that kind of future is.
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/24/2005 at 9:34 PM Author

Vevolution...Thanks for putting us on track again.

Rockboy2...interesting insights but First Black President...interesting.

Eugene...Glad you could add a point of view that takes us back to Malaysia. It's only a great question because you provided a great answer. Thanks so much.

Sammykarij...Great input straight from the motherland.

Sanjeev...Short and sweet but a nice point of view and never the same.

TJH...Great input for a universal approach. I'm so glad you got back into appreciating your culture. You should be proud of who you are and I'm proud of you.

Stokefire...Great input really like your objective overview of the dash for cash concept and how to get into my pocket with Mo Images of Yo Cultural for Mo Money, Mo-Money, Mo MONEY.

W.M.M.A...what a cultural war...only in TX

Cal...next question is about Edward De Bono, right now this question is sponsored by the other De...De Mills, Deremiah De Mills (Wow!!! What a CON-Cept)
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/25/2005 at 12:30 AM Author

Hey Cal,

no apology necessary. I can see how this projection of first can create an issue. I do like your response and some of this over cocky attitude has to be addressed. Hey Cal, what part of Canada are you from...you're not from the British Columbia part are you? Thanks for your input and a great example of how cultural promotion can be presented with an offensive overtone.

Your Servant,

Deremiah
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/25/2005 at 10:52 AM Author

The Great Roxana,

it is a pleasure to get a response from the Queen of Romania and thanks for stopping through. Your assessment is pretty interesting, to the point and clear. You have offered some very independent ideas that really shed light on at least the fact that others should be participating in their offering to cultural diversity. Thanks again my Romanian Sistah.

Your Servant, Deremiah
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/25/2005 at 11:03 AM Author

My brother MJK,

so close to MLK in intials some might think Martin is back. Great input. I'm with you on this one! Most people I've found are rather stiff when it comes to culture and this is coming after having lived in 13 cities across the US & Germany. People are too uptight! Say what you mean and just mean what you say without being mean. We do need to...talk about it, talk about it & TALK ABOUT IT some more.

I've found the Less you talk about a thing the more Taboo it becomes. It's time these cultural things come out of the closet and we avoid cloaking them in mystery. I'm BLACK/INDIAN/WHITE so what? Let's talk about what you don't understand because I'm going to talk with you about what I need to have clarified. I don't want to be walking around ignorant about anything if I can help it.

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)

PS
before the post is wrapped up somebody remind me to talk about my sign off "Your Servant" and I'll share something interesting and at times controversial.
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 2/26/2005 at 7:31 PM Author

Roxana a grreat question from the Queen of Romania,

My reply may very well answer both questions simultaneously. the long on going inside pessimistic communication among African Americans is because... February's the shortest month of the year (lol).

Roxana I'll have to examine those details among some of my black professor friends. Thanks for the interesting question.
Posted by telemoxie on 2/27/2005 at 12:18 PM Accepted

Deremiah: I have not read the above posts, I wanted tp reflect a few days on your questions, and then offer my perspectives.

1) How do you view the way Black History month is promoted in February? Does it matter to you? or does it bother you and why?

response - I don't mind the way it is promoted, but I think a different emphasis could serve the black community better. It does matter to me if it can help some who feel the world owes them a living due to grievances from over 100 years ago, it does matter to me if it can help more people become peaceful members of society. As a program which emphasises rather than minimizes differences, it does bothers me, but not nearly as much as the female business groups which seem to want to exclude men.

2) Do you think through marketing that people could be taught to appreciate the Black culture better?

Which Black culture: African culture, slave culture, historical Black americans, current Black culture? I do not believe that creating separate "cultures" in the US builds harmony, I believe it builds barriers.

3) Culturally do you think that we can be taught to appreciate our differences and how does marketing help us do that?

Do you mean that there are inherent differences between races or classes or groups of people, and that these differences should be studied and that the result should be "marketed"? If such differences exist, I feel they should be ignored, and marketing can help to do do this. Do you mean by this question that some groups have formed sub-cultures and that these differences should be magnified and maintained? If so, I'm opposed, since this creates division. By diversity, do you mean the process of including multiple groups of people as equal participants? If so, I'm in favor of this.

4) Do you think some people are offended by the marketing of cultural diversity and why?

I believe an emphasis on differences builds resentment - I believe we need to move towards common ground.
Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 3/8/2005 at 8:39 PM Author

THANKS ALL
Thanks everyone. In particular the last to answer the question Telemoxie, Curtleimbach, Et3dotcom and Kulkdeepu. You all have provided an interesting perspective on 5 very challenging questions. Thanks for all your input.

FINAL WORDS OF WISDOM
Well as usual if you want to understand the depth of something ask as many people as you can across various cultures. If you want to develop a stronger appreciation for your work try working with others from outside your culture. If you want to expand the greatest possible way to perceive the creative aspects of a thing try going way out beyond your community and ask people what they think and then challenge yourself to listen without judging. That's what we've done here through the lives, input and answers from all across the world.

CULTURAL DIVERSITY...SO WHAT? WHY BRING IT UP?

because I live in a very beautiful country called America where I'm free to bring it up and I'm free to listen and I'm free to participate. And that's a good reason to bring it up...because "I'm FREE".

Is there anything else I can do for you? Are you sure? Do you really know what you want out of life? And are you living your dream? Well if you read the above post and participated you just helped me live my dream and I really appreciate it.

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Culturally Promoting Experiences)

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