The Outsiders

Ethnicity cannot be changed. To study a foreign culture one must assume a role in the community and fully submerge. However, one can never become a true member of that culture, despite being able to put on a different skin, they cannot change their blood, their ethnicity and their own personal past. Despite these physical barriers, these outsiders are the most qualified to study the local culture, more so than those that make up and live the culture themselves.

Once immersed in a foreign culture the outsider learns not about his new environment, but about his original culture. “One cannot see the forest for the trees,” and this is the first time he has been taken out of the forest that is his culture. From this new perspective he is able to see and understand his way of life for the first time, not just bits and pieces, but the whole picture. At the same time he is immersed in a new culture giving him a comparison, but also forcing him to question the meanings behind various cultural differences. Experiencing a new culture enables the outsider to view how different cultures use different methods for interpreting the basics of human nature that we all feel. He is no longer just learning about the two cultures, but also about the underlying nature of humanity as a whole.

After immersion the outsider realizes the truths of their own culture they were previously blind to. They have learned how to learn about cultures in general and are qualified to study their new environment. They are able to see from a far enough perspective that they can get the whole picture. At the same time they can immerse themselves in it and dive in to analyze it firsthand. So the outsider has the unique ability to view the forest from afar, but also dive in and take a close look at the trees. Conversely the locals are limited to their “tree perspective.” The same people who believe a foreigner is incapable of understanding or fully appreciating their culture. Blinded by their own sense of pride, they are unable to understand their own culture and thus their own individual identities.

The outsider has to face many obstacles in the study of a foreign culture. Immersion is not enough. The frustrations associated with cultural differences must be conquered, the language must be learned and every aspect of the culture must be lived. May things are impossible to experience: I can never be a high school student in Taiwan. I can, however, teach English to children in Taiwan and study their experiences second hand. For many aspects of culture and life, second hand experiences are the best one can hope for. Full knowledge and understanding will require years of experience and immersion in the culture, approaching the learning process with an open mind and learning from the full range of people and classes in the culture. The culture needs to be studied on the personal and intimate level as well as the general and impersonal level: looking at the specifics of relationships and how they change with each generation, but also looking at the social norms and public behavior.

The outsider has to face many disadvantages when studying a new culture but by being an outsider they are in the ideal position for learning. After overcoming the initial obstacles they are able to learn not only about their new culture but also about their native one. Most importantly they gain an understanding for human nature common to all cultures of the world.