David Chalmers, an Australian Philosopher, believed, "People have managed to avert their eyes and hope for the best." 

This ideology can have detrimental effects on human life and human interaction. What happens when we avert our eyes against injustice? Against cultural norms? Against religious ideologies? If we were to do this, we would prohibit the development, growth, innovation, and integration of human relationships. 

Each of us come from different walks in life, and we each believe differently. We each have different experiences. I remember about 12 yrs ago, I was told that I was going to have an experience of my own, that I would be able to define and live with. My experience taught and informed me that I am an Omni-Culturalist. 

When we take a cultural perspective and integrate it into our lives, we can truly experience a richness and vastness that goes beyond our own understanding, expanding our ever growing consciousness that David Chalmers spoke a lot about. 

Many cultures emphasize the importance of respect. For instance, the Vikings, although known for the brutality and lawlessness, are also known for the demonstrations of hospitality, respect, and dignity. They wholeheartedly believed in demonstrating to others that people are people, and they should be treated as a human being - with respect and dignity. In fact, it's part of their cultural code of ethics. A Palestinian proverb reads, "I've called you to help, I found you in need of help." Similarly, an Israeli proverb reads, "Without love, it's impossible to treat others as they deserve." 

Thus, how I integrate my knowledge of culture and cultural ideologies into my life is I  know that when I meet with Muslims, there's a level of respect I need to uphold. When I serve Muslim women, I don't meet with them without permission / acknowledgement of the husband. When I meet with Russians, I understand that there are types of flowers that they receive for various types of occasions. The Chinese people are amazing and I think it's important to understand that there are various beliefs surrounding gift-giving (i.e., the number 4 is associated with death). In Egypt, it is considered disrespect to ask for salt for your food. For people of different cultures, I've learned that when I'm offered a gift, food, book, etc., to accept it because if I don't accept it, I stand the chance of being disrespectful to them. As I've stated before and in this article, I consider myself to be an Omni-Culturalist. I'm an accepter and believer of all cultures and religions. I believe truth can be found in them all. I've experienced many different cultures that have enriched my life and I continue to live by those principles / experiences. Truth is not about one piece of experience. Truth is not always objective. Truth can be subjective. 

Therefore, my question to everyone is how are you going to practice compassion, understanding, and love for another human being today? 

Peace and love to all

~ KO