Re: Across Cultures

[Stan Potts <POTTS_STAN -at- TANDEM -dot- COM>]

I think Dan missed the point.  The point was that the cultural norm of
turning on the tube to start conversation was apparently so prevalent in
this guys environment that he took it for granted that Vicki would
understand what he was doing.  We don't need exhaustive sociological
studies to determine the validity of Vicki's assurtion that this
cultural norm exists.  All she was doing was passing along a story to
illustrate how differences in culturally determined expectations can
lead to misunderstanding.

Also, I was gratified to hear someone feel comfortable admitting to
having sparked a dubie...the "for medicinal purposes only" disclaimer
notwithstanding.  I'd love to have been a fly on the wall, listening to
the stoned conversations at a science fiction convention.  I'm sure it
would have supplied stand-up comics with a gold mine of material.
Thanks for sharing, Vicki.

Stan Potts
potts_stan -at- tandem -dot- com
eld.com, YOUNG -at- xSENT 01-14-94 FROM SMTPGATE (briand -at- mei -dot- com)

Vicki Rosenberg writes:

>In his part of the country (Wisconsin),
>they were/are in the habit of turning the television on and
>using it as the spark for conversation.

How can you make a sweeping generalization like that?  Have there been
studies done?


-BD

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