Cultural Considerations (This is the Last Sunday, I Swear! - Song Conversion Sunday WILL Return)

I took some time this week to think.

Not all that unusual, but something that I need to do every so often to make my process a bit more clear. I did not read any more from my feminist theory book or look towards other resources. (I received a thesis from a reader, and I am getting ready to start that particular resource - thank you, you know who you are!!) I simply paid attention to things happening around me.

I've been watching some Australian suspense television shows lately. This is something really interesting to me since Australian television has a completely different viewpoint of us here in America than we often hold of ourselves. That different viewpoint is prevalent in the shows I've been watching. (If you are interested, my current watchlist includes Pine Gap and Secret City.) I am enjoying the opportunity to view my government from the viewpoint of the writers and performers of a different continent.

Now, I know that these shows are not completely based in reality, but there is something that is revealed about opinions and attitudes in media. If these shows are something popular in their countries of origin, then that reveals something about the people watching, doesn't it? It certainly reveals something about me.

I am fascinated by what others think of my country - the government and of me as an individual who lives under that government.

At this point, both of my shows have Australia in a center place between the United States' government and China's government. The attitude expressed is that both of the other nations are bullies and Australia spends lots of time navigating between the other two. I suspect that there is that type of situation happening quite often, but I hope that we aren't always one of the bad guys in conflict. Not being a governmental insider, I really have no idea what my government does - is that a bad thing while I am considering culture? Hm. More to think about.

As a music therapist, what does this particular topic have to do with the job that I need to do every day? Probably not much, but it is a good example of being aware of how one is perceived.

As I go through all of the situations that have happened in my life that center around culture and perception, I find that I am often judged by stereotypes. I know that I do that as well, but I try not to base my judgments on typical stereotypes. I often find that my reasons for doing specific things are misunderstood, and that seems to be at the core of all of this discussion. I only know my experience and how my experience affects my judgment - I cannot know how another person is perceiving any type of encounter. I also cannot be responsible for how someone else responds to what I say or do, except to strive for a common understanding.

As a music therapist, I find myself working with clients who come from vastly different cultural expectations and backgrounds - different from my experiences and different from each others' experiences as well. All of my students come from the same country, but not from the same culture. Even the students who come from the same town do not often have the same cultural background or expectations. This is a function of being human, I think.

My goal, as a therapist, is to approach each person who walks into my music therapy room as a complete human - with cultural influences, with unique experiences, with personal needs and strengths. I strive to understand perceptions that are not my own in a way that is genuinely open and as unbiased as possible. I know, however, that I cannot completely get rid of my biases as they are part of how I understand and experience the world. I do try to change and to adapt, though. 

I am not completely finished with this particular topic, and I will continue to read and think and synthesize and struggle. I will also move this conversation off of Sundays onto another day - I'm thinking that Saturdays would give me enough time to ponder and organize thoughts for every week. Next week, I'll get back into Song Conversion Sunday posts on Sundays.

If you are still reading this, thank you for being open to my thoughts. I appreciate any comments (and I don't publish any sort of personal information about you, so if you'd like to connect directly with me, feel free to do so!). Enrich my understanding of your ideas on this topic - I do want to hear them!