Gung Hey Fat Choi (and why you need to care)

Today marks the first day of the Chinese (or more accurately, Lunar) New Year, one of my absolute favourite holidays. The food, the lanterns and decorations, the fireworks, the red packets of lucky money (hong bao), and the dragon dances make for a celebration that is both visually and gastronomically stunning. Every year, my wife and I host a Chinese New Year dinner for family and friends that has ranged in size from intimate to gargantuan. Yet here’s the part that surprises many people- I’m not Chinese. Not even close.

Why the cultural confusion? According to a Chinese co-worker, I’m an “egg”- white on the outside, but yellow inside. He may be on to something, but I think the real reason goes a little deeper. I’ve been a bit of an aficionado of Chinese culture for quite some time, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have friends who have invited me into their world and helped me gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of their culture. While my Mandarin lessons proved to be an abysmal failure, my interest in China and its people has opened the door to some unique experiences and has proved to be an asset professionally.

Ethan Zuckerman had a very interesting post last month about the increasing importance of what he calls cultural bridge builders and xenophiles. Bridge builders are those individuals rooted firmly in two cultures and can serve as a link and vehicle for understanding between the two, an “interpreter between cultures”. As Ethan notes, just being “bicultural” doesn’t necessarily make you a bridge builder. In the case of immigrants and migrants, some will reject their home culture and assimilate into the new society, while others will remain ghettoized within the new culture and cling tightly to their own traditions. Neither group serves as a bridge. It is those who care deeply about both cultures and work to foster understanding between the two who fit within this category.

The second class of people are “xenophiles”, those with a passion for another culture without the native and fundamental ties enjoyed by the bridge builders. These individuals show more than just a passing interest in other cultures; rather, they exhibit a fascination bordering on obsession. As Ethan notes, “bridge figures build bridges between cultures, and xenophiles walk across them”.

So why does it even matter? Put simply, it matters because our business and personal lives are increasing globalized. Those who can fully understand and operate within other cultures have a significant advantage over those who cannot. Ethan describes the need like this:

Most of us can’t aspire to be bridge figures - we’re simply not rooted in multiple cultures. But we can aspire to be xenophiles. It’s my argument that we need to. The world we live in is so complicated and interconnected that many problems, both big and small, require openness, understanding and the ability to communicate with people from different cultures. Imagine trying to solve climate change without talking with Indian and Chinese citizens… or living a full life in an urban neighborhood without connecting with your neighbors who speak different languages.

While xenophilia isn’t absolutely necessary to carry on business in a foreign country or with foreign nationals, an in-depth understanding of that culture is an invaluable asset. I also can’t help but think that learning cultures is a lot like learning languages- the second one is the toughest, but after that each new one is a little easier. After all, what you’re learning isn’t just how to operate within a different society, but how to operate outside of your own.

When you have an opportunity to experience and explore other cultures, embrace it and share it with others. Cultural fluency will pay dividends in both business and social interactions and will help prepare you for life in an increasingly globalized world. While I’m not suggesting that a Chinese New Year dinner is going to make you a xenophile, it’s a step in the right direction.

May you enjoy an auspicious Year of the Ox!

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