http://bennettblog.disqus.com/Networking technology and policyenMon, 24 Mar 2008 02:55:45 -0000http://bennett.com/blog/2008/03/obama-not-a-serious-person/#comment-2135094<p>The teachable among us should write on the blackboard 100 times: "There is no such thing as 'race.'"</p><p>However, there certainly is such a thing as ethnic or cultural differences. I went through culture shock, living and working in Asia for a couple of years. It took me six months to feel comfortable; not embarrassing myself and my hosts at every turn. Surprisingly, when I returned to the States, it took me another three months to adjust to being back in my own culture.</p><p>My point is: we _can_ fully understand another culture and appreciate experiences other than our own, but it requires full immersion for many months, and a real commitment to making it work. As long as we retreat to the "comfort zone" of our self-selected mono-cultural circles of friends and family, we will never really understand; we will always be divided.</p>Mike NelsonMon, 24 Mar 2008 02:55:45 -0000