- Native Americans think: Whites violate the sanctity of the universe. (ie. cutting down forests and making farms.)
- White Americans think: Native Americans are ignorant about the true nature of the Universe.
- Native Americans think: White Americans don't know anything, can't "see" the real world. They are incapable of supernatural contact.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are out of touch with reality, they live in a dream world. They are superstitious, see things that aren't there.
- Native Americans think: White Americans are more concerned with time than people.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are unreliable.
- Native Americans think: White Americans are really dumb, can't function in Indian country.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are not concerned about education (school setting), they don't want to learn.
- Native Americans think: White Americans don't care about people, selfish, greedy, ruthless.
- White Americans think: Native Americans lack interest in personal achievement.
- Native Americans think: White Americans can't be trusted, and are only after what they can get.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are lazy, unimaginative, will not exploit their own resources.
- Native Americans think: White Americans are prospering at the expense of Indians, want to acquire.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are passive, no initiative.
- Native Americans think: White Americans never admit they are wrong, exploit their own families, never settle down.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are afraid to leave the reserve, can't face the real world, always copping out.
- Native Americans think: White Americans are always trying to get ahead in politics, industry, clubs, etc. as opposed to sticking by family and friends, and look down on Native Americans.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are crazy to put up with lawless, drunken kinsmen, won't try to better themselves.
- Native Americans think: Too motivated by personal gain, selfish, few traditions or ties to traditions that are valued.
- White Americans think: Native Americans lack discipline and operate from primitive traditions. Unwilling to change. Do not understand sound principles of economics and work ethic.
- Native Americans think: White Americans are aggressive, bossy, know everything and want everything their way.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are disorganized, lazy and don't know how to do anything.
- Native Americans think: White Americans value material things, wealth, and don't care about people.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are lazy and don't care about important material things or their reputations.
- Native Americans think: White Americans are fickle, unreliable, spoiled and concerned for themselves. Try to force changes.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are primitive, backward and ignorant.
- Native Americans think: White Americans worry about things too much. Try to force plans on others and expect answers for unimportant questions, and get mad when changes are made.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are irresponsible, shortsighted, undisciplined, don't care about possessions, and spend money foolishly.
- Native Americans think: White Americans are bossy and pushy, too direct and loud, want everything their own way.
- White Americans think: Native Americans are uneducated and dumb. Don't know anything. Too passive and lazy.
- Native American Culture: Present Orientation. Happening now. Let it happen.
- White American Culture: Future Orientation. Schedule. Make it happen.
- Native American Culture: Live in Harmony with nature, All creation equal.
- White American Culture: Use nature/exploit/hold dominion. Mankind superior to other nature.
- Native American Culture: Possessions easily given away. Security from ability to provide. Patient/passive temperament.
- White American Culture: Possessions given away with difficulty. Security by planning ahead. Anxious/aggressive temperament.
- Native American Culture: Extended family. Aged useful, highly respected. People highly valued above material things. Conformity in society. Noninterference in other's lives/choices. Leadership chosen through past performance. Psychological discipline. Nonverbal communication. Picture thinking. Humor via people/situation self takes "humiliation". Learning via observation/demonstration.
- White American Culture: Immediate/exclusive family. Aged are cared for but not useful. Material things valued (above people?). Competition in society. Involvement in other's lives/choices. Leadership chosen through future promises. Physical discipline. Verbal Communication. Conceptual/abstract thinking. Humor via subtle situation/double meanings/others take humiliation. Learning via lecture.
- Native American Culture: Honesty, trust, respect, loyalty, giving.
- White American Culture: Money, position, reputation, immediate family.
- American Native Culture: Lying, disrespect (especially of elders), abuse of family, greed, selfishness.
- White American Culture: Murder, abuse of family members, theft, adultery.
WORLDVIEW OF TWO CULTURES
COMPARED: IMPLICATIONS
These are just some of the MISUNDERSTANDINGS that result from the cultures NOT UNDERSTANDING the PERSPECTIVE and VALUES of the OTHER. Culture is learned behavior: Acting, Thinking, Feeling, living, or "ought ness"
NOTE: This was NOT created to cause division and does not take the position that these things are true about the cultures or that all of one culture think these things of the other. These statements show some general underlying values of the two cultures, and how these values can be misunderstood as negative attributes.
The following charts all came from organizations and groups working with Ojibway people. Some characteristics may be more specific to this tribe and may not be seen in other tribes across the Americas. However, the values of respect and extended families seem to be universal.
WE THINK - YOU THINK
THE UNIVERSE:
OUR VALUES - YOUR VALUES
Native American: Slower, softer speech.
White American: Louder, faster speech.
Native American: Avoids speaker/listener with little or no eye contact.
White American: Addresses listener directly often by name.
Native American: Interjects less.
White American: Interrupts frequently.
American Indian: Less "encouraging signs" (nodding of head, "uh huh" etc.)
White American: Much verbal encouragement.
Native American: Delayed response to auditory message. Nonverbal communication prized.
White American: Immediate response to auditory message. Verbal skills highly prized.
Native American: Cooperation.
White American: Competition.
Native American: Group needs most important. Harmony with nature. Control self, not others.
White American: Personal goals most important. Power and control of nature. Control of self and others.
Native America: Sharing, keep only enough to satisfy present needs.
White American: Material things important collected and respected.
Native American: Participates only when certain of ability.
White American: Trial and error.
Native American: Privacy and noninterference.
White American: Need to control all situations.
Native American: Physical punishment rare.
White American: Physical punishment accepted.
Native American: Patient, allows others to go first.
White American: Aggressive and competitive.
Native American: Broken English accepted.
White American: Command of the English language respected.
OUR WAYS - YOUR WAYS
TIME: