Good Movie Review About The Changing Trends In Intercultural Interactions

Intercultural Communication

Introduction
Intercultural communication has become a vital tool in the modern society. Despite the resistance that people have towards accepting and appreciating people from other cultures, it has become inevitable as circumstances compel them to be. We are living in a world with a growing sense of technology where people from different cultural communities have to interact for development purposes. With such connections, most of which are compelled by economic situations and circumstances, people realize that there is nothing strange about another culture, and it is all about getting to more about people. As people realize that it is only their skin color and cultural roots that is different, they learn that people from other communities are equally talented and at times endowed with qualities which once appreciated, they can benefit from them. In fact, most of the people who are against intercultural interactions are not exposed or have never been in situations where they have to closely interact with such people. Thesis preview: They base their reasoning and conclusion on what they have heard about such communities, rather than taking their time to interact with them.

Culture and Identity

The movie, my big fat wedding, presents a clear perspective of the wrong perspectives that people have towards people from other communities. In actual sense, you realize that some people who have not interacted with people from other communities have no valid reason why they show such discrimination. For instance, Toula’s father was against her daughter marrying from another community, not because of anything negative he had about them, but simply because he was not Greek. This presents an example of so many other people who are not ready for change and simply feel insecure that intercultural marriages will make them loose their identity. When it comes to marriage, people tend to overlook some of the good or even bad qualities in an individual and simply focus on their background which may not be necessary (Lustig & Koester, 2003, p. 140). There is the issue of persistence that was presented by Toula and her fiancé. They understood the cultural challenges they were encountered with, yet they were determined to win the hearts of their parents proving to them that culture is nothing much compared to the friendship they share.

Confronting cultural barriers

The movie reveals that the only people who had issues with the marriage were Toula’s parents. The discrimination they showed could have easily interfered with their relationship, just like many others do. However, Corbet, Toula’s fiancé proved to them that his love is not based on culture. He in fact considered his culture a simple identity, which he knew he could overcome by conforming to the cultural desires of Toula’s parents. From the decision that Corbet made and his immediate acceptance of Toula’s parents to allow him to marry their daughter shows how much a cultural name plays a role in influencing the decisions made. If culture and cultural practices are so much engrossed in a person, a prompt change may not do much in making the person completely engrossed in a different culture. As a matter of fact, it takes some time and mostly years for one to be part of a different culture by learning and even behaving like them. However, the decision made by Corbet was simply aimed at winning the hearts of Toula’s parents and therefore making it easy for them to marry.

Culture and stereotypes

Conclusion
The same trend is replicated among different communities; people do not look at the positive things in a person of a different community but simply discriminate them because their color is different. If people came to an understanding that color is only o the skin, and that there is deeper within a person that defines them more than their character. If only a person took time to personally learn about people from different communities and cultures rather than undermining them simply because everyone else undermines is not right. Probably, the world needs more people like Toula and Corbet to prove to the world that culture is only a name, and should never stand between people with genuine intentions.

Reference

Lustig, M. W., & Koester, J. (2003). Intercultural competence: Interpersonal communication across cultures. Boston, NJ: Allyn and bacon.