My cultural worldview is derived from my childhood in the West Indies. I was born and raised in Trinidad, an island located between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, northeast of Venezuela.
The culture in Trinidad is a curious mix of colorful native music and traditional celebrations on one hand and the refined influence of our English heritage on the other. I grew up amid the outrageous Carnival tradition, Calypso music, and limbo dancing, but I went to an all-girls Catholic school and attended cricket matches and rugby games. My family lived according to English customs, and yet we were surrounded by native artisans and many tourists.
One of the great impacts of my childhood culture has been the courtesy that was instilled in me by my parents and teachers. We were taught to speak when spoken to, address our elders as ôSirö or ôMadame,ö and answer when called. When encountering a stranger, we usually greeted them with ôGood morning,ö ôGood evening,ö or ôGoodnight.ö This courtesy is so ingrained in me that I respond exactly the same way today as I did then. Having been exposed to other cultures in my adult life, I find that our courtesy is a bit unusual in many places in the world, but I like it very much. This way of treating people with respect not only starts out my encounters with others on a positive note but also sets the tone for our interaction; because I treat others with respect, they generally treat me accordingly. It is a gentle and civilized way to live.
On American television, children are portrayed as shouting at their parents, speaking disrespectfully to others, and living without the constraints of decency and honor. These things seem to cause them great unhappiness as well as making trouble for them in their lives. News stories of American children that murder their fellow students at school, or even their parents, have become commonplace enough that they are no longer bey...