User talk:Jeanpol~enwiki/7questions

History: Russia and Istanbul
The questions (see below) were formulated by students from Pace University New York. The dates and places I met students:Kasan: 01 september, Istanbul: 08-09 september. JPM-Diary (in German): JPM-Tagebuch

The next steps: New York
The period I'll be in New York and meet the Pace University New York-students: From 29.10.2005 till 05.11.2005

JPM-Diary in New York: JPM Diary in New York

The 7 questions
Starting point: selection of questions by Dr.Kathryn Delawter, Pace University New York 1.What is your view of cross cultural relationships in your local community? 2. What role would you urge your country to play in the world? 3. What global issue do you see yourself working on where you want to make an impact? 4. What specific knowledge and skills are you developing that can make a difference for others' lives? 5. What suggestions would you make for the United Nations to be more effective? 6. Which "culture" is attractive for you and why? The European one, the US.-one, the Asian-one, the Islam-one, other ones? 7. How do you view the possiblities of the internet as a medium to unite the world?

Please contribute!
You can choose the questions you want to answer (as many as you want! ;-)) Concerning the technic: very easy: you just have to click "edit" on the questions you want to answer! ;-))) Of course, the best way to participate is to set up a userpage in the Wikipedia. So you can sign your contributions and watch the contributions by other people on other pages. In order to set up a userpage you just have to click on the button "create account/log in" below. --195.4.144.30 21:57, 2 September 2005 (UTC)

1.What is your view of cross cultural relationships in your local community?
I'm living in a small town (120.000 inhabitants) in Germany: there are Russian, Turkish people, but we havn't contact to them. On the university there are foreign students and I have the chance to offering a course calling "internet- and projectkompetence". So a lot of foreign students are in that course. It's a big enrichement for me, because my view of the world-wide problems is steady global.--Jeanpol 08:57, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

There are many people from Thailand, Indonesia and Philippines who come to work in Taiwan. Foreigners are generally very welcome in Taiwan, especially those from the West who are blonde and have white skin, since they are “rare” in Asia. However, people from South Asia are often discriminated by the Taiwanese because of their lowly jobs or because of some negative news about them. They are like the Italians or the Turkish people in Germany, who are not totally accepted in society. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * What means "some negative news" exactly?--Jeanpol 07:48, 21 August 2005 (UTC)
 * rape, theft, rob, for example. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * Hsiuwen, you talk about steroetypes and predjudices which still have a deep impact on what think about people from other nations. However, the situation has improved, not at last with the help of the internet. In my community - even smaller than jpm's (12.000 inh.)- first steps have been made, by people who built up an islamic cultural center with a lot of activities for instance. But there is still a long way to go...--Mky 07:45, 29 August 2005 (UTC)

yes it is very hard to get rid of prejudice. For instance, I have many German friends who just don’t like Americans, although they don’t really know anyone from the USA. And the reasons of their dislike toward the Americans are very naive and superficial to me: “the Americans are just stupid and they don’t have any culture.” They of course have their own culture, which has even dominated most parts of the world. I was there for three months and have known some very nice people. People of different nations are just different. They are not stupid because they are different. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)

In my opinion, it´s interesting that a sort of "hierarchy of foreigners" can be realized. Hsiuwen, for example, tells us that especially foreigners "from the West who are blonde and have white skin" are welcome in Taiwan. I´m interested in the reasons for this hierarchy and hope that somebody can help me to explain that phenomenon. I agree with Hsiuwen´s statement that the Turkish people in Germany are not totally accepted, but I´m not sure about the reasons. The lowly job that they do often (like the people from South Asia in Taiwan) can´t be THE reason, because, in fact, these are jobs which aren´t estimated by the Germans. I think that the origin of the problem is based on the differences of culture. There are astonishing little contacts between Turkish and German people. Although there live significantliy more Turkish than French or Spanish people in Spanish, I ´know a certain number of the latest, but I have never spoken seriously to any Turkish people. This is a statement of a student, who has been at highschool where, for the instant, there aren´t a lot of Turkish students and now the studies at university allow me to know students of foreign countries. Certainly, my experience is not representive for all the Germans, but I can also observe that for most persons of my surroundings (which haven´t been at highschool) the contacts with Turkish people are limited on bying some kepab. The reasons for this observation are certainly based on the problems to integrate the Turkish people in Germany. There are a lot of Turkish people in Germany that allows them to keep their culture in their own communities. This creation of Turkish communities leads to various problems. A lot of the Turkish aren´t able to speak well German. This leads to problems for the Turkish people to obtain a higher school education and jobs which are well estimated. Results of this: little estimation of the Turkish in the German society and frustration of the Turkish people.Furthermore, this community in a community suggest fear among the Germans who can´t see what´s going on in these communities. Among the problems of integration, the religion must be nominated. Already the headscarf symbolizes the cleavage of the two cultures, whereas other nations like the French have the same christian base which is defintively one of the reasons why the French in general are more estimated, because more understandable for the Germans. Carol

@Caro I will try to answer your question about why there is a hierarchy of foreigners in Taiwan. The first reason is actually quite simple: there are much fewer foreigners with blonde hair, blue eyes, white skin etc. in Taiwan or Asia. Because of their “rarity”, they are also more popular. Another reason could be that most of the white-skinned foreigners are from the USA or Europe, the “richer and developed“ western countries, therefore people from these areas are more respected and honored. I think you are right about the cultural differences between Turkish and German people and the lack of contact between them. There is a similar phenomenon in Taiwan: although many South-Asian people work as babysitters or take care of older people at Taiwanese homes, both sides aren’t really interested in the different cultures behind the people. Just like Turkish and German people, they don’t want to have contact with each other, which really hinders the understanding between them. I used to lived in a house which had a housemaid from Thailand when I studied in Taiwan a few years ago. The family just told her what she should do everyday and didn’t really “talk” with her beside giving her orders. Every time when I said hi to her, she always smiled very sweetly back to me. I felt sorry for her because she had to work in a foreigner country, in which no one really had any interest for her. There are also more and more South-Asian people who get married with Taiwanese. The Taiwanese are worried that our schools in the future will be filled up with kids who don’t speak Chinese or Taiwanese and that the learning abilities of the kids will drop dramatically because of the language-problem: the same situation as in Germany! (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)

@Caro, Hsiuwen I think this "hierarchy of foreigners" problem very intersteting- it might be right that the fact that the cultural differences plays a decisive role, but in my oppinion this can´t be the principal reason. I believe that this ranking is due to stereotypes and wealth. In Germany for instance exist many prejudices about Turcs, about their religion, their family life ect.. Many Germans still believe that Turky as more or less an ilsamic country, where women have no rights and a government that violates human rights. There might be a grain of trouth in this beliefs, but most of it is just not true. When I was in Turky the first time, I was astonished to see so many young students (girls) without a headscarf. And most of the Turkish students have the same beliefs and opinions as Germans students have. In my oppinion the " culture difference" play only a secondary role. Which Hsiuwen documents very well: in Taiwan white people are more populare than people from South- East Asia. Dispite the huge culture differences rich white people are more popular than Asian people who have a closer cultural background! In my opinion the principal reason for the ranking the wealth of country of origin. As mentioned by Hsiuwen white people are suposed to be "rich", comming from a well developed country. On the other hand black people are always considered to be poor- in all Western and Asian countries still exists stong xenophobic attitudes against African people. Interestingly these xenophobic attitudes are not originally caused by the figure of African living a county: in China, where only very few African people live, people are extremly hostile against blacks.

@ JPM I am not sure if the Chinese are “hostile” against blacks. I don’t think most of them even see or know a black in their life other than on TV. We can say that they know nothing about blacks other than they are poor, which is the image that exists all around the world. I myself didn’t know a black person until I came to Germany to study. Now I have two friends from Angola and Kenya and they are very humorous and warm people. And they are very different from Asians and Europeans! This personal experience did really change my view on the blacks. The richer/white people are more popular in Asia, however, they are also more popular in the USA, in South America or in Russia I guess. I guess in Russia it’s the same: the white are more popular than the blacks or Asians. Have you probably noticed this phenomenon there? Maybe you can ask Russians for their opinions about Asians or Europeans. (Hsiu-wen, Taiwan)
 * @Hsiu: the last statement was not by me. I don't know who wrote it...Regarding your intersting question: I will reflect about it when I'm back to Germany. The best way to know the people is to live with them. I have lost a lot of prejudice (I hope) during this trip. JPM

@JPM ha, I forgot last time that I should write English here. We are happy that you are back with us! I hope more students would participate in this forum, but it seems that most of them are still in vacation...a pity.


 * @Hsiuwen: I'm still sik and at home. So I can read your statements easyer. Did you read the results from the UN-Convention last days? The UN-states were not able to agree about the necessary reforms (especially the USA were a disturbing nation during this process). Of course it's a pity, but I think that more and more people are aware, that we need a solution and more and more people are unwilling to accept the USA-pressure. We have to mobilize jung people in order to think together and work about the millenium-targets (reducing poverty on 50% till 2015 - not just poverty in Africa or Asia, but poverty in USA and Europe or Russia too). For me the first steps are to communicate sustainably with Kasan and help the Germanistik-Abteilung there and to communicate with Istanbul (University and German School). I want to intensify the contacts and offer the IPK-students more and more the possibilty to carry out a project in Kasan or in Istanbul. As you see, you are a very important thinking-partner for me, for instance because you force me to explain with more precision my targets, dear Hsiuwen!--Jeanpol 07:34, 15 September 2005 (UTC)

@JPM It’s really my honor to be able to THINK with you. I hope you are getting better now! Yes, I have seen the news about the UN these days. It’s really sad to see that “even” (or I should say “of course”?) in the UN there are still problems of corruption (Koffi Annan’s son) and unfair interventions from countries like USA. Without agreement the UN would be just a name, not an action. (It’s also why I am not optimistic at all about the reduction of poverty or any other problem in the world. The countries just don’t cooperate with each other. What they want is unfortunately power and money.) It’s great that you have already planed some first steps to reach the goal of reducing poverty. I think it would be more efficient and simple if we urge students of Kasan, Istanbul, Germany or other countries to communicate together in one forum which discusses the problems of poverty. But then the question after the discussion: if we really manage to reach conclusions of how to reduce poverty, how can we put them into practice? I don’t think any government would have real interest in conclusions from young people “who don’t have enough experience in the world”, let alone change laws or anything like that to change the world. I think this is a main reason why many people don’t want to participate in this discussion with us. They want to ask: “OK we will discuss this issue. But then what?” Or your focus is only on the interaction between young people of different countries and it’s not important if someone would really listen to us then?


 * @Hsiuwen: At this stage, I'm just setting up a discussion-board and looking for young people willing to communicate. Than, step by step, we will think about possibilities to help concrete people like students in Kasan (for instance). So we will step by step set up a real network in order to communicate and help together. And I'm sure, it will work! We just need a little patience... So for instance, that Dr.Agricola is fit again and able to load up the videos from the Kasan/Istanbul students.--Jeanpol 04:47, 20 September 2005 (UTC)

@JPM: The problem is, if young people/ students don’t see the effects or the function of the discussion, they won’t want to participate and think that their efforts are worthwhile.- Hsiu-wen


 * @Hsiuwen: the function is clear: young people come together and 1. discuss about the questions and problems, 2. try to find a topic in order to carry out little research about that topic (for instance 2 German and 2 Russian students about solutions to face poverty), 3. meet in one of the countries (for instance in Istanbul or Kasan), 4. carry out the researchproject, 5. upload the results in their homepages. At the end they get a IPK-certificate from Eichstätt. So they can prove that they have made an international (cross board) research-project.--Jeanpol 12:53, 24 September 2005 (UTC)

@JPM This new model is very interesting and I like it because it focuses more on solving problems in the world and is pretty much related to your world-improvement-goal. But what’s the motivation for the others who don’t need a IPK-certificate and are not students at all? Don’t we need them to join the discussion as well? --Hsiu-wen


 * @Hsiu-wen: We need everybody! ;-)) But I think we have to be realistic. If 10 people participate, it's a good start. I don't know how the project will work further, but up to now I'm very satisfied. My strategy is to give a lot of impulse, but I never exactly know which direction the project will go. My experience since 35 years: the projects worked allways much better as I ever had expected. I achieved in my life allways much more as I thougt at the beginning. So concerning this project as well! ;-)) It's a game!

2.What role would you urge your country to play in the world?
As I’m French and living in Germany, I’m feeling European or – better – global. One point is very important for me: the enlightenment in France, England, Germany in the 18. century shows the right direction: religions slow down and human rights are uprising. I think the progress of science could bring humanity forward. As a little example I want to quote the Wikipedia and the rules which are followed there: “assume good faith”! Regarding the question of the role of some regions in the world, I think that Europe could have good chances to promote the values I like (human rights)--Jeanpol 12:45, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

I would urge my country to take part in international events and counsels, but since Taiwan is not accepted as a country at all because of the threat from China, it doesn’t have chance at all to distribute to the world. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * Even if Taiwan is "not accepted as a country", perhaps it's possible to contribuate with new solutions and ideas in order to solve conflicts in the espacial situation Taiwan is involved. The target: how to live and progress in a difficult situation like Taiwan is living?--Jeanpol 07:53, 21 August 2005 (UTC)


 * the problem is, when we are not accepted in the international commettee such as UN, our voice wouldn't be listened to. It's really sad. Your question is a good one. I wish I had the answer! (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * My answer would go into a similar direction like jpm's one: Living in a country where values as fixed in the human rights are accepted, we should try to promote these values were neccessary or at least make people think about problems and solutions in order to finally "make the world a better place" (though this may sound a little bit odd ;-)--Mky 07:52, 29 August 2005 (UTC)

Yes you are right. People are getting quite indifferent to the world around them. Some friends of mine don’t even watch news! They are not interested at all in what has happened in the world and it’s really sad. We have to make people care about their world. Any suggestions? ---Hsiuwen, Taiwan

I think that Germany with its high values concercning ecology, solidarity and human rights like liberty serves as model for other nations. It´s evident, that only a rich, competitive and therefore estimated nation can be effective as model. Unfortunately, the balance between our values and these demands is often difficult. When we want to reduce atomic energy, which is definitively a problematical source of energy, this makes our country less competitive than others. It´s the same with the stam cell research which is limitated in Germany to protect the human rights, but on the other hand side, leads to a "braindrain" (researchers quit Germany to find better researching conditions) and our country becomes inattractive for research which is a base for future prosperty. Carol

3.What global issue do you see yourself working on where you want to make an impact?
I think that the UN-millenium-project, targeting a poverty-reduction of 50 till 1015 is a good possibility for people wanting to help changing the world positive. We have to communicate worldwide about the strategies and I’m trying to find communication-structures to hit this target.--Jeanpol 12:45, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

I am concerned about the issue of famine in Africa. I would like to work there to improve the living condition if I have the chance. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * What are you thinking about the UN-millennium-targets concerning 50% reducing poverty till 2015?--Jeanpol 07:55, 21 August 2005 (UTC)


 * I think it’s a big challenge that poverty should be reduced in 10 years because poverty results from a combination of many factors: embezzlement of the government (e.g. when the donation isn’t really used on the starving or poor people), bad conditions for crops (climate, earth quality), local insurgencies, political restlessness or political factors such as in North Korea, and the lack of donation or aids from the richer countries or richer people in a country. It is therefore a very complicated issue regarding to poverty. I think if these problems are not solved, poverty will always exist. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)


 * I see myself working in a field wich is - at first glance - less global than jpm and Hsiuwen. As a future teacher, my goal will be to train students to be interested in global issues, to be open-minded, to think in a global way, not restricted to their community, to develope skills in order to face global problems, beginning from communication up to the skill to solve problems with the help of people from all over the world.--Mky 07:59, 29 August 2005 (UTC)

Your ambition is also a big one as well. I hope I will also be a teacher like what you want to be! ---Hsiuwen, Taiwan

4.What specific knowledge and skills are you developing that can make a difference for others' lives?
I’m developing for me and for other people (students) communication-skills in order to build collective knowledge. The Wikipedia-tools is a fantastic one and just a few people are able to use it very effectively.--Jeanpol 12:45, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

As English or German teacher in the future, I will stress the importance of tolerance and understanding between different races. Children in Taiwan start learning English already at the age of 4 or 5. It’d be great if I can lead them into the good direction right from the start. (Hsiwuen, Taiwan)
 * Do you agree with me if I say, that we could progress if we try to develop and implement the same values worldwide (for instance the human rights)?--Jeanpol 07:57, 21 August 2005 (UTC)
 * cf. question 3--Mky 08:00, 29 August 2005 (UTC)

The questions in my mind are: Can we really preach the same values in every country in every culture? Who would decide which values should be maintained and which not? How can we really implement the same values worldwide? When I say for example, that children should respect their parents and help them at home as much as they can, while my Germans friends say it’s ridiculous that children have to help cleaning up at home, that the parents should do that, how should I then react? It’s just very hard for people from different cultures to reach a consensus as to which values should be cherished and which should not. So I think it’s a long way to go if we want to find out common values for the whole world. JPM’s concept is therefore very important, but requires much research or aids from people of different fields. ---Hsiuwen, Taiwan

5.What suggestions would you make for the United Nations to be more effective?
Its difficult to say. At this moment they are supporting sustainable-development projects. So in the millennium-frame. This is the right way.--Jeanpol 12:45, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

I think all nations, not only the USA, should improve the quality of education and advocate the peace, harmonious living of different races in their countries. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * The question concern the United Nations, not the USA! Do you, Hsiuwen, see concrete chances, in Germany for instance? Could you describe concrete possibilites in your life in Eichstätt for instance?--Jeanpol 07:59, 21 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Sorry that I made the mistake. What do you mean by concrete chances? Chances to improve Germany? (Hsiuwen)
 * No, I mean to improve the quality of education not only in Germany but worldwide. I know the question is difficult to answer, but I mean we can promote worldwide behavior-basics (like "assume good faith" in communication for instance, or "be friendly". That would be a begin on the path to changing behavior worldwide. Surely the Asian-culture could offer a lot of suggestions on this realm.--Jeanpol 08:36, 26 August 2005 (UTC)


 * I think that a lot of people don't even know about those targets. Though theoretically nearly everybody in the western world has an access to and can inform him-/herself about those goals, a lot more promotion has to be done. Jpm's projects go in the right direction!--Mky 08:06, 29 August 2005 (UTC)

JPM: Do you mean that after people find the same values that they want to maintain, these values should then be taught at school? You mean the quality of education will rise, if we teach children these values when they are still young? Hsiuwen, Taiwan
 * Yes, that's exactly my opinion.--Jeanpol 07:45, 1 September 2005 (UTC)

6.Which "culture" is attractive for you and why? The European one, the US.-one, the Asian-one, the Islam-one, other ones?
For me the most attractive culture is the future culture, that will be, when people world-wide communicate and develop common values .--Jeanpol 12:45, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

I think all cultures are attractive to me. However, since I know Asian culture better, I’d say that I am very happy growing up in this culture. We can choose our religions freely in Taiwan and there is no problem with other religions. The Asian philosophy, food and people are also wonderful. That’s why I am happy with Asian culture. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * Gratulations! Which values do you want to promote especially?--Jeanpol 08:01, 21 August 2005 (UTC)
 * I’d like to promote the cooperation and warmth between people, the altruism, respect for parents and older people etc. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * OK. That's what I mean with "behavior-basics".--Jeanpol 08:37, 26 August 2005 (UTC)
 * All kinds of foreign cultures are primarily attractive to me. If you get immerged in another, totally different culture, you may have a new approach to your own one. The good thing about the globalisation is that today, it is very easy to get in touch with nearly everybody in the world and I think that with the help of intercultural communication, common projects (like the UN one) we will in the end filter out common values which dominate over religious or spiritual differences.--Mky 08:14, 29 August 2005 (UTC)

@Michael: very surprising for me is the fact, that Ilseyar and her family are exactly like me. They could be French or German people, living in Perros-Guirec or in Ingolstadt. So the differences from 19 and 20 centuries are vanished. The differences between French, German and Tatarpeople are vanished--Jeanpol 08:36, 1 September 2005 (UTC)

7.How do you view the possibilities of the internet as a medium to unite the world?
I’m traying to use all the internet-possibilities (especially Wikipedia) in order to let communicate yung pepole worldwide about currently and future problems in the world and construct relevant knowledge together. I think, it's possible to develop common values, worldwide--Jeanpol 12:45, 9 August 2005 (UTC)

Internet makes it possible that people from different parts of the world can communicate with each other. Just like Interfaith Camps in which children of different religions live and play together and learn to know each other’s religion, Internet is also a virtual place where people get to know each other’s religion, thoughts and life style, so that they can understand each other better and won’t be afraid of or be against a group of people just because they are outlandish to them or they are negatively presented in the media. However, in my view, there should be an oversee in the Internet who can act as catalyst for communication or provide aids when they are needed. (Hsiuwen, Taiwan)
 * I agree (of course! ;-))--Jeanpol 08:02, 21 August 2005 (UTC)
 * Internet makes communication as a basis for intercultural discourse and common values possible!!--Mky 08:16, 29 August 2005 (UTC)

Some comments or questions about the project?
Do you find that the project-tragets are clear?--Jeanpol 06:20, 10 August 2005 (UTC)