Taking the "Cultural Plunge"...

       I found the idea of a “cultural plunge” experience, to be a very fascinating one. Participating in a cultural or social experience outside of your comfort zone is an ideal way to learn about people unlike you, looking through their eyes instead our cultural blinding sunglasses. Jean Piaget, a biologist who studied the patterns of learning and cognitive development in children, found that psychological development “including the development of knowledge about self and society,” comes from the constant cycle of understanding and interpreting new experiences by relating it to previous knowledge. When I was asked to participate in my own “cultural plunge” experience, I was slightly timid at first. I came up with many ideas for my plunge, ranging from going out to a Homosexual bar to visiting a strict black church on “the other side of town.”   
        Discussing the experiment with my parents and friends opened my eyes to just how prejudice we are, almost unconsciously, when we are talking about other groups of people. Upon analyzing each idea, I thought about what the people might think of me or how they may or may not include me in their activities. Each of my concerns stemmed from some preconceived notion I had about that “type” of people. Though I find racism and all other forms of prejudice unacceptable and flat out WRONG, I too was judging and stereotyping these groups of people before I even knew them, only relating them to my previous assumptions. I believe these assumptions primarily developed from the images I have seen in the media. (Also my family, friends, educational systems…pretty much all things one comes in contact with living in the United States.) From this realization, I felt eager to participate in the “cultural plunge” assignment and try to learn why I and so many others have developed these preconceived ideas about groups of people that are different from us. I was reminded of a song by Everlast, which speaks about stepping into another person’s shoes, and seeing what their life is like from the other side of things. Maybe if we were able to step into “other” peoples’ shoes for at least a few minutes every day, we would begin to understand them for who they really are and appreciate all people regardless of our differences…Some of the Lyrics from “What It’s Like,” by the band Everlast:



We've all seen the man at the liquor store beggin' for your change


The hair on his face is dirty, dreadlocked and full of mange


He ask the man for what he could spare with shame in his eyes


Get a job you f&*%in' slob's all he replied






[CHORUS]


God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in his shoes


'Cause then you really might know what it's like to sing the blues


Then you really might know what it's like [x4]






Mary got pregnant from a kid named Tom who said he was in love


He said don't worry about a thing baby doll I'm the man you've been dreamin' of


But three months later he said he won't date her or return her call


….


And then she heads for the clinic and she gets some static walkin' through the doors


They call her a killer, and they call her a sinner, and they call her a whore






[CHORUS]


God forbid you ever had to walk a mile in her shoes


'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to choose


Then you really might know what it's like [x4]






I've seen a rich man beg


I've seen a good man sin


I've seen a tough man cry


I've seen a loser win


And a sad man grin


I heard an honest man lie


I've seen the good side of bad


And the down side of up


And everything between


I licked the silver spoon


Drank from the golden cup


Smoked the finest green


I stroked the fattest dimes at least a couple of times


Before I broke their heart


You know where it ends


Yo, it usually depends on where you start






I knew this kid named Max


He used to get fat stacks out on the corner with drugs


He liked to hang out late at night


Liked to get shit faced


And keep pace with thugs


Until late one night there was a big gun fight


Max lost his head


He pulled out his chrome .45


Talked some shit


And wound up dead


Now his wife and his kids are caught in the midst of all of his pain


You know it crumbles that way


At least that's what they say when you play the game






[CHORUS]


God forbid you ever had to wake up to hear the news


'Cause then you really might know what it's like to have to lose


Then you really might know what it's like [x3]






To have to lose...