Post #3

After completing these readings for the month, my favorite chapter to read was Chapter 10. Chapter 10 talks about Interpersonal Relationships in Culture. One sentence that particularly stood out to me was written on page 202 in our textbook. It states, “indifference and neglect often do much more damage than outright dislike.” This was written by J.K. Rowling. 

I found this sentence interesting because I had never really thought of it that way. I had not thought that by ignoring someone’s differences, you could be doing more harm than just simply disliking someone. 

However it is true. It is so important to not only accept but to acknowledge our differences, because we all have so much to offer. The topic of interpersonal relationships in culture is very broad. I found lots of sources helping to develop this quote and the importance/meaning behind it. 

This quote starts to explain that differences can affect a relationship. J.K. Rowling explains it as ignoring the differences can be harmful. However, an article written about the Role of Culture in Interpersonal Relationships states that “individuals internalize cultural values, which then affect the ways in which they relate to important others in their environment. ... The end result is that individuals from different cultures develop a very different sense of self, especially with respect to how the self is related to important others.”

In the end, both of these sources are talking about how the differences need to be used positively. Do not ignore our differences, instead use them in a way to benefit your interpersonal relationships.

Lalonde, R. N., Hynie, M., Pannu, M., & Tatla, S. (2004, September 1). The Role of Culture in Interpersonal Relationships.