Global Communication - Term Paper Example

Gannon further explains that use of cultural metaphors makes it easy for an individual to comprehend the differences in cultures. For example, the Japanese Garden acts as a metaphor, which depicts the culture in Japan. In both modern and traditional settings, men have always grouped themselves into different regions, currently known as countries. Every country has its own unique practices best presented by various cultural metaphors. In addition, cultural metaphors have various advantages such as offering an in-depth understanding of a country’s culture.

In that view, one may have the opportunity to witness experiences, which may include seeing the practical bit of a people’s culture. When an opportunity for cross-cultural interaction appears, cultural metaphors can prove to be of significant use as they may provide a deep understanding as to why people are doing things in a certain manner (Gannon, and Pillai, 2009). Subsequently, this understanding makes interaction smooth and fruitful. In addition, this understanding may prove to be of essence where global communication is bound to take place as it gives rise to peace among individuals from different countries that have different cultural practices.

The US and Poland both present two countries that have different cultural beliefs and practices. They each bear different metaphors to distinguish them. In Poland, a significant metaphor found virtually in all the towns is the village church. The village church is a symbol representing Poland’s peasant roots, Catholicism, which is a religious belief highly upheld in Poland’s culture, and the foreign power that was dominating them a while back. Poland’s choice of the exterior and interior looks of the church is a form of another cultural metaphor of the Polish.

This is so because the looks are unique and present a product of the many years Poland underwent foreign domination. It is also worth noting that the Polish churches are strategically located as they stand at the central part of the village. Concurrently, we find US having different cultural practices from those in Poland. For example, in the United States of America, different religions dominate the towns and cities. Moreover, the churches do not have a particular site that defines them. However, the United States of America has its own cultural metaphors, starting from its distinct colorful flag, which is a symbol of the unity of the states within the continent of North America.

It is also notable that the Polish are high-context speakers on comparison to the Americans. Currently, the Polish culture is diverging from its roots, a change that to Poles has a negative effect; however, others feel that it will bring about positive changes. A change in the role of Polish church is one of the changes Poland’s culture is facing. At first, the church acted as a central figure within the towns but currently there is a large-scale project, which involves building churches all over Poland’s countryside.

Over the recent years, people have lost touch with the church; this presents another cultural change among the Poles. Prior to this sudden change people viewed the church as a haven of resisting communism, however, it now disregards what the