Are you in a “Strict” or “Straight” culture?

Have you heard about the “strict” or “straight” culture?

Yesterday joined one language meetup in Vondelpark. I talked with several people in Dutch and some Spanish, but mostly still in English to hear someone’s story or exchange ideas. Through languages it automatically came to cultures.

I heard one interesting thing about the east-west culture difference. Asian are more strict, European are more straight. I have to say, it’s quite right in many ways. “Strict” one side means “demanding that rules concerning behavior are obeyed and observed”; another side also means “discipline”. The “strict” but “curve” asian cultures make the western people feel upset. Then the western “straight” but “open” cultures also make asian people feel rude and not considerate. What do you feel?

Then the question came out, how to find the middle way to live comfortably in the multi-culture environment? I would say first “be flexible”. It means you adapt yourself to the situation and express the way you feel like. It requires you to connect not only yourself also the people around you. Secondly, be creative. There are many creative solutions to make yourself and others comfortable and in harmony.