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IT can Cause a Clash of Cultures-Issues of Intercultural and Indigenous Perspectives

Introduction

            The 21^st century is famously referred to as the era of technology. This era that started towards the late 1990s and continues to date is mainly characterized by the advances made in the internet (Kelly, 2013). Although devices such as computers and mobile phones had already been discovered, it was until the beginning of the 21^st century that a technological explosion occurred. According to Deibert and Rohozinski (2010), this explosion was enabled by the ability to share, store and manipulate information. Typically, the transfer of information, storage and manipulation of information using computer based applications and enabled devices is referred to as Information Technology or IT (Whitson, 2016). The concept has become highly essential in the current world that its uses are no longer influencing business operations alone but also affecting cultural perspectives and activities. Generally, it is expected that IT applications, systems and functions would effectively enhance intercultural communities where people would share information and use the shared knowledge to grow their resources. However, IT is promoting cross-cultural and multicultural communities where some consider their communities as more superior than others, limiting interactions with the “inferior” communities. This is one of the main challenges facing indigenous communities across the globe such as the Inuits in Canada. Therefore, this report seeks to note the positive and negative influences of IT on intercultural and indigenous perspectives across the world. The report aims at guiding future perspectives towards appreciating global cultural difference and how to use IT to foster progress across cultures.

Positive and Negative Influences of IT

            Research shows that the internet brought the entire globe close to the people but IT complimented their relationships. This argument is founded on the fact that through the internet, people are able to get to know much about that which is furthest from them, and using this information, they can share, and improve their relationships. Consequently, one of the main benefits of IT is to enhance relationships through sharing of knowledge and information. Whitson (2016) also believes that without IT, one would have knowledge but could not use it as it could be easily forgotten. Historically, the need to store and share information was critical and thus, archeologists state that early humans had to write on the walls of their rock caves so as to express their thoughts or even save their memories (Botha & Knight, 2009). Later, paper press was invented and this led to the next phase of information sharing where people were able to record and store data in papers such as newspapers and books (Dittmar, 2011). This information could be shared through physical exchange of the printed surfaces (or papers). This was in the 15^th century and marked the earliest phase of education and knowledge development and sharing (Dittmar, 2011). IT continues to support this process of information sharing and knowledge development, however, with IT, the process is faster, more efficient and convenient. Smaller devices such as tablets are now connected to big data analytics and cloud-based platforms, allowing people to access large sets of information from different parts of the world at relatively low costs (Dittmar, 2011, Lohr, 2012). Big data also comes with analytical capabilities that are guiding decision making. 

            In contrast, the of use of IT is increasingly becoming compulsory across different communities to the point that people are using information to cause damages or even interfere with normal functioning of societies. For instance, hospitals in the 21^st century are at the greatest risks of cyber-attacks compared to any other era in the past (Harmon, 2017). This is because hackers are targeting their information towards blackmailing the institutions to either pay them or else they lose critical patient data (Ayala, 2016). Although this is also a factor of the security of the devices being used in the current society, information has become a critical part of the daily activities in the world that it would be impossible not to collect and store data. In health care, information has become the main decision making tool, as opposed to even staff experience and levels of education. Furthermore, IT has also provided a platform for rights infringement where people copy ideas from others and use them to benefit themselves and their societies (Kleis et al, 2012). This is mainly in the business sector where documented ideas can be protected against replication or copying. A newer form of challenge emerging due to the continued use of IT is the spying of personal computers and devices using cookies, towards monitoring people’s behaviors and using the data collected to develop statistics on consumer behaviors for sale (Lee, Heilig & White, 2012). To many internet users, such uses of IT remain unclear or unknown. However, it is important to remain careful since large organizations, especially those which promote social interactions mainly use this data for profits, without the consent of their customers (Lee, Heilig & White, 2012).

Clash of Cultures due to IT-Intercultural and Indigenous Perspectives

            As aforementioned, there are several benefits and challenges in the use of IT. This section explores these benefits and challenges further through focusing on the cultural aspects. According to Highmore (2016), culture refers to the value systems and beliefs held firmly by people within a community. An organization is also a community as the people in it have common goals or ways of operating, specific to them and serve as their identities. However, Martin (1985) feels that it is wrong for a leader to claim that they create cultures because, these value systems and beliefs only emerge or develop based on the day-to-day challenges. One can therefore only join a belief system and chose to protect and promote it or simply refuse to adopt the specific thought processes (Highmore, 2016). IT, as an information sharing and storage platform allows the exchange of beliefs and value systems leading to new cultures in places where they existed or did not exist. One of the main examples of a culture that spread through this approach was westernization or western civilization that was later introduced to Asian and Middle Eastern countries. This was mainly characterized by changes in political ideals, where rational thinking, liberalization and capitalism emerged in new places like Asia; music was no longer played by traditional tools but the use of modern instruments like the violin and piano; Romanesque architectural designs emerged in different parts of the world; new forms of media emerged, among others. IT has continued to promote westernization in the current world and nations across the globe are even advancing their own forms of western ideals like the use of technologies to develop modern constructions and architectural designs (Stearns, 2003). The UAE is among the most competitive regions currently advancing the ideals of westernization through construction.

            Culturally, IT also enhances the relations between people within different cultures. By holding similar ideals, ways of lives and belief systems, people can identify with their specific cultures and even uphold the same principles in lives (Todd, 2006). For instance, the rule of law emerged as a western ideology and has continued to be used globally to prevent oppression by specific individuals within a society. Notably, in case a political leader fails to apply the rule of law, alternative actions like demonstrations follow as the main approach towards ensuring the removal or replacement of the individual. Such relationships also create new cultures as evidenced in the use of social media platforms where communities emerged and begin to despise others for choosing to be different (Papacharissi, 2010). It is at this point that IT becomes the cause of clashes between cultures. Due to the ideals shared through IT or in the utilization of IT, people develop new ideologies that make them feel superior than others. Such perspectives cause new forms of cultural interactions. Intercultural interactions where people would otherwise be willing to interact and share with others regardless of their cultural affiliations would fail (Fries, 2009). According to Fries (2009), intercultural relations are founded on strong relations that ensure continued interactions regardless of the differences in ideologies. Unlike in multicultural and cross-cultural relations where ethnic groups would live independently while others would prefer to maintain their ethnicity regardless of the shared beliefs, intercultural societies, progress is universal (Fries, 2009).

            The indigenous communities across the world continue to be sidelined in most countries, if not victimized and colonized. Although they represent the earliest inhabitants of most of these nations, their ways of lives remain traditional and bound to their strong ethnic foundations and cultural beliefs (Carjuzaa & Ruff, 2010). With the increase in technological innovations, enabled by IT and the internet, a technological wave is spreading and continues to grow globally. This is causing rapid industrialization and changes in the ways of life in different ways. In contrast, the Inuits of Canada, Baka Pygmies of Africa, Kukis of South Asia, Ainus in Japan and others across the world continue to live in isolated lands, upholding their initial cultures and beliefs. Some of these communities are not even aware of the popular IT devices used in the 21^st century like phones and radios. According to Kimmer (2015), some of these communities live in caves and co-exist with animals, depending on their own eco-systems for life. Nonetheless, several researchers like Kimmer (2015) and Carjuzaa and Ruff (2010) have been able to prove the success of these communities in protecting their ecosystems and environments towards a sustainable future. Although they lack the modern forms of medicines, Kimmer (2015) notes that these communities prefer to live in forests and deserts are able to use natural resources within their environment to heal themselves.

            Regardless of these remarkable achievements, the use of IT as a representation of modernization is creating cultural differences in terms of the modernized and the traditional. The modernized populations consider themselves as more tech savvy, able to use IT systems and devices and have access to at least one of the IT based devices. In contrast the traditional or as they are at times referred to, the “backward ones”, may be aware of these IT systems, applications and devices but choose to completely ignore them and opt to depend on their traditional ways. To the modern group, IT and technologies are the way to go and the main drives to a sustainable future but for the traditional groups, nature can co-exist and thus technologies are not necessary to the future (Kimmer, 2015). Based on these perspectives, two cultures emerge due to the existing belief systems by the users and non-users of the devices. Notably, the modern populations begin to sideline or impose their ways on these traditional people as they are considered uncivilized to them. This is common in various parts of the world, but mostly in Canada where indigenous communities were taken to mission schools led by Catholics to be taught modern ways of life (White & Peters, 2009). Although during those days they referred to it as “civilization”, the drive was mainly to make the indigenous communities adopt the western cultures and lose their traditions as they were deemed backward and unnecessary. 

            Globally, agendas on the future of nations continue to sideline or ignore the roles of the indigenous populations and thus the UN through the Department of Economic and Social Affairs is striving to encourage nations to include the indigenous communities within their nations. This is mainly motivated by the differences in perspectives held by the natives and indigenous populations across many parts of the world. In some countries, governments also make it compulsory for people to have attained specific IT based skills before they are provided with resources to improve their livelihoods. This creates a sense of discrimination against the indigenous communities that tend to view these technologies. However, it is also clear that some of the indigenous communities are highly resistant to change and even use violent means to prevent contact from natives within their country (Kimmer, 2015). For some of these communities, lack of knowledge or understanding of the IT systems could be their main reasons for resistance and thus it is justifiable to let them live without any further assistance. In such cases, they are ignorant by choice and so one does not have to impose on them the civilized ways of living life. Furthermore, it is clear from the lives of the aboriginal families that the civilization or modernization promoted may not be entirely helpful to the population. This is because, despite the efforts made by the Canadian government to educate and civilize the aboriginal communities in their country, they continue to suffer in poverty, they lack quality housing and continue to be denied opportunities or fair treatment within the country.

Conclusion

            In conclusion, IT can cause a clash of cultures based on the perspectives of intercultural and indigenous issues and communities. Although IT has numerous benefits and challenges in the 21^st century, cultural communities are mainly created through the usage or non-usage of these systems and platforms. Users of IT consider themselves modern while non-users are perceived as traditional and backward. The indigenous communities across the world are among the least users of IT. In most cases they are even unaware of their existence since they lead traditional lives where they only seek to co-exist with nature for the sake of their traditional beliefs. For this reason, the use of IT within the technologically advanced communities creates a perspective that they are more superior and thus would want to oppress or civilize the tradition groups-especially the indigenous groups. Although this can lead to modernization of an entire country, there is no guarantee that such approaches would promote the usage of IT-as noted in the civilization efforts by Canada on their aboriginal communities.