From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Wed Mar 12 2003 - 13:21:20 MST
Amara, I recognize the frustration. In this case, I think the
issue is Italian bureaucracy and culture rather than anything
more general. I think we simply have a too north-European
approach to administration to handle the surrealism of
Italian-style administration. I vividly recall the confusion
among senior neuroscientists and graduate students alike when
we were trying to figure out the rules regulating our lunch
cupons during a one-month neuroscience course in Trieste. And
that was something trivial, hardly the important issues you
describe.
Much of this trouble is because we do not understand the
important subtexts. What laws can (and should) be ignored? When
is the proper response a gift? Italy strikes me as based on
informal social relations managing a horrendously baroque
formal system that would not work if people actually obeyed the
letter of the rules. While in Sweden and Germany the rules are
relatively sane and are intended to be followed; here informal
relations are not welcome
It is well worth considering that Italy has a higher cultural
power distance (50 in Hofstede's study) than Germany (35) and
Sweden (31) (USA: 40) and a higher uncertainty avoidance
(Sweden 29, USA 46, Germany 65, Italy 75). At the same time
individualism is higher (Germany 67, Sweden 71, Italy 76, USA
91). So following rules and authorities is very important, but
one acts as an individual.
Being an immigrant can culturally cause trouble in lots of ways
when culture dimensions do not match up. Then add issues of
language, local racism and bizarre institutions. Even in the
best of worlds there would be problems. But we can work to get
rid of Festung Europa an any case - it is both immoral and
impractical.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
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