Gestures The Dos And Taboos Of Body Language Aro Essay Example For Students

Gestures The Dos And Taboos Of Body Language Aro Essay und The WorldAxtell, Roger E. Gestures: The DOs and TABOOS of Body Language Around the World. Jon Wiley ; Sons, Inc, 1998 Rev. and expanded edition.Over the past decade the author has been presenting seminars, speeches and workshops around the United States on the subject of international behavior. This book is the result of accumulation of more than ten years of research on the subject and it includes research on his travels to England, Germany, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. All this reinforced a conviction that gestures are powerful communicators used by people all over the world. The purpose of this book is to let people know how powerful gestures can be when used correctly or incorrectly. He also wants you to know how a gesture can mean one thing here and another thing somewhere else, something as simple as a wave good bye, could get you into a lot of trouble in another country. This book was broken down into seven chapters: Chapter 1, illustrated with numerous examples, is that not only are gestures and body language powerful communicators, but different cultures use gestures and body language in dramatically different ways.Chapter 2 discusses the most popular gestures found around the world, beginning with how we greet each other. Shaking hand is not the universal greeting. In fact, there are at least a half-dozen other social greetings even different ways of shaking hands. This chapter also deals with farewells, beckoning, insulting, touching and other types of gestures.Chapter 3 gets into the special types of gestures such as, American Sign Language, Tai Chi, flirting kissing. Chapter 4 is designed to help you learn or trace a particular gesture, using scores of drawings. Chapter 5 describes what the author calls the ultimate gesture, which is simply the smile. It is rarely misunderstood, scientist believe this particular gesture releases chemicals in the brain called endorphins into the system that create a mild feeling of euphoria. It also may help you slip out of the prickliest or difficult situations world wide. Chapter 6 is an important list of gestures to keep in mind. It is compiled of 20 gestures that can help you separate right from rude, and rude from crude. Chapter 7 is a listing of country-by-country common gestures and body languages. They group the countries by major geographic region. The organization of the book was a combination of narrative and topical. The basic point of view of the entire book was that if you are planning to leave the United States and travel to another country, you better either keep your hands in you pockets at all times or know the proper gesture for the country you intend on visiting. I would like to site some examples.An American teenager was hitchhiking in Nigeria. A carload of locals passed him. The car screeched to a halt. The locals jumped out and promptly roughed up the teenage visitor. Why? Because in Nigeria, the gesture commonly used in America for hitchhiking (thumb extended upward) is considered a very rude signal. An American couple on an auto tour in Australia was stopped by a police officer in Sydney for failing to signal before turning. Since they were tourists the officer gave them only a friendly warning. Relieved, the American man responded with a smile and the thumbs-up sign. The police officer became enraged, ordered the couple out of the car, called a backup, searched the car, and finally gave the driver an expensive ticket. Later, back in their hotel and recounting their experience, the tourist learned that in Australia the thumbs-up gesture means screw you!As you can see this book has a humorous, but yet serious overtone. It covers important aspects of body languages gestures in society which is serious stuff, that has a very strong impact on all that come in contact with you. Yet the author is able to express it in a comical nature. I enjoyed the book immensely. There are many ways the ideas in this book can be related to sociology. In fact the whole book is directly related to the subject of sociology especially the culture aspect of it. I will explain in the following paragraphs.Anthologists divide our actions and gestures into three broad categories: instinctive, coded and acquired. Sir Gawain And The Green Knight: Stanza 74 Essay Smoking of cigarettes in public is not common practice. However, it is not uncommon in some Saudi locations to pass the water pipe or hookah around to all those present in a room.In Japan, displays of emotion-fear, anger, exuberance- are rare because they are taught to suppress any such displays, especially in public. Standing with arms folded across the chest signals that the person is thinking intently. Women should avoid wearing high heels so as not to risk towering over Japanese counterparts. Periods of silence may occur during meetings, do not rush to fill the silent void, they are just stopping to contemplate. Displaying a open mouth is considered rude. In Pakistan, eat only with the right hand because the left hand is used for bodily hygiene and is considered unclean. Also never offer to shake hands with your left hand for the same reason. Women are kept separated in social situations. Two men may be seen walking along holding hands. This is nothing more than a sign of friendship, not homosexuality. Last, but not least, In the good old United States, The only time you will see two men walking down the street holding hands is if they are openly homosexual. Stand at least an arms length away from each other while conversing or standing in public, we tend to need our comfort zone respected. Direct eye contact is very important. There are two well-know rude and insulting gestures in the United States. Both are recognized in all parts of the country. They are the middle finger thrust and the forearm jerk, these gestures could get you into trouble. We wave to say hello or good-bye.We must learn that every culture has different types of values, beliefs, customs, norms and taboos. We have to except them and respect them for what they are and who they are. When going to other parts of the world and meeting people or when they come to our part of the world and we greet them it is very important to put ourselves in their shoes and not judge their traditions, values and ways of communicating. We must educate ourselves to their ways and except them for what they are. Our convictions and beliefs are no better than theres, they are just different. As human beings we must learn to adapt to each others differences and learn to except them, which is sometimes hard for people who do not understand them.Most Americans tend to be insensitive to they ways of others, especially those who come from our neighboring countries, which tends to create tension among those people. To be honest I found some of the behaviors of other countries strange, such as women not being allowed to drive a motor vehicle in Saudi Arabia. If I was not allowed to drive because I was a female I would be quite angry. I also would probably be one of the first people to accuse someone of being homosexual, especially men, if I were to see two people of the same sex walking down the street holding hands. Those are things we need to except because this is part of someones culture. If this was how they were raised, and the things that they believe to be OK, who are we to judge it? Since reading this book I have really opened my eyes to the way other countries do things that we might find unexceptable, and I now find them expectable. Had I not read this book I might have never opened my eyes to these cultural differences. I feel that everyone should read this book. I can not think of any reason why someone should not read this book. I dont feel that this book would offend anyone. Than again this is a strange world and you never know who will be offended by what. I feel that most people will be enlightened, supprised, and get a good laugh out of most parts of this book. There is a part of this book that deals with mooning which some may be offended by, but most people would probably get a good laugh out of it. I personally highly recommend this book, great bedtime reading. If you plan to travel this book is a must.