Written by: Jerome Fitts

I advise those who dare read this discussion post in its entirety, to put on their reading selt beats. My intention in part of what has been written is to throw some things on the table as bait and to ignite a constructive virtual dialogue.

Cultured vs. Uncultured

Factors influencing the developmental process, such as personality, temperament, and cognitive thinking.

Before I dare to go into the recited facts, examples set by those who demand developments in a person’s character regarding cultural differences have to set examples. We learn from one another.

The personality process:

It starts with children. Cognitive thinking is a part of a person’s DNA, environment and circle of influences. You cannot teach someone to think and when there is a situation to teach them how to think then that is manipulation. It means we are teaching or developing a pattern of any culture to think like ourselves. “It is for sure an ingredient to colonialism and conquering” (The latter is not just centred to the last conquered continent- no offence).

This is in relation to Piaget’s Four Stages of Cognitive Development:

The Sensorimotor stage typically lasts from birth to about two years of age. The Preoperational stage. This stage lasts from about two to six or seven years of age. Concrete operations stage. This stage lasts from about 6 or 7 years until about 11 years of age. Formal operations stage. This stage extends from around 11 years of age through adulthood (BibliU, n.d.-pg97).

But what is the developmental process in personality, temperament, and cognitive thinking?

Without boring those who do care to continue reading, it is pertinent to start with a series of counter-questions.

Did William Lynch nail it in 1712 with the “Makings Of A Slave” (Times, 2015)? Well, it has been over 300 years and it has seemed unfortunately to have worked as the ingredients are still there. So his markings were to make up the personality right? Was it morally correct? No, but the first point to be made is through his letter which served as a formula to the colonists in the southern states of America were, how to raise a n** (we have to be sensitive to words used under the sheets or in the mind of others), and get them to think of what the masters wanted. Their culture was stripped from my beloved continent of Africa, created fear and made sure his hand was licked from the doubt from within themselves which gave them no culture nor direction. It is true today. The same can be written for the Taino Natives throughout the Caribbean unless you were a part of the Cacique Tribes.

** Just in case some of you write that inferior email to our dear editor; try and read the article from a dear friend I recently hosted in Dublin (By Mahari A. McTier)

Some may feel it is an extreme process, however, the unfortunate successful letter thus far seems to have stemmed from the process of one culture to the next.

When allowing oneself to enter another land or culture there has to be adaptation. It is a certainty that if it does not start at the beginning of one’s life then that chain may never be broken. Individuals have to adapt early or completely reverse their personalities to co-exist based on tolerance and choice.

Where and how do I consume my knowledge of these small findings?

My mother told me to love everyone but the mirror does not lie and the more you respect yourself the more the mirror will love you.

My personality and the process she wanted all of her war babies from my continent of Africa to know. It was her process to have us think first, act accordingly with the principles on which we stand (temperament) and honour those before us with courage rather than status (mentality).

She obliviated the Lynch formula in her household.

It is a personality process example leading to another process- temperament and cognitive thinking.

In comparison, another place that Dr Fitts’s family often visits is Casablanca, Morocco, where there is no colour and it is outlawed based on superiority due to the phenomenal dictatorship of King Mohammed VI (Wikipedia contributors, 2024).

The personality process from an early age is the example set forth by those before them. Moroccans believe in sharing.

Once Morocco was liberated from France and during the aftermath of World War II, then King Hassan II, established a mentality (the process of temperament and mentality) to invest in the future through agriculture and education. It works today.

There is a saying in Morocco today (2024), “If everyone can read and eat then there is no revolution.” Casablanca is a remarkable capital city and the country is enough to want to stay forever. That compliment is based on their culture.

Another form or factor that is taking place in countries that want to co-exist in peace is a word that is in the first chapter of our reading. I felt it was necessary to share as a reminder;

Enculturation (and socialization) agents are the people, institutions, and organizations that help ensure that cultural learning occurs. The first and most important of these agents are parents, who help instil cultural mores and values in their children, reinforcing those mores and values when they are learned and practised well and correcting mistakes in that learning (BibliU, n.d.).

One of the most compelling experiences I have been fortunate to refer to or reflect on is my time in my beloved Berlin. Here is the example that I would like to share (and it is a true story):

Upon fighting the German legal system for the custody of my oldest son, they demanded that I speak German with him.

I thought it was strange considering at the time (2008) I was in my fifth year of commuting between Germany and home (Dublin, Ireland) and had a company registered in Germany (Berlin) since 2002. But my German was midlevel. I thought it was my son, I would speak only English, some Gaelic slang and of course Arabic. But the courts demanded it.

After I overcame my anger and gallant ego, I started to attend the mandatory German integration courses. One was to learn German proficiency, as well as, how to live in German. Again this is after nearly seven years in the country with a business in Crownn Records.

The point being made is that this was an enculturation experience, where not only did my proficiency in speaking German escalate, the business became better as we sold more records, but I was able to fire the lawyer I had based on my ignorance of the culture and my hatred for the German society and system went away.

I retained the relationship and custody of my son based on the German culture making it applicable to respect their culture and speak their language. I understand the system better to obtain my objective. Now, Berlin is a second or third home. I do hope most of you get it.

In order to incorporate the answers to the questions, basically the Germans are efficient in nurturing everyone starting from an early age to adults (immigrants or other European foreigners) to adapt to German culture or they are welcomed to leave. In regards to the multi-cultural children, I referred to GBB (German Brown Babies) edition one to pinpoint this week’s discussion post. I encourage the class to read it (Jerome Fitts. WorthJourney/Reuters. The German Brown Babies Stories, 2024).

Thanks for reading the short post. My intentions were to ignite a flame of knowledge in order to know more about your cultural experiences and opinions only.

Best,

Dr. JFitts

Reference:

BibliU. (n.d.-b). BibliU – Reader. My App. https://bibliu.com/app/?bibliuMagicToken=Vjvn8yD4OrEi89hXuElvCN5blt6hvp8w#/view/books/B1BHT62S5VXZE/epub/OEBPS/014_9780357658055_ch04.html#page_97

Times, B. (2015, January 22). The Willie Lynch Letter: The Making of a Slave. The Birmingham Times. https://www.birminghamtimes.com/2015/01/the-willie-lynch-letter-the-making-of-a-slave/

BibliU. (n.d.). BibliU – Reader. My App. https://bibliu.com/app/?bibliuMagicToken=eOGywXl8Gxcc1TWACg7EPxcNFUO9hewx#/view/books/B1BHT62S5VXZE/epub/OEBPS/013_9780357658055_ch03.html#page_60

Wikipedia contributors. (2024, November 24). King of Morocco. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Morocco

Fitts. Jerome.WorthJourney/Reuters. The German Brown Babies Stories. (2024, February 20). Issuu. https://issuu.com/theworthwhilejournal/docs/final_gbb