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The Greek Paradox: Hidden Rules, Visible Contradictions
The Mystery of Multiple-Mindset Cultures, Part II
Unless you are of the culture, its rules are, for the most part, invisible to you. In multiple-mindset cultures, contradictory behaviors come off as illogical and inexplicable.
Many years ago, my wife and I took an overnight sail on a boat from Piraeus, Greece, to the Greek island of Crete. It was a hot night, and the Mediterranean was unsettled, making dinner brief, and sleep difficult.
“I can’t sleep,” I said. “Neither can I,” agreed my wife. We were young and on a budget, and the cabin we could afford was stuffy, hot and humid. The choice was to suffocate with the door closed, or leave it open and risk the possibility of unknown nighttime visitors.
“Let’s creep around the ship and see what we can see,” I suggested. Of course we started out trying to sneak into first class and see what the swells were up to. Ropes and a guard ended that adventure rather quickly. Second and third class (our section) seemed too quiet and uninteresting, so we descended into the bowels of the ship — to steerage.
