De-centering your world view
I had the absolute privilege and pleasure of attending the most inspiring lecture of my life while in Shanghai last September. David Gosset, global affairs and international relations expert and founder of the Euro-China forum, joined us at the Chinese Europe International School of Business (CEIBS) to share his expertise in Sino-Europe relations and the future dispersion of power in the world. Of course, the discussion was heavily focused on doing business in China, but the real root of the message is a disruption to the way in which we have become accustomed to thinking about world power.
The world has become polycentric. And, “in order to appreciate a polycentric world, we must de-center”.
"Polycentrism" is a recent addition to global affairs terminology, and is a direct contrast to "unicentrism" that characterizes imperial, neoliberal, and neoconservative economic and political theories and institutions. Gosset's Huffington Post article sums up the polycentrism's potential to vastly transform Eurasian relations.
In Gosset's lecture, he precludes that China is experiencing a Renaissance. The world order has shifted significantly, and the complexity is ever-increasing. Gosset has a deceivingly simplistic framework to capture and analyze the world. His explanation of increasing complexity, rapid proliferation of change, and an increase in disorder can sound more like a study in theoretical physics than a global affairs topic. In some ways I want to stick Gossett in a room with Ray Kurzweil and see what sort of digital revolution/evolution discussions the two of them cover in an afternoon.
As I sifted through Gosset’s framework for navigating global disorder I struggled to remove myself from my own deeply rooted beliefs and experiences to understand how a person can de-center themselves. I can now see just how inherently self-centered we are — from the individual level right up to our views on our nation's position in the world.
To fully adapt to a polycentric world requires an openness towards other cultures, opinions and ways of life. Intercultural actions and correlations must be interpreted not only with the background of individual cultural experiences, but when cultural values are seen in the whole context.
To understand polycentrism, and why it is the driver for de-centering, we must first see the world the way Professor Gosset sees it—as an omnipotent third party peering down from space at all of us "ants". Devoid of race, gender, religion or political orientation.
How interesting to consider such a viewpoint. It immediately made me think about my own biases, approaches, lenses, and experiences. It is very difficult to comprehend just how much we don’t know about the world. And even more difficult to shake ourselves of the belief that we have an understanding of another culture, country or religion.
So how do we de-center? And what does that even mean in the context of our own daily lives, work lives, etc? What does it mean for our collective societies? As this is a blog that focuses on change and personal growth, I hope you’ll humor me as I try and share my simplistic view on this complex issue.
What are your reference points?
This is the first question I ask myself when I meet people. I genuinely try and understand the things they have lived through in order to put on the glasses with which they see the world. This is still not the same as using their eyes, but simply borrowing their glasses. It’s fascinating that the smallest differences in experience can significantly change a person’s world view. It is very difficult to wholly remove judgement from this process, so I am still working on this.
I have witnessed a lot of ethnocentrism during my career, and yet, I cannot boast that I acted solely as an impartial observer. Looking back at it, there were times where I was active participant. Anyone who has worked within the ex-pat oil and gas community can tell you the sentiments of colonialism aren’t as far removed as we may think. Ex-pat O&G life involves moving from country to country (often times developing countries or remote locations), being sought out to fulfill a role as an "expert" in developing complex, multi-billion dollar mega-projects. I’ll stop there and let you surmise on your own the type of personalities that are drawn to work of that nature. It sucks you in. An air of superiority mixed with ego casts a shadow over the local colleagues. And similarly, a guarded, and uninterested approach to dealing with the foreign “experts” consumes the nationals. Both parties would benefit significantly from a more collaborative approach. In my experience, the collaboration piece was so low on the project’s list of priorities that it may as well have been resting on the ocean floor. Taking precedence was, instead, milestones, and gates, and approvals, and progress, and performance metrics, and well, basically— “get shit done”.
You are what you eat.
My personal favorite means for de-centering is food. Let me taste what you taste. Let me sip the air as the kitchen fills up with the local aroma. Let me see if you choose air, fire or water to cook. Only then can I better appreciate the things that have shaped you. Food is an experience and an adventure. It also involves a high degree of trust. To open your mouth and allow a new flavor to cross your delicate threshold is an act of trust because we, as animals, develop tolerances to, and preferences for the foods we grow up on. As foreigners we can get sick from the things that seem banal to the local. Trusting that your host has properly prepared the meal is an acknowledgement that you approve of their resources, hygiene and quality.
Just recently I attended a lunch in Nanjing as the guest of honor, placing me on the receiving end of a wide variety of new customs and flavors. I had to trust that my host wanted only to serve me wholesome and nourishing dishes, and to provide me an enjoyable experience. It was up to me to receive the first offering as the center server rotated around the table and everyone looked on eagerly to see if I knew what was required of me. Round after round of toasts to good health outpaced the many courses, and for that I was thankful. The alcohol helped soothe the shock—which wasn’t only due to the flavors but also the presentation of the dishes. When I finally eased into my role I watched the interaction at our table. It was apparent who was accustomed to lavish meals such as this one, and those who rarely saw food in this abundance. It helped me to understand the hierarchy within their company, and know which of them ran the business in the absence of the host.
Of course, being able to de-center is about much more than just sharing a meal. In my own assessment, the problem with de-centering is that it requires compassion. Compassion is something we are all born with but don’t necessarily cultivate and practice through the course of our lives. My challenge to everyone who is still reading this is to first, understand that the world is polycentric. Understand that the shifting powers of the world require a shift in our awareness of where our own countries fit within the new landscape. And next, to remove themselves of the middle of their own world and instead try to see the world as a whole. I am simply going to try and live in such a way that I am approaching each day, each experience, and each person with this in mind.
