Cultures and Conflict: What Sacrifices Need to be Made for Unity?

Whether we’d like to admit it or not, we tend to feel intrigued by individuals who don’t fit our social norms. From Helen Keller, a young writer who accomplished great things amid her disabilities, to someone as shockingly sadistic as Ted Bundy, we work to discover what triggered this unexpected change in personality. When Split was released, the media couldn’t help but publish their opinion on the selected storyline. Kevin Crumb, a man who suffers from dissociative identity disorder, is seen kidnapping three young girls with the intention of sacrificing them in the hopes that it will strengthen his additional personalities. With over 20 different personas trapped into one body, conflict arises when each personality tries to gain control of the others. Though portrayed as a thriller, the film encouraged viewers to become more aware of this ongoing condition. While it doesn’t persuade those diagnosed to harm innocent people, it is an internal conflict that many of us aren’t faced with.

The focal point of Face Negotiation Theory is to identify how cultural differences influence how conflict is managed. Stella Ting-Toomey separates her theory by culture-based, individual-based, and situational based factors. When discussing the types of culture, “more than two- thirds of the world’s people are born into collectivistic cultures, while less than one-third of the population lives in individualistic cultures” (436). By comparing the Japanese culture to what is considered acceptable in the United States, it becomes clearer as to what factors create unity. An individualistic culture places collective needs over individual opinions whereas collectivism “identifies with a larger group that is responsible for providing care in exchange for group loyalty” (436). Although stereotypes are commonly applied to different cultures, that doesn’t always mean the members of that group fit every assumption. Ting-Toomey emphasizes that “people within a given culture differ on the relative emphasis they place on individual self-sufficiency or group solidarity” (440). While the majority of followers possess certain traits that are most similar to their assigned culture, there are also factors that separate them from the rest and incorporate differences.

 

Countless novels and movies have been released that focus on the consequences of global unity. Though intriguing and sometimes desirable, these communities normally involve an individual who longs to separate themselves from the unified society to remind the audience that conformity isn’t always beneficial. In contrast, Split introduces an unusual character who doesn’t fit the social norm for he suffers from a mental condition that creates an ongoing conflict with himself. Kevin Crumb is unable to control his numerous personalities and maintain a consistent identity of what is right and what’s considered wrong. Though Ting Toomey mainly focuses on comparing national cultures, Split proves that both unity and diversity are found in something as specific as mental illness. From an outside perspective, it’s easy to categorize everyone in this community as dangerous and unhealthy, there are contrasting factors that prove this stereotype to be untrue. While people do suffer from illnesses that can harm themselves and others, the majority can be sustained with the proper treatment. Additionally, when applying the Face Negotiation Theory, one of the most important factors is being informed. Crumb’s most dangerous yet dominant personality Dennis possessed the most knowledge. He knew how to communicate with his other personalities so they would become more submissive and grant him more control.

 

 

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