Hello dear listeners.
Welcome to Show 324 – Absolutely Polite.
Have you ever held back your honest opinion because you didn’t want to offend someone? Or found yourself smiling, agreeing, or complimenting someone simply to keep the peace? Politeness is often seen as a positive quality, but can there be too much of it? And what happens when being polite comes at the expense of being honest?
In this episode of Absolutely Intercultural, we explore the complex relationship between politeness, honesty, and respect with three guests from three unique cultural backgrounds: First, Professor Rozana Bela from Albania shares her experiences of choosing honesty over politeness, reflecting on how our understanding of what is polite can depend on perspective, cultural expectations, and personal values. She explains why she believes that an uncomfortable truth can sometimes be more valuable than a comforting lie. Next, Jesy Joseph from India explores the connection between politeness and people-pleasing. Drawing on her experiences growing up in India and adapting to life in Germany, she discusses how being expressive, outgoing, or eager to make others happy can sometimes be misunderstood. Her story reminds us that being ourselves should not automatically be mistaken for seeking attention or approval. Finally, Dr. Laurence Borgmann from Germany challenges the idea that politeness should always come first. He argues that respect and helpfulness matter more than simply following social etiquette. He questions whether excessive politeness can prevent people from giving honest feedback, addressing problems, and genuinely helping one another. Three guests, three perspectives, and one central question: How much politeness is too much? Join us as we explore why politeness means different things to different people, and why intercultural understanding sometimes begins with the courage to say what we really think.The host of this show is: Grace Currie (Canadian).
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Our next show will be coming to you on the 4th of December.
Until then, stay tuned!
Editor: Grace Currie
