How Cultural and Relational Factors Impact Forgiveness and Affect Professional Fulfilment
Understanding Forgiveness Across Cultures
The Impact of Clinic Culture on Stress Levels
Understanding the Cultural and Relational Aspects of Forgiveness – Vet Staff Podcast #148- A Key to Professional Fulfilment
Julie South talks about the concept of forgiveness and its impact on our personal and professional lives.
She explores how cultural and relational factors shape our ability to forgive.
By understanding these influences, we can create a more nurturing and inclusive work environment that fosters forgiveness and enhances job satisfaction.
Discover the science behind forgiveness and its importance in creating a positive work environment.
Timestamps and quotes from today’s podcast
Understanding the Cultural and Relational Aspects of Forgiveness
Cultural Influences on Forgiveness
This episode highlights the significant role that religious influence and culture play in shaping our view of forgiveness.
For instance, major religions like Christianity and Islam emphasise forgiveness and peace as essential tenets of their faith. Growing up in these religious contexts may instil a strong will to forgive in individuals.
Collectivism vs Individualism affect cultural forgiveness
Moreover, in cultural collectivist civilisations such as Japan, maintaining social harmony is prioritised, resulting in a stronger focus on forgiveness to minimize conflict.
Individualistic cultures like those found in the United States, on the other hand, may value personal rights and justice, making forgiving a personal option rather than a communal requirement.
Justice Systems and Historical Context
The Vet Staff Podcast also explores how different justice systems and historical settings affect forgiveness.
New Zealand, for example, has embraced restorative justice ideas, emphasising healing and forgiveness between offenders and victims.
In contrast, the United States’ retributive judicial system promotes punishment above forgiveness.
Forgiveness attitudes are also influenced by historical objectives and societal positions. While some societies in the Middle East expect women to be loving and forgiving, men may be encouraged to seek vengeance.
Scandinavian countries, which are known for emphasising gender equality, see forgiveness as a human response rather than a gender-dependent one.
Relational Forgiveness: Individual Variability in Forgiveness
Although societal and relational parameters influence forgiveness, this episode reminds us that people differ in their proclivity to forgive depending on personality traits, preferences, and psychological considerations.
There are however, outliers who break from the overall tendencies even within the same culture or country. Because our personality influences how we approach forgiveness, it’s critical to consider personal issues when cultivating forgiveness in a professional situation.
The Power of Forgiveness in Education
One interesting aspect revealed in the podcast is the impact of forgiveness education in schools.
The International Forgiveness Institute is advocating for forgiveness to be part of school curricula worldwide.
In the United States alone, forgiveness education programmes are being taught in 19 states and over 30 countries.
Teachers who have implemented these programmes are reporting a decrease in student anger levels, an increase in academic achievement, and improved classroom functioning.
By incorporating forgiveness education into our schools and workplaces, we can contribute to a more forgiving and compassionate society.
Links mentioned in today’s podcast: Forgiveness
Australia National Day of Healing
National Apology has the Power to Change the Future essay
South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Cultural Forgiveness: South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission
South Africa Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed in 1996 a court-like restorative justice body in South Africa after the end of apartheid and charged with granting amnesty for political crimes, investigating past human rights violations, and offering reparations to the victims. In the first episode in this series on forgiveness I quoted Nelson Mandela and his views on forgiveness – especially on his release from prison.
In this South African commission, victims and perpetrators came face-to-face, shared stories, sought reconciliation, and then, granting forgiveness as part of the healing process.
Not everyone was able to forgive and sadly, some still carry the – very understandable – hurt and anguish around with them today.
https://www.beyondintractability.org/artsum/reconciliation-truth
https://jpia.princeton.edu/sites/g/files/toruqf1661/files/2001-2.pdf
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