Vietnamese are experts at implicit understanding
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In a country boasting a diverse population and a high degree of heterogeneity of cultures, languages, religions, and skin colors, the level of implicit understanding among its members is very low.
For example, in America, if one catches a stranger’s eyes, he or she usually sends a broad smile back one’s way. If one accidentally bumps into someone, he or she is always quick to offer an apology. It is neither because Americans are jovial and wear their smiles on their faces all the time, nor because they are overly polite.
A broad smile and an apology are sensible gestures to make human interaction go smoothly and prevent unavoidable frictions of daily life from exploding into full-blown conflicts.
In contrast, having low racial diversity, most Asian countries have high-context cultures. People sharing the same customs and social norms expect a high degree of implicit understanding in each others, without the use of much verbal expression.
Japanese therefore can convey meaning to others through the use of subtle body language gestures, such as a smile. A faint smile in Japan is never lost on the interlocutor, and can communicate the entire gamut of human emotions, although it can be very uncomfortable to Westerners.
Vietnam is also a high-context culture. Living in Saigon for two years, I have come to realize that Vietnamese have a greater sense of implicit understanding than Japanese do today -- especially in some situations where Japanese would certainly lose their temper, the Vietnamese still keep calm.
One day, I was sitting on the back of my friend’s motor-scooter when another from behind overtook us, hitting my friend’s rear-view mirror and breaking it. The rider, however, just continued on his way as if nothing had happened. My heart started to beat fast and I was mad at such dangerous driving and rude behavior. He should have stopped and paid for the damage. But what truly floored me is what my friend told me next: “It’s just normal here”.
People in such situations necessarily feel frustrated but they do not express their feelings. Maybe some day somewhere, my friend will do the same thing to somebody else. Thus he tolerated such an action and accepted the damage.
There seems to be an implicit understanding among Vietnamese about what behavior is tolerable and what is not. More specifically, Vietnamese are aware of the unpleasant effect of their actions on others, but they know such actions will not lead to violence and conflicts.
Knowing the limits of toleration in others and not to exceed those limits is very important, as undergirding such implicit understanding is a level of trust that helps maintain social order.
Recently I read in the newspapers about some in traffic accidents that resulted in deaths and murders because of some minor disputes. Are they the signs of a declining level of implicit understanding in Vietnam?
A society with a poor level of implicit understanding among its members contains much possibility for violent and open conflicts.
Hirasawa Ayami
(Japanese, studying Vietnamese at University of Social Science and Humanities)
(Japanese, studying Vietnamese at University of Social Science and Humanities)
