Voices on India1

Here is a lovely post by anthropologist Alexandra Mack Kids Day and India – her experience with children on ‘bring your kid to work’ day, where I was a tour stop, “Let’s Travel to India.”

She took them through pictures of India – and they noticed things that were similar to what they have seen in the US – familiar stuff like shopping malls and Subway outlets – and also the not-so-familiar stuf, like the village well and monkeys on the road… Her post is about how open minded kids are – They were into seeing pictures of another country, could see the similarities and differences, but at the same time were somewhat unconcerned about the differences. I mean, they thought it was cool and interesting, but not weird or “why do I care.”

I don’t know… hit them with anthropology and other cultures at an early age and maybe we’ll have less problems in the world?

True – kids are much less concerned with the (mostly insignificant) differences that adults care so much about – and they have less stereotypical baggage with which they see the world… Do read the whole post…

Update: Also read related post by curiousgawker – Multiculturalism : Mankind’s only hope