U.S./Arab Reflections on Our Tolerance for Ambiguity

Abstract

As a Midwestern American educational administration professor and a Middle Eastern Iraqi doctoral candidate have continued to interact over the past 3 years, both have come to appreciate the importance of increasing their tolerance for ambiguity--ambiguities in examining cultural, linguistic, and religious customs and complexities in trying to find justice in a world fraught with prejudices. As we reflect on our being self-described political moderates', we have come to appreciate the work of scholars such as Budner (1962) and Norton (1975), who devoted years of study to assessing how the volition to try to understand the complex, and even frightening unknown, is a measure of capability to learn. This reflection is a small sample of what we have experienced in our willingness to teach each other. Differences in characteristics of cultures, from the oldest to the newest, create the differing tolerances for communication styles and the acceptance of ambiguity as a fact of life in studies of human diversity. Patience with complexity and ambiguity confronts educators who are interested in adult learning. Wars, poverty, torture, and mayhem have been the result of centuries of human disagreements, intolerance, hatred, and ignorance among people of different cultures and races. But, what is our ambiguity acceptance quotient as we struggle together? If there were such a test, how high would we score? It has been 10 years since the American 9/11 tragedy. The writers have felt the pain of seeing Iraq held responsible for what others have caused. Much tolerance for ambiguity is needed to find ways to understand and cope with the catastrophe. While the scope of this article is not to debate who was responsible for 9/11 or toward what end, our reflections do suggest our resolve to be calm, perseverant, but passionate in seeking increased knowledge across cultures. Education seems to be the only lasting solution to reduce the agonies of prejudice, persecution, and war. Neither of us believes in the value of terrorism or in inflicting human suffering to create justice. Vengeance is a weak tool toward finding social justice. However, we believe that we can find meaning through dialogue. To grasp how people love, hate, fear, or tolerate each other requires dedicated study. To be tolerant of others from different living contexts, human beings need to increase their acceptance of ambiguity. For more than superficial understanding among people of different religions, gender, races, and economic circumstances, there has to be a patience and openness for learning about and from those who come from different backgrounds. Ambiguity is a phenomenon of living and learning, and adult learning requires a strong measure of patience for ambiguity. Acceptance for ambiguity is the focus of the following free verse we composed: Ambiguity in Meeting a Stranger on the Path Through the Crystal Ball of Life A Poem by Ghada Mahdi and Larry Bright, 2011 On the rocks and rills of the path through the cloudy crystal ball of life, Full-face we came to a person of different culture; the fellow traveler's smile outreached its hand. With hazy gaze into different cultural spheres, grew our desire to greet the stranger. We searched to be our biggest person, conquering a surrender to be our weaker whiny self. Resolved to resist indifference, we wanted to act unafraid, naive to hurt, and to tell our tales. Intent on new-found affinity in friendships sprang the need for listening and reflection. But, languages differed and repelled directness; how do big people share across boundaries? How can our frightened little person give way to the confidence of the wise? As we stumbled up and down the path, we found the power of more smiles and palatable patience. Time imperative for meeting of glances, we delved to search for the pain of dashed hopes. …