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Professor Wilfred Reilly calls them ‘taboo truths’: facts that are simply indisputable but no one is allowed to talk about. Men and women are different and many of those differences are innately biological, crime rates and average IQs vary among racial groups and there are no ‘pay gaps’. These are all well-attested facts, but, speak them out loud and be damned.
Complimentary to the taboo truths are what I call ‘zombie facts’: ‘facts’ that are, in fact, myths. We know that they just ain’t so. Yet, for all that, they simply will not die.
One of the most damaging zombie facts is ‘diversity is our strength’. There is simply no basis in evidence for this modern mantra. The only claim to evidence is a single, ridiculously flawed ‘study’. Yet, simply by dint of endless repetition and circular citation, it has become an unshakeable conviction for nearly the entire elite class.
Closely related to it is so-called ‘cultural intelligence’. Like ‘emotional intelligence’, it’s not a hard, measurable fact (unlike actual intelligence, where, contrary to another zombie fact, IQ is one of the most rigorous and well-substantiated measures around), but an ‘I Just Reckon’ peddled by so-called ‘social scientists’ (one of the greatest oxymorons going).
Yet, even these hocus-pocus dim bulbs are forced to almost admit, through clenched teeth, that their beloved nostrums are just so much horse-shit.
The ability to function effectively in intercultural settings has been termed “cultural intelligence” – and it is often celebrated as a kind of modern superpower.
But our latest research reveals a more complicated reality.
In other words: ‘a load of old donkey bollocks’.
We collected data from nurses working in New Zealand, a highly diverse country where nurses have to interact daily with patients, families and colleagues from a wide range of cultural backgrounds.
This diversity has grown even further after the Covid pandemic, with many internationally qualified nurses joining the workforce from around the world.
That’s a fancy way of avoiding admitting that they’ve flooded the system with third worlders.
Cultural intelligence therefore seems essential. We expected it would help them perform better and feel more satisfied at work. But that is not what we found – which may have implications for the way cultural intelligence is taught.
Or maybe, just maybe, admit that the whole thing really is just a crock of shit.
I mean, try and read this typical academic gobbledegook.
Cultural intelligence consists of four dimensions.
Meta‑cognitive cultural intelligence refers to the mental processes we use to acquire and understand cultural knowledge. This is about being aware of our own thinking processes related to culture, questioning cultural assumptions and adapting our thinking patterns.
Cognitive cultural intelligence refers to knowledge of the norms, practices and conventions of different cultures. It involves knowing the similarities and differences between cultures.
Motivational cultural intelligence refers to the capability and willingness to learn about and function in culturally diverse situations.
Behavioural cultural intelligence refers to the capability to demonstrate appropriate verbal and non‑verbal actions when interacting with people from different cultural backgrounds.
As it turns out, anyone who falls for that crap isn’t much good at actually doing their job.
Surprisingly, we found nurses with higher levels of cultural knowledge (cognitive cultural intelligence) actually performed worse and reported lower job satisfaction.
In other words, knowing more about cultural differences does not automatically translate to better care and may even get in the way.
Maybe just concentrate on learning about such basic stuff as, I don’t know, healthcare, instead of wasting your time learning how to pepper your conversation with te reo phrases no one else either understands or much cares about.
We believe this suggests too much knowledge can backfire. Cultural knowledge may create cognitive overload, where nurses are overwhelmed by too much information.
See above.
But never underestimate the average academic’s ability to avoid admitting that their pet ‘theory’ is a load of kidneys.
We believe these nurses are better at understanding and interpreting cultural nuances, leading to fewer misunderstandings as they adjust their assumptions during patient interactions.
This likely contributes to improved job performance, as nurses can navigate cultural differences more effectively and provide culturally sensitive and appropriate care.
In other words, the data shows that ‘cultural intelligence’ makes someone pretty shit at their real job, but the academics choose to ‘believe’ that it ‘likely’ doesn’t.
