Page 78 - Harnessing the Strengths

Dilemma 2: Rules Versus Exceptions ■ 61

tipping the scales one way or the other. They will defi nitely
be considered, but specifi cally in respect to the universal
rule.
This also does not imply that, in these cultures, rela-
tionships do not matter. Friends and family are defi nitely
important. But the universal truth—the law—is simply
above these relationships.
In cultures that give preference to exceptions and spe-
cifi c situations, the opposite is true. People in these cultures
see the ideal society in terms of friendship, unusual situa-
tions, and a network of intimate relationships. The spirit
of the law is more important than the letter of the law. Of
course, these cultures have rules and laws, but they govern
mostly how people deal with each other. Rules are neces-
sary, if only in order to make exceptions in certain cases.
However, in general, you should always be able to count on
the support of your friends in these cultures.

The Benchmark

In order to measure how people in different countries think
about the value of rules and exceptions, more than 80,000
people around the world were presented with the following
case:

Imagine that you are a food critic and you are eat-
ing at a new restaurant in order to write an article
for the paper. It is not the most positive experi-
ence: the food, the drink, and even the service are
below standard. At the end of the evening, a good
friend of yours comes out of the kitchen and tells
you that he has taken his entire savings and put it
into this restaurant. What do you do? Do you tell