When it comes to culture, it has been said that “We don’t know what we don’t know!” A gesture that says you have a phone call in one country may be exactly the same as one which says, “You are stark raving mad” in another part of the world. Gestures, words, tones and assumptions about reality are all at play when we try to pass a message from one mind to another. The medium we use may even be the message, if we are to believe Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan. So, what kinds of messages are our new devices sending to each other, whether we know it or not? This quiz will not answer all these questions but will give you a good idea about how differing styles of communication around the world may be at the root of misunderstandings and unneeded conflict.

Developed by George Simons & Katja Färber, George Simons International