ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the following Problem Question is posed: ‘What is it that different cultures can accomplish by collaborating and integrating their resources?’
The chapter begins by drawing a distinction between morality and ethics in intercultural communication. It is noted that the idea of intercultural sustainability represents the global metaethic for the multicultural world, seen as a dynamic state where people must make decisions so that their collective identities are constantly maintained. In this sense, intercultural sustainability is presented as a matter of rationality when a decision is considered right if it helps people to sustain their culture. Based on these ideas, the Sustainability Principle of intercultural communication is introduced.
It is shown how, for their cultures to be constantly maintained, people should use the communicative strategies of tolerance, trust, and resistance. The ideal of intercultural communication is shown to be a balance of these strategies—the most stable outcome of intercultural interactions. This best sustainability metaethic is presented as the Golden ratio, i.e., the ratio of intercultural communication, in general, to every culture, and all cultures to one another. This way, all cultures can maintain their collective identities and also the whole process of intercultural communication can be maintained.
