To What Extent Does Culture Influence Perception? Or: Why do Bulgarians not Trust Doctors?

Our cultural backgrounds which foster biases greatly influence our perception. In regards to subjective things such as politics, arts, and literature, most of how we perceive the message is through our culture. On the other hand, when speaking about more concrete things such as math and past events, how we perceive them doesn't really change based on our culture, although our views about these does. For example: Bulgaria.

In Bulgaria, especially among the older generation, going to the doctor is considered a sign of emotional weakness, because one admitting that there is something wrong with them means that they cannot bear the burden of life. This is extremely detrimental to those suffering from mental illnesses. When someone has never been to a doctor in their life because it is discouraged by society, they fail to learn about the existence of many illnesses, specifically those that cannot be seen.

My uncle, a Bulgarian, would always have teeth problems, so instead of seeking out a dentist, like most of us would, he would pull the teeth out himself, at home. It's not like he had a medical background - he would repair cars for a living. Eventually, through the negligence of his own health, he died from cancer that he did not realize he had until the very late stages.

On the other hand, here in America, and many other places, people frequently seek medical attention. Whenever there is something wrong, people will go to a doctor in fear of a small annoyance leading to a fatal illness.

People around the world can agree that doctors specialize in treating illnesses; however, different cultural backgrounds can lead a person into shying away from admitting the existence of an illness, or a person being proactive in preserving their physical and mental health.