One Month of Global Unity

For the past month or so the entire world has been fixated on the World Cup. It's slowly coming to an end this week but it's been fun while it lasted. Imagine if the world was this united all the time? :-)

I received a lot of my passion for learning about different cultures from watching the World Cup as a kid with my family back in Uganda. I would see all the different people representing their countries from all corners of the globe, and this made me want to learn more about them. So I have a lot of love for the World Cup and being a football (soccer) player makes it more worth while.

New Arizona Ban on Ethnicity-focused Classes Proves Western Egocentrism

The SB 1070 law which reduces state financing for any schools which “offer classes designed primarily for students of particular ethnic groups and/or advocate ethnic solidarity” is hoping to prevent people within ethnic groups from creating strong bonds with each other and neglecting everybody else. Families whose children have understood their identities through association with their ethnic group are frustrated. Tom Horne, the state superintendent of public instruction, said in justification of the law “My point of view is that these kids’ parents and grandparents came, mostly legally, because this is the land of opportunity, and we should teach them that if they work hard, they can accomplish anything,” implying that if ethnic groups associate with their own culture rather than assimilate into American culture that they will have less of a chance at upward social mobility. Indicating that more opportunities are afforded to those that have adopted social norms sets into place a cultural hierarchy.

Horne also defines these ethnic classes as “chauvinistic” which is ironic because the non-ethnic classes are taught using Western methodologies for understanding the world and promote American patriotism. The SB 1070 law is built off the premise that the ethnic classes are promoting the solidarity of certain groups of people rather than unity, but by not allowing children to learn about their cultural heritage and teaching them to adopt Western ways of life they are forcing them to neglect the beliefs of their family in exchange for just another set of beliefs deemed superior in our society. Because some of the public high schools in Arizona are over half Mexican, in theory, if the idea was to increase understanding and awareness then all the students should be forced to learn about Mexican-American culture. This shows that Governor Brewer did not like she said sign the bill because she believes “public school students should be taught to treat and value each other as individuals and not be taught to resent or hate other races or classes of people,” but because she hopes to minimize racism by teaching non-white, non-American students how to act in accordance with Western norms so they are less easily ostracized.

Stereotyping as a Means to Understanding

As humans trying to understand the world around us we have a tendency to want to define everything. Definitions give the allusion of increasing understanding through breaking down subjects, objects, and concepts into self-explanatory factors that make up what it is as a whole. There are two problems with this approach.

1. we believe these “self-explanatory” factors that make up our definitions of objects are objective and hence so are our definitions, but they are not. The factors that we perceive to be most central to defining objects are a result of our social, historical, and cultural backgrounds. We often assume our perception of these objects is objective because we are surrounded by people who are living in the same context as we are and therefore perceive similarly. Because we are defining objects as a result of the “environment” we happen to grow up in, we can assume that if we grew up in a different place and time our way of perceiving, and therefore defining would differ. Take the concept of race, for example. Most Americans would define race to be a group of people with the same physical characteristics (such as skin color and hair) as a result of common genes. They believe that this definition is universally accepted, but holds scientific validity (just to clarify, there are actually NO similarities that can be genetically drawn between people of the same race). BUT in Brazil, race is actually dependent upon socio-economic status. So a “white” person (a person of western European descent) and a “latino” person (of Spanish or Portuguese and native American descent) can be of the same race if they have been offered the same educational and financial opportunities.

2. As soon as we start making objective claims about what factors we’ve subjectively decided define objects, we inevitably start grouping items that possess these same factors together. This leads to categories.

With the formulation of categories we no longer need to define items individually. When we see items that possess particular factors, we place them in the category whose items also possess these factors. In categorizing items we focus on common characteristics, and in the process, neglect others.

Humans like to understand items through categorization because it is an easy way to understand the world around us. To not have to individually understand each item but instead to be able to say just by mere observation,“This” is “this” and “that” is “that.” Period. End story.

This becomes problematic when the items being categorized are people. We place people into categories based on the factors we perceive to be the most essential to defining their identity, but in doing so we neglect others parts of who they are. We are dictating to them who they are and what they are by making assumptions, and for what? Because we are lazy? Because it is easier?

Maybe blame could be placed on the first scholars who classified humans according to race, but now, blame can not be placed on every person in our society who understands the world via category. As said, understanding objects via categorization is so engrained in our culture, it makes sense that we would also understand people via this method. But it is categorization that leads to assumptions about cultures, races, societies, countries, religions, and any other grouping of people you might think of. It is the origin of stereotyping. It is the reason that Muslims who wear (or even don’t wear) burqas are stopped by TSA, the reason that Mexicans are now being asked to verify their citizenship in Arizona, the reason that when Americans are abroad they are treated with hostility for being ethnocentric and self-righteous…I mean honestly, pick a stereotype, any stereotype.

We are often not even conscious that in trying to understand people we are actually doing the opposite by placing them into one category they may not associate with at all or only partially associate with. We are limiting their expressed identity, by focusing on particular factors and neglecting others. It is not to say that groups of people whether it be a race, culture, or nationality do not have similar factors. The factors that are perceived are sometimes there, but not always, and even if they are, they are not necessarily the ones the people of this group themselves would associate most closely with their identity. We can use the commonalities between groups of people to understand their history or culture but we must not assume that the factors we have used to distinguish their group from others are the defining ones or that they even begin to help us understand people individually.

Babies

This post is courtesy of a belated Mother's Day celebration with my mom. For a little over a year I have been aware of a documentary entitled Babies. The trailer, linked here, is a fantastic representation of the movie.

This documentary follows four babies through their first year of life. The families are in Namibia, Japan, Mongolia, and the United States. This unnarrated film not only shows the day-to-day life of the new babies, but it also gives a taste of the culture in each country. It doesn't proselytize about a particular way of life or argue any type of cultural relativism. It simply documents an interesting idea, and then lets the viewer decide how they feel.

I went to watch the film with my mom as a belated mother's day celebration. We both came away knowing more about the importance of birth and motherhood in these cultures and learning a lot about each country specifically.

I would highly recommend this film for anyone interested in other cultures, and especially for those specifically interested in child-rearing. This unadulterated take allows each person to learn and digest the information on their own, which is a welcome change in this often controversial field.

The Graduation Speech That Never Was

Finally done with my Undergraduate Degree.

Thought I'd share this with our followers.

They said this speech was too controversial for a Commencement...so I decided to put it on YouTube instead.

Here is the feedback I received:

When you begin your speech with "Fear!", it can create a sense of uneasiness for listeners. While it is appropriate to address fear in the speech (it's the reality of how people often feel when confronting something new), you could still begin your speech with the importance of confronting fear, but perhaps choose a less stark way to begin or a less dramatic way to phrase it.

The speech is for a solemn and important occasion but it is a happy occasion. It should be uplifting overall.

Don't Fear Google, The Chinese Media Can Only Censor For So Long...

There are various hypotheses as to why China as the fastest developing country in the world continues to censor its media, the most common being that the Chinese Communist Party is afraid that freedom of the press will cause them to lose national political power, but there is no definitive answer. Regardless of why China continues to regulate its media, countless studies have shown that there is an implicit ideological contradiction between striving for a market economy and maintaining a regulated press because the former is about increased communication between countries, while the latter is about limiting the people’s understanding of what is occurring internationally.

So as China’s economic climate changes the way its media functions will have to transform as well. With the government wanting to maintain their national political power as much as they want international economic power and with the Chinese people as deeply committed to preserving their rich history and traditions as they are mesmerized by western technology and trends, increased internationalization will be a bittersweet process for the Chinese.

So far, the Chinese government has tried to report in a way that does not contradict their political views or those of the international community, simultaneously. When reporting hard news, they use words that prevent definitiveness such as: “probably,” “seems” and “appears.” For example, a recent broadcast by China Radio International, the only overseas radio station in China which is owned by the government, discussing Google said, “It seems that Google wants to be the so-called 'human rights defender' to score political points while being a profit-hungry entrepreneur at the same time.” In a broadcast covering the death of 153 Chinese miners working in a coal shaft that was flooded, China Radio International gave a brief explanation saying the miners had been warned when the NYtimes expressed that the working conditions were unsafe. Occasionally, when forced to choose, the Chinese media sides with the Chinese government. For example, they always speak under the assumption that Taiwan is a part of the People’s Republic of China. Chinese communist party officials told CCTV-9, the only tv station in China which is also owned by the government, to broadcast “according to international norms, and foreign policy and domestic news in line with official policy.” Because China does disagree with the international community on certain political issues such as ownership of Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Nepal, the Chinese government is in a catch-22. They are forced to either not discuss controversial topics and lose credibility as a reliable news source, or pick a side which contradicts their intention to broadcast “according to international norms” and “in line with official policy,” simultaneously.

The more influential China wants to becomes as an economic power, the more they will have to collaborate with the international community through honest communication and equality, neither of which are possible with a regulated press.

China was recently faced with this reality in 2009 when the World Trade Organization ruled that China “cannot limit distribution of movies, music, books, and other media to government-controlled companies,” with the exception of “objectionable content” (which is vague). They also ruled that iTunes could not be banned. China has until December 2010 to align its practices with international trade laws. If it does not, the US can ask WTO to implement commercial sanctions against China.

Soon China will be forced to make a radical decision; they will either decide if they are going to allow something they’ve been resisting for 60 years, freedom of press, for something they’ve been working for, economic growth or if they will shoot down into economic decline and maintain censorship.

Twitter Politics

In our society part of keeping up to date with political events includes receiving updates from social media platforms. The interesting thing about these forums, especially Twitter, is that they require short and concise messages. For younger followers like myself this is ideal. Everything is reduced to a soundbite and then if interested in more, the reader can seek out the full story or longer comments.

Upon reading this article however I began to question the use of social media by presidents and official dignitaries. Hugo Chavez is a most interesting politician in my personal opinion. I think it would almost be a great test to limit him to 140 words to express his various sentiments. However, he joins a group of other country leaders that try to get the message out using Twitter. While this reaches the masses and dispenses information quickly, I think it can also take away from these highly esteemed positions. It's good to remember that are leaders are among the citizens. But, on the other hand, I find the thought of President Obama updating his twitter status (I'm well aware he is not the one physically doing it, but for this image's sake...) a little trivial.

What are your thoughts? Is Twitter a yes or no for our leaders? Will you follow Hugo Chavez? Will he be able to limit his updates to 140 words?

Beyond Your Frommer's Guide

Everyone who has travelled has cringed at the culturally oblivious American family complete with fanny packs, comfortable walking shoes with white tube socks pulled up mid-calf, maps, and passport necklaces tucked underneath their t-shirts. When travelling they are not sensitive to the customs of the country they’re in, because they are too determined to satisfy their sightseeing agenda.

While most of us are not stereotypically rude American tourists, Frommer’s guides and all, just having a preconceived notion about we should experience in each country is limiting. If before arriving to Paris you are determined to see the Mona Lisa, take a picture in front of the Eiffel Tower, visit Notre Dame, and eat a croissant in two days, you probably will not have an authentic Parisian experience. The way to understand a country is to be comfortable not having a definitive plan. Let yourself be guided into the local restaurant by the smell of butter permeating the air. Follow the hustle and the bustle. If there are locals crowded in front of a restaurant waiting for it to open or all headed in the same direction towards an event, it’s probably because there’s something exciting happening that’s worth being at. Don’t be afraid of the locals. Despite cultural differences, there are nice and rude people everywhere, there’s not a greater chance you will encounter someone unwelcoming abroad than in America. People love to share themselves with others, including their culture and where they live. As long as you are genuinely interested in learning, they will most likely be eager to teach. If you do not speak the language, try to speak English to the locals. English is so prominent nowadays that most speak at least a little.

All of these tips are a result of one overarching way to get a local experience abroad- be observant. It is natural to become sensorially overwhelmed when in another country because the environment is so unfamiliar. You’re smelling new things, seeing new things, hearing new things, all while trying to get to your next sightseeing destination safely and smoothly. While trying to stay on your agenda you’re passing countless minute details that hold cultural significance. Every day destinations like grocery stores, gas stations, convenient stores, and pharmacies can teach you more about a country than the most famous statue or museum. In China, supermarkets are four or five stories with each floor the size of Costco. There is a whole aisle dedicated to different flavors of Ritz crackers: seaweed filled, lemon filled, chocolate filled, strawberry filled, etc. The seafood department has fish tanks with live fish, turtles, sharks, crabs; pretty much every form of marine life that will fit in a small tank. Spanish supermarkets on the other hand only have only carry the basics for the rare occasion that someone wants to make a quick one-stop shop. Usually the Spanish go to specialized stores (i.e. the bakery, the butcher, the fruit/vegetable shop, etc.).

The best way to ensure you pick up on the small things is to leave time to STOP so if you do see a pretty park or café that piques your interest while in Rome you can go without missing your 3:00 tour of Peter’s Basilica, your 4:00 tour of the Coliseum, and your 6:00 dinner reservation. Set aside at least a day in each city to just roam.

No matter what we do- as Americans- we will always be faced with the stereotype of “the rude American.” Regardless of whether or not it’s fair, it’s the reality. Be open-minded; don’t be afraid of places or people just because they’re different. Have a respect for difference. The American way isn’t necessarily the better way- it’s just a different way. Many criticize the Chinese for eating dog, but think about it- why shouldn’t they? Are dogs more worthy of life than pigs because we decided they were cute and domesticated them? Despite cartoon characters, pigs are actually very clean animals. They are more intelligent than dogs, do not oink more than dogs bark (by the way, side note: has anyone ever actually heard a dog say roof or pig say oink?), and can play games like catch! Try to understand why things are done differently in other countries, because maybe, it will allow you to consider a perspective you had not.

Trying national dishes, seeing world-famous tourist sights, and shopping is great fun and has value in and of itself- but there is so much more to be reaped from going abroad. You will begin to not only appreciate different kinds of people and places but also notice the similarities. Despite mentalities and cultural customs, in many ways, people are just people and life is just life, everywhere.

Language and Nationalism

According to Merriam Webster the definition of nationalism is the “loyalty and devotion to a nation; especially: a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations or supranational groups.” How is this loyalty and devotion created though?

The Middle East has experienced multiple nationalist movements over its history. Historians often note that the preservation of Persian (Farsi) kept Iranian society connected. Iranian governments worked extra hard to make sure that classes were taught in Persian and that they protected their cultural heritage through preserving Persian in everyday life. Additionally, Turkish-speaking Ottomans controlled Arab lands. The Arabs retained their identity by continuing to use Arabic. According to Yasir Suleiman, author of The Arabic Language and National Identity, argues, “Formulations of Arab nationalism, whether embryonic or fully fledged in character, are invariably built around the potential and capacity of Arabic in its standard form to act as the linchpin of the identity of all those who share it as their common language. A positive and indissoluble link is therefore established between language and national identity in discourse of this type.” (224) Arabic unites each country individually, as well as the region as a whole. The connection of Arabic has helped many countries retain their territorial integrity besides increasing odds against it.

In America, we often discuss the need to make English our national language. According to this history it could be argued that not having English could be a threat to our nationalistic identity. But, the American connection to English goes beyond the question of legality and continues to be strong and lasting.

Americans: Always On the Go.

People around the world, including Americans, idealize the American dream; the ability Americans have to strive for better lives. People believe that while it may be easier for some to achieve financial success, that in America it is possible for everyone to do so. There is financial aid to help all American children go to college. There are young women who marry someone successful and live lives of luxury, because in America, we are socially permitted to marry whomever we want- regardless of “social” status. Even some of the wealthiest people in this country, like Bill Gates, did not graduate college. While all of the potential for success should make us happy- I argue that it does the opposite- it prevents us from ever being satisfied, because we’re always striving for more.

Americans set goals for themselves and as soon as they achieve them, create new ones. Americans focus on finishing high school to go to college to get an internship to go to graduate school to get a job to get married to have kids. Then, they get there. They’re married, and they have a job, and they have kids- and most of the time- still feel like something is missing. This is what we call a “mid-life crisis” and it is a result of continuously working towards something we’ve been told we should want, only to realize when we get there it’s not what we wanted at all.

There are two primary reasons why we are constantly striving for professional success and to find lifelong partners. The first, is because it is what American society has told us will make us happy- and we believe it. The second, is our pride. Everyone wants to be perceived by others as successful, and because American society measures success by one’s career and family situation people have a desire to achieve those things.

In other countries people do not believe their lives are perfect, but there is not the same anxiousness and discontent that resides over the present. For example, the Chinese and Japanese take a zen-like, meditative approach to the present. They accept and appreciate what the “now,” while striving for improvement. In Spanish and Latin America- everything moves just a little bit slower. In Spain, families take siesta every weekday in which all businesses close from two to five; adults return home from work and kids from school. Families eat a long home-cooked lunch together and then often take a nap. In Italy, people take walks through the piazzas (courtyards) after dinner. With no agenda, they stroll, talking with one another, and enjoying the night. In all of these countries, while the people have jobs- the emphasis is not on work, it is on the time that they’re not working. All of these traditions were borne out of a realization of the importance of stopping work to just live. In America, we feel we must always have a purpose for everything we do. We must walk to go somewhere. Eat to satisfy our hunger. We can never just exist.

My dad always use to say he prefers to eat the “European” way. Not just to eat, but to “dine.” Europeans don’t just eat and get the bill as soon as they’re done. Every meal, whether its lunch during a work day or dinner at night with the family is an experience.

America is one of the only countries with a Christian foundation in which almost all restaurants and clothing stores remain open on Sundays, with at least one 24 hour diner, fast-food restaurant, and drug store in every town. Businessmen are now expected to have phones with e-mail so that as they’re moving between places they can continue to work. We’re always on the go- always moving- and for what?

It’s not as though Americans don’t appreciate the ability to sit down and just relax, but that’s what we’ve designed vacation for. Our every day lives are for working and our vacations are for enjoying ourselves, excluding the few lucky ones who are fortunate enough to land themselves in a profession they enjoy. So while we say the purpose of life is to be happy, I find it ironic that we spend our lives doing things that prevent us from being so.

Maybe we should take a tip from the rest of the world. Instead of spending the present working, so that we can enjoy ourselves in the future. We should just stop- and enjoy ourselves now. Because we’ve learned that as soon as we meet a goal we just create a new one for ourselves. So what are we really striving for?

mmm...I could use a nap just about now. Siesta anyone?