The Clash of Cultures

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Diana-Huang's avatar
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Read this article please --> news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100702/a…

Its time for everyone to start learning from each other.

The Chinese(and most Asian cultures in general) way of thinking compared to the Western world... is night vs. day. In this globalized economy we have generations of young Asians all over the world still trying to figure out who they are really supposed to be.

There is a phrase spoken among the Chinese people... it is reflected in our arts, literature and in how Chinese people handle life. Chi Ku "Eat bitter". Bitterness, hardship is accepted part of our lives. We are all taught to take the worst of it and to not complain.

When I was a little girl and I saw a really pretty stone in a store... I asked my mom if I could have it. My mom told me that I should never ask anyone for anything like that... that I should wait for someone(if ever) to give me such things... and be grateful. I was taught to not expect good things, to not want good things, so therefore to not ask for anything. Simply take what is given(even if it was something I never wanted) and be grateful that we have anything at all.

How well a person tolerates and handles bitterness and cruelty is considered an esteemed trait. We are taught to hide all pain, all suffering and weaknesses from everyone and only show the best of ourselves at all times. We bend over backwards with a smile(or show no emotions at all) to be as amiable to the needs and wants of others, to maintain a working and harmonious living and/working environment. We do it to the point where we let ourselves get misunderstood, walked over and abused time and time again.

We still have generations of angry and bitter boys and girls(Asian or not) with no outlet to release their pent up feelings, express their dreams and opinions without having them be shot down the second they are expressed... We become the quiet ones. We stay quiet because we do have our own opinions, hopes and dreams... we keep them in secret because we hate having them shot down and ripped to pieces by others.

We wear ourselves out by sucking it up... by not taking any action against what bothers us.... physically, emotionally and spiritually... some just suffer in silence taking it with them to their graves... but on rare occasions.... some among us snap in the most sudden and violent way. Out of the blue suicides, school shooters and the knife stabbing sprees in Japan(because of strict gun laws only knives were used) by young men.

We are living in a world that is getting more and more tense by the day. Because of that everyone needs to express all of themselves more than ever. Everyone should have their say and everyone should be given a chance to be really heard by someone.

I thank the Asian half of me for the inner fortitude to suck it up and face all the bitterness life has dealt me.... I thank my American half for instilling in me the concept of freedom, the right to happiness, and the right to be an individual... the two sides together has given me the courage to blast through all my fears and face all the obstacles fate keeps dealing me... and still smile.
© 2010 - 2024 Diana-Huang
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Prussian-Cupcake's avatar
D:
That's so... I don't even know what to say; but I do know that this message was great and I needed that.