Collective Identity– 5/12/11
This year, more than any other year, I really felt like a student. Our class learned so much this year, practicing line strokes, observations of form, drawing from an object, ect. that were all basic fundamental mechanisms and techniques. Therefore, our collective identity is that we were truly a group of students, studying art for the sake of art, and for the sake of improving our skills as artists. As a group, we went through a tremendous period of growth, from the beginning of the semester, when our skills were rusty, to the end of the semester, when we were able to design and draw with confidence in our lines.
Our group aesthetic was widely diverse, with styles ranging from dark and detailed, to colorful and loose. Our aesthetics were especially portrayed in our watercolors, which ranged from light and delicate, almost transparent, to deeply saturated and solid works. Our final pieces also reflected our aesthetics, which stemmed from our different personalities; some interpretations were dark and foreboding, while others were humorous and inviting. Thus, our class embodied both the work ethic of students and the curiosity and inquisitively of blooming artists.
3/18/2011: Comic and Tragic Narratives
Comic Narrative
As I, a mere observer was walking by, I witnessed an interesting scene…
Oh no! It appears as though Batman has gotten stuck in a cup!
In an effort to attain the fountain of youth, Batman has unwittingly become fused to it, crippling him forever! How tragic! Batman’s trusty steed, Dotty the Rocking Horse, waits by his side to no avail, as Batman struggles to pull himself out of the cup. Perhaps he is now regretting all those Pringles he ate, which added considerable padding to his waistline.
Meanwhile, Neon Man, Batman’s arch-nemesis is still waiting in his super-dark-cheerful-birdhouse-lair. But Batman hasn’t showed up yet, and it’s been over an hour since their scheduled once-an-episode showdown. Neon Man is very lonely, so he decides to pick a fight with the Power Rangers! Just as Neon Man is about to be crushed by the awesome power of the Power Rangers, Power Ranger Green suddenly realizes Neon Man is his long-lost second cousin. Who else but the Green family could have such fashionable taste in spandex suits? Power Ranger Green bursts into a green puddle of spontaneous euphoric joy, allowing Neon Man to escape stealthily.
As he creeps back to his birdhouse-lair, Neon Man stumbles upon Batman…in a cup?! His mind unclouded by attachments, Neon Man suddenly sees the truth, that Batman really is a fool in a cup! Realizing the folly of his attachment to Batman, Neon Man decides to see the world for himself, bettering his mind and spirit. He then proceeds to pack his things and set off for Hawaii, guided by Hula Girl, a female Chuckie-lookalike.
As Neon Man is busy enjoying the coastal climate of Hawaii…
Batman is still stuck in the cup!
One by one, Batman’s allies and friends leave him, exclaiming, “I can’t wait for you anymore!” and “Please text me when you get out”.
Batman falls into a pit of despair as he is finally alone in the world.
The silent observer looks on.
Tragic Narrative
Walking along a dark alley in the still life, I came across a tall dark figure. Alarmed, I turned to run, when he suddenly pulled back his hood, revealing a strangely proportional/normal face. “Please do not be alarmed”, he said, all the while towering over me alarmingly, “My name is Sven, and I come in peace”.
As it turned out, Sven was a model looking for his daughter, a young girl who had run away from her home. Sven’s daughter, Svelta, was about 6 inches tall, with a propensity for and guitar playing and hula dancing. When I asked, Sven described his daughter as “the loveliest thing”, sobbing while he showed me her picture. Privately, I wondered whether Svelta was a female version of Chuckie, but decided not to voice my opinions out loud.
We searched, in vain, for Svelta, but nobody had seen her. “A girl in a hula skirt? Haven’t seen her” cried many a mannequin. “Perhaps she fled to Hawaii?”. Sven was thus outraged, exclaiming that there was no way Svelta was in Hawaii, shocking the mannequin into losing a leg. I left Sven’s search party soon after, and to the best of my knowledge, Svelta still has not been found.
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Who Are We Collective Identity Paper : 6/1/10
Our art class is not only an art class, it is a family. We are not only artists, we are also creators. Collectively, we are are an abstract piece of art.
Within this family, we have Sarah(the aunt, a splash of red), who walks in and immediately goes up to Pattie (neon green) and says, “I thought of you first thing this morning” and pulls out a bag of potato chips. Clearly, Pattie is the family pet in this situation, who is proceeding to be fed by his benefactor. Morever, Pattie provides much quirkiness and entertainment, brightening up the room with his eccentricity. As to what type of pet he is, I think Pattie would be best suited to be an iguana. Meanwhile, Sean (Cobalt Blue), Serena(Purple) and Sarah(Magenta) are role models, like an older brother and sisters. Jocelyn(Yellow) is quirky like a weird older sister, while Rachel(Light Pink) is quiet and nice like a sweet little sister. Amelja(Grass Green) is kind like a mother, while Max(Orange) is funny and knowledgeable like an older brother. Finally, Mr. Miller is an eccentric and wise figure that offers advice and random anecdotes, sort of like a grandpa (sorry).
The Art Family has a different atmosphere from other classes, which is likely due to our groups mixed ideas and feelings. It is an encouraging atmosphere conducive to creativity. The room is like a house of inspiration. We as art students have created this place from our mixed backgrounds, art styles, and ideas and we come together as a conglomerate of personalities. Our different colors together on the canvas create an abstract piece of art.
Surveillance Proposal: Mon. 4/25/10
The school cameras can be used as footage to create a time lapse of daily life at school. Videos can be replayed and fast forwarded to show students’ daily lives. Alternately, the video can be fast forwarded or reversed and replayed to show interesting events, for example, someone dropping their books. It would be interesting to see if anyone helps them. Video cameras should be set up at critical locations such as the Knuckle, L hall, K hall, and hallway intersections. They should alternately be placed visibly or hidden, to possibly contrast people’s behavior when they know they are being watched. Students should be told there will be cameras in certain halls like K hall, while cameras in other halls will remain hidden. Cameras should be set up from different perspectives: some above student’s heads, some below, ect. It would be interesting to have a camera set up viewing downwards at the top of the Knuckle. The spiraling pattern of students walking down the stairways would be artistic. Tapes will be collected every week and uploaded to a computer. IPhoto and IMovie may be used to create a movie that will showcase what went on. Color and lighting effects could be tweaked to create an abstract piece that looks like the WHS students have become students in an alien world. There should not be any legal concern as long as videos do not focus on students’ faces.
Surveillance Log 5: Friday, 4.23.10
Sarah was observed today. Interestingly enough, the artist prefers drawing females over males. Perhaps it is because of the more interesting hairstyles available? Or perhaps it is because they move less. However, every half-second, something seems to be amiss (that’s even worse than every second). Oh no, the table is skewed! Oh noes, the subject has moved! …needless to say, observing is quite a difficult task…Contrary to the artist’s vision and expectations, the table ended up taking the majority of the space (perhaps due to unconscious laziness?) when really the artist wanted to make the subject large and slightly off center to the left. Why must the hand disobey its master? Towards the end, impatience won out over artistic virtue and the interesting lamps (are those the same as the reptile lamps at PetSmart?!) ended up becoming blobs that need fixing. They ought to have taken on a metallic feel…The table texture will be the next challenge…
Lastly, hair is a pain to draw.
Art Room Surveillance Prompt: Thursday, 4.22. 10
What are the ethical differences (if any) between the surveillance of objects/property and living subjects?
There is a huge difference between observing objects and observing living subjects. Unlike objects, which have no privacy rights or consciousness, living subjects think, feel, and behave based on their environment. In environmental conditions where the subject is being closely scrutinized, the surveillance may be perceived as a violation of privacy or personal space. The subject may be unnerved, uncomfortable, or even mentally traumatized. The observer should also be wary since unpleasant legal repercussions could ensue. Based purely on ethical reasoning however, surveillance of living beings must not be casual, but rather purposeful. For example, security cameras in schools and cities are ethically acceptable to prevent crime (but even these are widely debated), while security cameras in someone’s home would not be ethical. Surveillance must maintain the delicate balance of privacy versus purpose- that is, the degree of violation of privacy of a subject should be proportionate to the amount of “good” received. In objects, there is no violation of privacy, therefore, no purpose is needed to surveil them. In living beings, potential “goods” such as safety or artistry must first be considered. Randomly video taping students in the hallway, for example, would not be ethical unless you were authorized and had a legitimate reason. The law affirms this by protecting privacy rights. Observers should, however, be aware that what they themselves may perceive as a logical purpose, others may see as meaningless.
On the subject of surveillance, another key ethical point has to do with consent. Does the subject know they are being observed, and if so, do they accept that? Generally, the observer has a moral obligation to inform the subject of their intentions, however, in some cases that is not possible. For example, many psychological experiments require deceiving the subject to some extent in order to observe their most natural actions. A room that is aware that they are being surveilled will likely behave differently than they normally do. In such cases, it may be acceptable to proceed without notification.
Surveillance Log 4: Thursday, 4.22.10
Shading is more work than the artist had previously thought. The sketch was shaded in today (should have been done yesterday, because the stool keeps moving and the light keeps changing). In observing the light, the artist practiced shading in 3 dimensional objects, and noticed something strange. The way a stool is built is actually quite interesting! For instance, the angle at which the legs meet the floor and seat is just so: slightly angled to prevent tipping over, but steep enough to exude elegance. The cross-sections holding the legs together are equally neat as they don’t appear to conjoin at the same area. One set of parallels will be slightly higher than the other, while the other side will be slightly lower. I wonder why this is…
Surveillance Log 3: Wednesday, 4.21.10
A new sketch. The tall stools in the classroom looked especially attractive today. The warmness of the wood along with its scratches and worn areas gives the stool a homely feel. In a continuation of the pencil and paper observatory sketches (they are becoming rather cumbersome now), I have included a new sketch of a chair. Of course, a human element also had to be included so without their knowledge, I randomly drew a person who happened to be sitting on the aforementioned wonderfully proportioned stool. (Note: Observing without permission was likely ethically grey, yet strangely fun). In contrast to previous works, the stool became the main focus, the person almost an afterthought, resulting in a strangely skewed version of a man-Thumbilina. At least the chair turned out okay..
Surveillance Log 2: Tuesday , 4.20.10
Patty and Max were added to the background of the sketch, along with some art supplies. Somehow, while Sarah’s profile was detailed and pretty, Patty’s became humorous and cartoonish, with an almost maniacal smile. Perhaps this reflects the observer’s perceptions of the observed people? In any case, today was rather disappointing since the background characters took the same amount of time as yesterday’s detailed sketch of Sarah. The same amount of time probably could have produced another detailed piece…
Surveillance Log 1: Monday, 4.19.10
In the midst of pondering what would be good to draw, I failed to realize that the perfect surveillance scene was, in fact, right in front of me. The lines of the table parallel and converging with the lines of the cabinet at some distant point created a neat perspective and illusion of distance, along with the staggering of three people (Sarah in the foreground). Perhaps it was to save time, or increase convenience (pencil is, after all, really easy to erase), but I opted to surveil with a pencil sketch. Somehow, the sketch became very distinctly “Sarah”. One of the difficulties noted include the observed person moving around, changing the angle at which they were being drawn.
Surveillance Final Project: IMovie 3-4
Surveillance Log #5 : Friday, 2.26.10
The rebel army, composed of multicolored, neon fighters is engaged in a skirmish with the government military. I can’t help but wonder how effective the rebel uniforms are at camouflage, which may just be a reason why they are losing badly to the superior weaponry of the army. The neon suits stand out like a sore thumb, and makes them easy to recognize and destroy. The rebels excel in hand-to-hand combat, which also seems futile in the face of the army’s weapons. The army’s attire is less tasteful (puke-colored canvas shirts, anyone?) yet practical. They blend in with the sand dunes to launch surprise attacks on the enemy. A neon green Power Ranger-esque fighter puts up a brave front, before being destroyed by an enemy tank.
Surveillance Log #4 : Thursday, 2.25.10
Following a Hawaiian tour guide (who is actually quite friendly despite her creepy looks), I have exited the jail through a secret passageway located in a green guitar. I ended up getting lost, then stumbling upon an incredible sight. What amazing topography this world has! The mountains resemble a bronze horse, with the ripples of the horse’s mane becoming the peaks and valleys of the mountain range. On the mountain, wonderful pink flowers are in the midst of blooming. It is an incredibly beautiful, yet ephemeral sight. As the sun sets, the flowers disappear.
Surveillance Log #3 : Wednesday, 2.24.10
Today’s report comes from the interior of a foreign jail. I guess the police officer was more observant than I thought.
Since there appears to be no US Embassy stationed in this world, I have no idea how I am to escape, if I even have Miranda rights, or how long I am to be detained. I am housed next to an old, gaunt man, a grim foreshadow of my imprisonment to come. His features are clearly African American, but he seems (oddly) to be made of clay and stone. He doesn’t move much, or talk much, but instead looks up to an invisible god and prays for his release. Seeing as he has been imprisoned for so long, he has turned to stone, I highly doubt this god of his is very effective (or at least, timely). The man appears to have some knowledge of bicycles, and besides sleeping and praying, he constantly returns to fixing an old tricycle. What an odd obsession. Most surprisingly, he doesn’t eat. It seems that the only arable land on the planet is ony able to grow yellowish-purple ears of corn, giant bunches of grapes, or other strange fruits/vegetables. I haven’t seen anything that looks remotely edible/normal/safe to eat on this planet (though the striped monster statue does remotely resemble a mountain of Pixie Sticks). I hope the prison guards don’t forget to feed me soon…
Surveillance Log #2 : Tuesday, 2.23.10
It seems that there is security to be found in the shelter of “the long arm of the law”. As I stick close to the female police officer, I notice how unnaturally perfect her features are, almost mannequin-like. Recording her on my surveillance drawing pad is more fun than I expected. Her nose and mouth are again, perfectly straight out of a textbook, letting me know what to expect when drawing. Still, I wonder if I am becoming like that stalker hiding behind the cornstalks on the other side of the sculpture, a secondary observer. So far, I’ve seen no evidence of police-fraud, so I must assume this law enforcement officer at least, is a righteous one. Surrounded by laurel leaves, she looks like some absurd glorification of the military, a testament to the amount of respect and fear citizens of this totalitarian world have for their government. Does my stalking a police officer counts as breaking the law? And more importantly, what will be my fate be if I am caught?
Surveillance Log #1 : Monday, 2.22.10
At first, I believed it was “they” who were intruding in on me. That’s because suddenly one day, a huge mismatched conglomerate on random objects came straight out from another world, and decided to park itself right in the middle of our classroom. At first, I was annoyed. The thing looked like it belonged in a junkyard…But as I looked closer, bid by Mr. Miller to “surveil” the situation, I found many new and interesting things. Every day, a new detail in the still life is there that seems like the piece has just gotten up and wandered around the night before (or perhaps I just didn’t notice it before). Just today, I noticed what seems to be a secondary observer- that is, something/one who is observing the observer. After staring at it for just a few times, the lifeless, gender-confused mannequin figure seems like it is staring back at me. How frightening! To think that the observer is becoming the observed! Making a mental note of this, I think I shall sit at the opposite side of the sculpture tomorrow, so as to not attract the gaze of something that could turn out to become the second “Chuckie”…except the other side is home to the Hawaiian doll that, if possible, is even more unnerving.
…and what is up with all the soldiers camped out in “disguise” (ha, like I and everyone else couldn’t spot them a mile away)??? If there is to be an insurgency on this new and strange region of the classroom, it had better not be while I’m still in it…
Prompt 1: Thursday, 2.25.10
Where does truth and/or fact exist in the relationship between the surveillant and the surveilled?
Between the surveillant and the surveilled, the fact exists only in the eyes of the observer- that is, human nature and perceptions decide what is “truth” based on personal bias and interpretations. Thus coins the idea of there being multiple surveillers, two policemen rather than one, in order to find the “true facts” about the surveilled. The more surveillers, the more accurate the facts are. However, since the mere act of observing changes the observed, there are technically no complete truth and in fact, the facts are mere perceptions and illusions.
Take for example, Schrödinger’s cat. By looking through the glass, one cannot definitively determine whether the cat is dead or alive, but by opening the box to check, one disturbs the experiment and may in that instant change the results. By merely observing, a surveiller can never determine what is “truth”, however, through direct interaction, the surveiller is no longer a watcher and instead becomes a factor influencing the surveilled. Of course, in many scenarios, by merely observing, a surveiller is already interacting with the subject. In chemistry, just looking at an object alters your perception of it due to the bending of light.
In real life application, this “Observer Effect” manifests in law (police), crime (stalkers), psychology, ect. By knowing that they are being watched, subjects’ behavior will change. A thief after committing robbery, will feign innocence and walk away normally in front of a surveillance camera. Thus, from the surveiller’s point of view, the person is a normal passerby, but this is incorrect. Thus “truth” between surveiller and surveilled does not exist.
Above: SPRING SEMESTER 2010
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FALL SEMESTER 2009
12-21-09
Diptych Reflection
I wasn’t sure what i was going to do at first, so I started on the Chess piece…and at first I was really disappointed because the checkerboard pattern seemed overused as many other peoples’ chess pieces looked very similar…so I got sorta angry and ended up painting over some of the squares with white and somehow crushing one side with my fingers. They left an interesting imprint, exposing the brown base, so I thought, “hey, I can use text by folding over wet paint and writing on the back”. It turned out really cool…until I accidentally dripped white paint all over one corner. But drip-painting is also an art technique (one that I might have gotten too happy about) so I ended up scribbling with drip-writing and…it eventually turned out pretty cool (Note: this was done before Mr. Miller banned drip-painting). So the Twister piece was a multicolored variation on the monochromatic Chess piece.
I thought it was very clear what the pieces were (though of course, I have it all thought out in my head) but some people were kinda confused as to what games the pieces were. I guess Twister was kind of obscure, but I thought the overall checkerboard pattern on the Chess piece was supposed to be a dead-giveaway. I actually ended up disliking the Chess piece, which was pretty much a series of accidents then -try-to-cover-up-mistakes then -lets-experiment-more-since-I’ll throw-this away-anyway. But Mr. Miller said he liked it so I didn’t cut it/ trash it. I guess I’m happy with it.
11-18-09
What two games have contributed to who I am and what might they “say” to one another?
For the diptychs I chose the games of Chess and Twister, games that are practically antonyms, as different as night and day. Chess has long been viewed as a serious game involving mental prowess and skill, while Twister is a fun game that relies on physical ability and luck. Chess is traditionally black and white, while Twister is fun and multicolored. However, despite different appearances, these games actually share much in common with each other. Both require flexibility and adaptability (whether in body or in mind). Chess might tell Twister to use more brains to win, while Twister might tell Chess to cheer up a little and have more fun and color in its game. Twister might also remind Chess to be flexible in its play, and to adapt to situations as they appear. Since my childhood, I have played these two games in very different settings. Twister was a favorite at parties, while I played chess in a boardroom at Chess Club. I might portray these different aspects of my personality (fun and serious) to emphasize the importance of working hard to achieve success but also remembering to have fun.
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11-12-09
Cards Rational Paper
My cards seem to be clearly grouped in 10-piece ensembles,but don’t quite fit together to become my personal identity. Perhaps the multicolored, stylistically-incompatible cards show different facets of myself wrapped into a common entity.
My cultural identity can be expressed through the linear organization (spectrum) of my 10 cultural cards. On one end, I decided to include Chinese aspects, while the other end would focus more on American aspects. This is concurrent with my cultural identity: I can never be simply Chinese, or an American, but am rather a Chinese-American. Early on, I decided that my cards would be influenced by the “best of both worlds”. The red-white-and blue represented the colors of America with letters for independence and capitalism. On the other end of the spectrum, the reds represented China with Chinese characters from my Asian friend’s grandmother’s newspaper. I didn’t realize it until after it was finished, but the two end up meeting in the middle with art and music, our universal language.
My familial identity was represented by a family tree, created by piecing all the seperate cards together to form a “family”. The right side of the tree is in decline, since the family name on my mother’s side will die out (my only cousin on that side is also female). The tree splits when my parents got a divorce, and is multi-branched, representing many aspects of our family. Words repesenting us make up the “leaves” on the tree and the fractured “soil” of the earth. Despite it’s unhealthy appearance (due to familial conflict and prolonged seperation) its roots remain deep.
When I first started my Stereotypical cards, I had absolutely no idea what to do with them. I ended up painting some blues in, thinking that it would become an ocean, but then realized it would also look nice as a sky. And it just was too pretty to destroy either possibility so, fitting in with the stereotypical theme, they became multi-view cards that could be viewed differently depending on your perspective. This is similar to stereotypes, where others can view the same person in many different ways.
My “Other” identity was inspired by an accident (melted dripping wax ended up taking on the shape of a person). So the nameless, faceless spectators plus the blue “Others” sorta fit in. Even if you do fit into society, sometimes you still feel as though you don’t belong(my view). The blues tend to create a somber atmosphere.
Last fall, the guest motivational speaker who came to WHS inspired me with his analogy of school life. He compared students to animals, saying that the majority of students were like zebras, who will run and hide and eventually stand and watch as one of their own gets killed and eaten by a lion. Some students (bullies) are the lions, who prey on the weak. However, the only way these lions/bullies can do this is because the other zebras are unwilling to risk themselves for others. My view of heroism does not need to be a perfect person. Anyone is a hero, as long as they can selflessly act to help others. Instead of being zebras, we should all aspire to be the “moths”, which always try to fly towards the light, even if they burst into flame when they get too close.
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10-4-09
So far my sketchbook is a hodgepodge of disorganized pieces…So going in theoretical rather than actual order, the 6 pieces for the deadline all pertain to a common theme of “the progression of time”. These include a piece on Alzheimer’s disease, which erodes memories as time progresses, to pieces documenting the rising and setting sun over a city reflected in water, to pieces reflecting growth of plants, dreams, and people, ect.
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10/23
Hero
A hero is someone who works for the greater good of society Generally, heroes put others before themselves and work on “pure” motives. However, if you judge actions alone, a hero can have selfish motives as long as they are contributing “good” to society. For example, Batman might be considered a type of hero, an “anti-hero”. Though his actions in themselves might be considered immoral, or unethical, he is ultimately saving the city. A hero must show good decision making skills in order to weigh the good and evil of their actions.
Heroic qualities include bravery, motivation, and tenacity. I hope to develop these qualities to become a stronger individual and a better person.
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10?-2?-09
Other
To be an “Other” implies a negative understanding, and in certain situations, it can be a terrible stigma. Usually when I feel inadequate or unable to measure up to my surroundings, then I become an “Other”, the one who doesn’t belong, a spot of dirt marring an otherwise perfect landscape. It’s quite terrible to have others look down on you, which then spawns fear and feelings of inadequacy. But it’s worse to be totally ignored. While I ordinarily enjoy music, playing the piano becomes a stressor and a burden when it’s time for a recital. It isn’t that I don’t want others to hear my music, but that I’m afraid of it being unsatisfactory. On the deepest level, the thing everyone fears most is societal rejection. Just the fear of becoming an “other” is already crippling.
On the other hand, becoming an “Other” is not necessarily limited to failure. When I excel where others don’t, maybe on a test or in music, I also become an ”Other”. Most people, I think, are conformationists. It’s in our nature to mistrust and be wary of people who don’t fit the norm. So we try our best to conform to socially acceptable standards. We wear the same clothes, like the same music, behave a certain way…but isn’t that boring? I wouldn’t mind bending the rules. I could bring a giant stuffed animal to school, or wear a duck-hat. If I acted that way, I’d definitely know what to expect: people skirting around the “weirdo” in the hall and averting their eyes. So I definitely wouldn’t do that. The threat of becoming an “Other” keeps the order of our society.
Age and language are yet other ways to become an “Other”. Why is it that teens tend to hang out with other teens, why children make friends with other kids, why adults seek out other adults? Every time I visit China, I try to speak as little as possible, because once I open my mouth, I am instantly labeled as a foreigner, an “Other” . When I speak with my grandparents, I always feel out of place. We simply don’t belong in the same century.
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9-30-09
Stereotypical Identity:
More damaging than physical harm, stereotypes are corrosive, inciteful things. So why do people continue to stereotype others? In reality, we cannot prevent ourselves from judging one another based on the only information we yet know, their outward appearance.
Those wishing to influence how they are perceived take great pains to alter their looks. Since I don’t go out of my way to look or act a certain way, I believe that after interacting with me for some time, people are mostly able to see who I am as a person. I’m not entirely concerned about my appearance, but like everyone looking for an identity and self-recognition, I still do to an extent.
I believe that others’ first impressions of me probably out me into a so-called “studious Asian” category. Because of their ethnic background, Asians are expected to be intelligent and academically but not socially strong. In the words of my Chinese teacher, Asians are “Someone who is not good at sports, studies all the time, doesn’t have friends, and wears thick glasses”.
I admit that some of it is true. I’m not talented at sports, which is probably obvious from my lack of muscle or enthusiasm for the latest Eagles game. I don’t know what our state’s basketball team is, and I don’t really care who wins the Superbowl or the Orangebowl or any other fruitbowl. It’s true that I am really focused on academics.
Still, really negative stereotypes are definitely not contributory…
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9.18.09
Familial Identity:
My family identity is initially derived from my cultural identity. Our family follows a traditional Asian cultural hierarchy where children must obey parents without exception. It doesn’t matter what I think of a decision. If my mother decides to make a family decision, it is my filial duty as a child to support and honor it. This familial hierarchy is designed to limit the power of the individual, by enforcing rules I must follow and expectations I must meet. It is expected that I will get straight A’s, high SAT scores, and fives on AP exams, and my fear of not meeting those standards drives me to improve and gain an outward appearance of a ‘nerd’. This limits my freedom to express my identity and is frustrating. It’s also ironic that I am a subordinate in the house but expected to be a leader elsewhere in the world.
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9-10?-09
Cultural:
It is interesting that our current artistic focus is on culture, seeing as my curriculum for school has also dealt with culture. In fact, just today we were asked to define culture. I defined it as “A population that shares similar beliefs, ideas, traditions, and social behaviors acquired from a common environment”. At least, such a formal definition was what we were asked to come up with. Instead, I feel that rather than defining culture in dictionary terms, it would be better served through examples. Thus, I ought not only define culture, but define how culture defines me.
I suppose that I am multi-cultural, a person with one foot in each boat so to speak. As a Chinese-American growing up in the US, I share the same beliefs that many of my fellow classmates and peers do. I dress in a certain way: jeans and a T-shirt, like most of my school does. They say that your appearance determines your identity (or at least how others percieve your’s to be), and I certainly don’t walk around wearing traditional Chinese qi-pao. The culture in the US and in my school definitely influences my appearance.
A person’s identity is shaped by their environment, and since my parents are Chinese, I’ve been raised to uphold certain ideals and beliefs. For example, I value academic success when some of my classmates may not. This should in no way be confused with a common Asian stereotype (intellect). My desire to get A’s probably comes from my Asian background, but doesn’t define me as one. Rather, I’d hope it defines me as a motivated hard working person. In American culture, that easily translates into the “American Dream”.
I think my identity as a Chinese-American makes me different from others. I don’t always think the same or believe in the same things. For example, since Chinese culture is not very religious, I am a little confused by others’ spiritual beliefs. Personally, I don’t think culture can exactly define who a person is. It can only shape who they might become. Sometimes it is a little lonely to not fit in with any one culture, but I like my unique cultural identity.
