Art and Culture: Past vs. Modern Interpretation

Art has been the most distinct representation of culture since its conception: our modern perceptions of the Egyptian, Chinese, and Mayan empires are largely shaped by the paintings, sculptures, and pottery originating from these places.  Art is one of the most accurate depictions of culture because it is not only the expression of the people that lived within a particular society, but the expression of its thinking people.  This last statement is important; thinking people analyzed their own culture and were able to question and express society’s norms through media.  If anyone could give an accurate and philosophical depiction of his/her culture, it was the thinking human being.

I visited the Clark Atlanta University Art Gallery the other day, and it contained various forms of art, mostly African-American paintings.  Whenever I see Afro-American art, there seems to be a running theme, no matter how different the art form is… however, it is difficult to put my finger on what all of these pieces share.  It definitely seems all black art depicts the black body in a bold, dense way; the thick gaze of a poor man sitting in a chair; the hard stance of a gun-toting, jean-sagging teen; the resilient expression of a strong-featured, high-cheek boned woman. Other themes of Afro-American art include the struggle, the victory, and, of course, urban culture.  Upon observing these themes I ask the question: how is art defining culture today?  What does it all mean?

 

Redefining Culture From the Perspective of a Blasian

What a beautiful gathering of two polar cultures!

Being Blasian is being a very peculiar mix of race; black and Asian have to be the most polar of any racial mix in the world.  When done right, Blasians can live the best of both cultures, but this can prove problematic, as it is very difficult for us to assimilate to one particular side and define our own culture.  Blasians don’t really belong to a specific set of norms or people, especially the ones who look racially ambiguous (i.e. me).  Because of this, and the fact that looks tend to dictate your ethnicity in America, I am floating precariously in limbo between Asian and black-American culture.

In Bernardo M. Ferdman’s article, “Cultural Identity and Immigration,” he states that culture and ethnic boundaries define each other; they go hand in hand.  Ethnic boundaries shape and influence differences between cultures, and these differences make up ethnic boundaries.  Basically, these two ideas are social constructs that are becoming obsolete in today’s world.

Ferdman’s article speaks directly to the situation Blasians find themselves in.  The ethnic boundaries we expect to be present are not there at all, and because of the absence of ethnic boundaries, there is an absence of orthodox culture.  This absence is a result of the collision between two polar cultures in a cage match to the death — where two come in, one or none must come out.  The actual result for the lucky few, however, is a totally new culture, per say.  Where many Blasians have considered themselves either completely black or completely Asian, a rising generation embraces both cultures and melds them into their own.  Since there aren’t very many Blasians in the same place at the same time, it’s been impossible for all of them to come together and just decide on what their culture was going to be.  However, the Blasians that I have met have all adopted the same attitudes and behaviors as I.

The melding of two worlds.

My question is: “What exactly is Blasian culture?  Is it a completely new culture, or are our attitudes and behaviors an exhibition of a lack of culture?  It’s best to look to another source for ideas here.

“Deconstructing Culture: Towards an Interactional Triad,” an article by Albin Wagener, analyzes how culture should be defined.  One of the key points of the article was distinguishing intercultural vs. intracultural miscommunication: when we experience miscommunication, is it because of cultural differences?  Or is it because of general misunderstandings of human behavior?  Wagener implies that most miscommunication is just general misunderstanding, and this points to the fact that most cultures are more similar to each other than we think.  This calls for a redefinition of culture.

A particular part of the article goes over visual contact: it is widely believed that one must not look people in the eyes in some countries (Japan!), while eye contact in the West is completely acceptable.  However, in all countries, eye contact is both comfortable and discomforting depending on the situation.  For example, while it is not a good idea to look strangers in the eye for too long in Japan, this is also true in the US.  This is not a cultural thing; rather, it is a universally accepted norm regarding human behavior.  Japanese people frequently make eye contact when meeting new people, talking to friends and teachers, and even communicating with their bosses.

We’d all be uncomfortable.

So what is really different between cultures?  What makes a culture what it is?  Well, we certainly must not lose ourselves in Hofstede’s model to find the answer.  Hofstede’s model proved useful for business purposes when it was developed in the 1960s, but has since become obsolete as many countries have adopted universal behaviors in the business world.  The cultural triad does a better job at explaining culture because it does not place a specific set of dimensions upon a culture from which it is defined.  Rather, the triad contains three flexible aspects of culture that demonstrate how a culture develops and changes with time.

Now, coming back to Blasian culture, we can see what happened with our mixed heritages.  You have Asian culture, and you have black-American culture.  Both cultures diffused into each other, creating an exchange of attitudes and behaviors, so the parents have already created their own Blasian hybrid ethnicity.  The child of the two is the amplification of this new culture, and this is just a small example of what will happen with culture in the future; eventually, every ethnicity will convene, and no longer will we be able to define culture just by actions and attitudes.  No longer will we be able to use dimensions of any sort to determine and predict the ideas and tendencies of a society.  We are almost unable to do that right now.

In Hawaii, a culture has been cultivated via the osmosis of a plethora of ethnic groups.  Western ideas dominate the industrialized island’s cultural mix, but in close second are Asian and Polynesian customs.  Race does not necessarily dictate your ethnicity; most people who live in Hawaii share the same umbrella culture:

We go beach.

We go cruise, brah.

We go eat grindz at da local L&L.

Ho, shootz look; we even got our own gang sign.

Obama never forgot where he came from.

Even with Hawaii’s unique culture, it is more of the place than the people that mold its external image.  The people of Hawaii do not attribute their fundamental attitudes and behaviors to island culture; this is true elsewhere.  What seems to be happening, is that culture is becoming less collective and more individual.  This is extremely evident when looking at Blasians.

As said earlier, Blasian culture is obviously not the result of a collection of people looking to suit each others’ needs, or achieve a similar goal.  Rather, it is an individual culture stemming from the need to self-identify.  As one who is not able to completely assimilate to Asian or black culture (especially Asian-American and African-American culture), particularly with ambiguous physical features, a Blasian like myself goes through an identity crisis sometime in her/his life.  Coupled with racism from both sides, the eventual conclusion during this journey of self-identity is that the individual is neither black nor Asian — just Blasian.

Blazin’ Blasian.

A Blasian does not have to be down with black culture.  S/he does not have to be down with Asian culture.  Blasian’s are not ambiguous.  They are just as distinct as any other race.  A Blasian can only see her/his self as such because if otherwise, s/he will be very unhappy.

What is happening with people of mixed race is an amplification of what is slowly happening to the rest of the world.  As we become more globalized, countries are becoming more individual in Hofstede’s terms.  This is due to the fact that upon meeting and understanding other cultures, it seems irrational to only work for your country’s good.

Diversity at its best.

So, in anticipation of this newly mixed and globalized world, I propose a new definition of culture: it is absolutely not dictated by race.  There are blacks who live the Ivy life-style and Asians in South Central.  People are not simply born into a culture, and the country you reside in does not relay your beliefs, either.  It is absurd to believe so many people could share the same attitudes and behaviors consistently and simultaneously.  Culture  is what happens when individuals get together and let their individual attitudes and behaviors go through osmosis.  Culture is not stagnant; rather, it is flexible and ever-changing.  Culture happens in moments, and we must embrace those moments in order to effectively achieve intercultural harmony.

 

 

Cultural Triad

 

The cultural triad is a model for evaluating culture which allows room for change.  The concept is quite simple and similar to that of thesis –> antithesis:

Bathyculture encompasses the beliefs and values of a culture.  These are infused into the persons of a society practically from birth, and become very normal and almost subconscious.

Dramaculture refers to culture in action; these are actions that reflect the beliefs and values of one’s culture.  One’s actions are an example of diffusion of one’s culture, which leads us to:

Osmoculture is best described as a diffusion of one’s culture.  This means that whatever culture that is put into us is diffused throughout our daily participation in the norms of society, and this further builds and enforces our culture in a continuous cycle.  Other ethnic groups can diffuse their culture into another culture as well, and this creates new cultures.

The best example of the cultural triad is in America, where the country has gotten a very unique culture due to the diffusion of cultures from around the world.  Since the cultural triad does not attempt to pinpoint attributes of a culture certainly, it is more flexible than Hofstede’s model, and more relevant to global society.

 

Race Relations #2: Ethnicity

Today, let’s talk about ethnicity; particularly, defining culture, especially for those who are of mixed race.

Crystal Kay – a black and Korean singer based in Japan – is a perfect and beautiful example of someone of mixed race who has broken racial barriers. How does she view her ethnicity?

Ethnicity, which is synonymous to culture, contains many definitions.  One of the most common is: the beliefs, values, and rituals shared within a society.  So what happens when you are of mixed ethnicity?  Do you embrace both sides?  Do you even belong to a culture?  Do you develop a personal culture that you can share with no one else?

There is no definite answer; it really depends on the external and internal circumstances of the person in question.  For instance, in PBS’ “Faces of America,” ice skater Kristi Yamaguchi, who is full Japanese, reflected almost nothing of Japanese culture — she was completely “American.” This was in part because her parents and grandparents decided they wanted to completely immerse their children into the American lifestyle, meaning no Japanese language or behavior.  This is the external circumstance.  Kristi also lacked an interest in her Japanese heritage, though this internal circumstance is partly due to her external circumstance.

Japanese-American Ice Skater, Kristi Yamaguchi won the 1990 Olympics and various world titles.

So it’s possible for persons of one ethnicity to completely lack an interest in the culture they were “born into.”  Let’s take a look at a multi-racial example…

Jero sings “enka,” a form of Japanese song, usually sad, that became popular after World War II. He was influenced by his Japanese grandmother to sing the genre, and he promised he’d become famous in Japan someday.

Jero is a black and Japanese singer in Japan, hailing all the way from Pittsburgh, PA.  By the influence of his grandmother, he took interest in Japanese language and culture, including enka, a genre of Japanese music. Without his grandmother’s push of Japanese culture, Jero may have never been intrigued by his Japanese heritage.  Although enka singers usually wear kimonos, Jero wanted to hold on to his American tradition by wearing western clothes — namely a fitted cap and do-rag.  So although he moved to Japan to start a career in music, Jero has maintained a balance of American and Japanese culture in his life.

Black and Korean singer Crystal Kay is a Japanese native.  She has adopted the Japanese lifestyle, although she maintains an American-like swagger with her performance and outward appearance.  Even her singing is like that of a black woman.  She, like Jero, has maintained a balance between Japanese and American culture, although her Japanese culture is more apparent because she grew up in Japan.

It seems that a person usually adopts the culture of the country or state s/he lives in; it’s just too difficult to avoid.  Certain other factors dictate additional cultural influence, and it’s almost like particular circumstances can determine your cultural lifestyle.

 

Thoughts on That Day: 9/11

As a child living in Hawaii, I shouldn’t have felt very threatened by the tragedy that struck New York thousands of miles away on September 11, 2001.  However, as a child of a military family living in Pearl Harbor, I was very scared.  I was scared for my dad, who was on 24/7 duty until further notice, and could be deployed at any time.  I was scared for my home in Pearl Harbor, where there was the threat that a recap of December 7, 1941 could occur.  I was scared for my country: would we see another war?  Would it come to our side of the globe?  Who did this, why, and how can we prevent this from happening again?

Part of the answer to that last question was cultural profiling.  We’ve seen it happen countless times: A 6-foot black man wearing a white tee and jean shorts is reported to have robbed a store.  Now every black man in that area is a suspect, even if they do not fit the descriptions of the criminal.  What the US media did after 9/11 was place a whole religious group into the category of terrorist.  Let’s see what we get when we type ‘terrorist’ into Google’s search bar:

 

And there we go; a class A example of a terrorist… I think.

Basically, anyone wearing a hijab or a turban walking through the airport was now classified as a terrorist.  And they still are!  America does this every time we are attacked or go to war with anyone.  During WWII, we sent all of our Japanese brethren to internment camps.  The Cold War had us hating, fearing anything that had to do with Mother Russia and its communist ideals.  Even the Revolutionary War of America started this whole movement by placing any British customs, products, and ideals on the burner.

As America has become one of the most diverse and global countries of the world, our propaganda has become an enormous problem.  The aftereffects of 9/11 placed America’s Arab and Muslim communities in the unfair position of representative for the terrorists who did this.  However, as we all know, not all Arabs/Muslims are terrorists, and not all terrorists are Arabs/Muslims.

The fundamental point is that as global as America is, we place way to many labels on entire races; it doesn’t make any sense!  There are white, black, Latino, and Asian gangsters.  There are also white, black, Latino, and Asian socialites!  Race has now become equivalent to culture, and many Africans would say that African-Americans do not, in any way, share their culture.  It’s like saying Swedes and Americans are from the same culture because they share the same skin color — it’s just not true!

So please, think before you speak.  Color does not determine culture.  Not everyone in a culture is the same.  Just some food for cultural thought.  My thoughts go out to those who have been affected by 9/11 and its aftermath, whether American, Middle Eastern, or anything in between.

 

 

 

ICC Prompts

The following is my response to intercultural communication prompts that were given to students in order to better understand intercultural competence:

1. How would you define intercultural communication?

Intercultural communication creates a lens from which we can analyze and interact with other cultures in a culturally relative sense.

2. Can you identify some qualities or aspects of people who are competent in intercultural communication?

People who are competent in intercultural communication are generally serene, empathetic, and flexible.  They are not bound to social norms and are very adaptable to culturally polar situations.  One last aspect is that they are very open-minded and embrace foreign ideas.

3. Can you identify some specific individuals whom you think are particularly competent in intercultural communication and say why you perceive them as such?

My sensei from Keio High School, Masashi Otake, is very competent in IC.  He has a passion for learning and trying new things, no matter how foreign the idea; he is an adventurous man.  He is bilingual and possesses excellent interpersonal skills, allowing him to make friends wherever he goes.  He is very polite, patient, and understanding of those who are placed in potentially ambiguous situations.  As a language teacher, he is trained to deal with differences in culture.

4. What are aspects of good communication in your culture/opinion?

In my culture (USA), good communication is characterized by the following:

• Impeccable word: mean what you say.
• Clearly defined terms: make sure your audience knows what your references mean.
• True statements.
• Avoid ambiguity.
• Ask questions when you need answers to clarify your understanding.
• Don’t assume anything.

5. What are aspects of bad communication in your culture/opinion?

Bad communication is characterized by the following:

• Ambiguous terms that are not explained.
• Various assumptions made without verification.
• Not asking questions when something is unknown and answers are available.
• Untrue statements.
• Saying words you don’t mean.

P.S. All of number 5 is characteristic of the Republican Party in almost every election.  Just saying.

Thanks for stopping by, and please look forward to more posts!

-J

 

The Importance of Intercultural Communication: Hofstede’s Five Dimensions

Intercultural communication is absolutely vital in this world of rapid globalization.  Its theories help with seeing the world through a culturally relative lens, and are practical not only internationally, but at the domestic level as well.  Today I will discuss one of the most fundamental concepts of intercultural communication: Hofstede’s five intercultural dimensions.  These dimensions are used to evaluate the principles and values of cultures around the world; this includes painting an accurate picture of a culture’s behavior.

The father of intercultural communication.

The five cultural dimensions are: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs. femininity, individualism vs. collectivism, and long-term vs. short-term orientation.

Power distance illustrates the concept of power equality in a culture or society.  The higher the level of power distance, the more acceptable inequalities in power/status are.  An example of a country with a high power distance would be India, who uses a caste system with much disparity between the lower and upper classes.  A low power distance would implicate an acceptable balance of power between the powerful and powerless (rich and poor); power is distributed rather equally, and there is no concern if lower classes hold power.

Uncertainty avoidance describes the comfort of people in ambiguous situations.  Countries with high uncertainty avoidance generally contain people who are uncomfortable with uncertainty and thrive with formal guidelines and rules.  The opposite is true for countries with low uncertainty avoidance.

Masculinity vs. femininity has not so much to do with gender, but rather the types of goals set in a society.  For instance, masculine goals include salary, status, and job title, while feminine goals are centered on environmental safety, cooperation, etc.  Many western and Asian cultures are traditionally masculine.

Individualism vs. collectivism reflects the opposing views of the free world and communist societies.  Individualist cultures emphasize individual goals; “you get yours, and I’ll get mine.”  Collectivist cultures emphasize group goals and welfare; “we’re all in this together.”

Long-term vs. short-term orientation describes the business goals and the relationship between corporation and employee within a society.  Long-term orientation generally states that business goals are set with a long future in mind, and employees are more likely to stay with this sort of company.  Short-term orientation implies that goals are met within a specific timeframe, and employees frequently change companies.

Hofstede’s dimensions are useful, but are very linear in respect to flexibility.  Our world is going through rapid globalization, which means certain values are becoming universal and subcultures make it impossible to pinpoint a certain dimensional stance of a country’s broader culture.

It’s a beautiful thing.

 

Race Relations #1: Growing up while caught between the race war pt. 2

A little history:

My dad is black and my mother is Japanese.  Already you can see the contrast *ooh, a tiny Asian woman with a big black man!*  When they were dating, my mom’s parents were pretty prejudiced towards my dad.  They thought their daughter was going to be living on welfare, dealing with baby mama drama, and putting up with an abusive, big black man —  I’m happy to say none of that came true!  My mom had to deliberately disobey her parents to marry the man she did, and even then, my grandpa held my father at a distance .  To this day, no one in my Japanese family (living in Japan) knows that I nor my two brothers exist on the face of the earth.  It wasn’t until just last summer that they even found out my mother was married, and they still don’t know the husband is a black guy.  I’m not sure how long this is gonna go on, but rest assured, I plan on doing it myself pretty soon.

Aaanyway — so I’m black and Japanese.  Living in Hawaii.  Where Asians make up for 45% of the population (if you count mixed).  Now as I said before, Blasians look neither black nor Japanese.  I mean, you can tell that there’s some black/Japanese inside of us, but we definitely don’t look one or the other; there was no way I was going to assimilate into Asian culture with my looks.  Asian culture is big in Hawaii, practically the only state in the USA run by the Japanese, Chinese, Koreans and Filipinos.  The white population comes in second at 24%, with the percentage of blacks just above 1% (and at least 3/4 of that percent has got to be military!).  This lack of African-Americans means that there are many misunderstandings about black culture, even for black children living in Hawaii; these children and adolescents end up becoming the only sources of the “black experience” for non-blacks on the islands, and for my group of friends (and even acquaintances), my twin Marlon and I became those unfortunate few.

Every group has one.

There’s one thing I need to reiterate before I move on:  We didn’t look black — well, not totally black.  If we grew out our hair we’d get these nice mini afros resembling the Polynesian kind, and our nostrils were flared and our lips were full.  In middle school, when everyone was discovering the differences of race, Marlon and I went through a phase of having to let everyone know we were as black as we were Japanese.  Unfortunately, this meant wearing baggy clothes, sagging, and tossing a bit of Ebonics here and there (it was a mess).  By the time we hit high school, everyone knew the Booker Boys were black kids, so it was all good… except we also assumed the perceived responsibility to somewhat perpetuate the stereotypes of being black.

All black jokes were directed towards us, and anytime an outside Afro-American was on campus, we’d be immediately notified (it’s in Hawaii so there’s no racism, I think?).  Frequent challenges of saying “nigger” around us occurred, and the occasional person singled us out to debate about affirmative action.  Black teachers were assumed to have special connections with us, and we were expected to know all the black jokes and all the black comedians and what they said.  We were those dancing black kids.  Those singing black kids.  Those oh-my-God-they-can’t-play-basketball? black kids.  I didn’t even think I was totally qualified to learn others about black culture; yet, I was labeled as as much of a Kool-Aid/Fried chicken/watermelon lover as Little Black Sambo.

Yeah… something like that.

So it was at that point in my senior year of high school that I began to evaluate my identity and question if I was worthy of being black — what’s black culture really like?  What does it really mean to be black?  Is it really vital for my peace-of-mind to make sure others know one half of my race?  I would find the answers to these questions and others upon my matriculation at Morehouse College in the Fall of 2011.

…to be continued (つづく）。。。

 

Race Relations #1: Growing up while caught between the race war pt. 1

Growing up Blasian isn’t easy.  As kids of the Black and Asian races, we sooner or later learn that we cannot choose one side; this is simply for the fact that we just never look like one or the other.  Blasians have distinctly exotic facial features: the flared nose, medium to thick lips, chinky eyes, and tan skin… these all make us stand out from both races.  Blacks think we’re too Asian to be black — Asians think we’re too black to be Asian.  In the midst, we find that we can’t quite fit in to either side.

A couple of points make Blasians stand out from any other mixed African-American person:

• Both Asians and Blacks are minorities
• Statistically speaking, Asians and blacks are complete opposites in terms of education, employment, and financial stability
• Asians and blacks are also complete opposites in terms of stereotype (i.e. obnoxious vs. reserved, chicken vs. sushi, penis size, etc.)
• Asian and black cultures are completely different, especially considering that many Asian grandparents are straight from their respective Asian countries

With all of this information laid out, it can be concluded that the uniqueness of Blasian identity is related to the vast differences in the cultures that make up the individual.  The extreme polarity is what makes it hard for Blasians to assimilate to just one specific culture.

In the case of Blasian identity, many are initially drawn closer to their Afro-American heritage.  This is because we feel a responsibility to embrace the side that experienced and continues to go through hardships regarding racism in America.  As racism surrounding Asians is much more subtle, the exposure of black racism causes the Afr0-American blood in Blasians to weigh heavier on the judgement scale.  Statistics prove that Asians are doing better than blacks in terms of employment, higher education enrollment, and financial stability; this imbalance makes us feel we need to favor the under-handed side to bring it up.

This need to fuel blackness causes Blasians to acquire a skewed view of what it means to be black — the stereotypes become more apparent as we try to pronounce this identity.  We wear baggy clothes, grow out our fros, listen to a lot of rap music — whatever.  Anything attributed to black culture is latched onto and we exhibit these qualities to let others know we’re as black as Wesley Snipes and the next brother.  Except we’re not.  My hair isn’t kinky enough.  My skin isn’t dark enough.  My speech is too proper and I don’t fit in at black church.  So where do we go?  Maybe we should try the Asian side.

…to be continued (つづく）。。。