The seasonal identity crisis has arrived. This blog used to be called "Free Random Thoughts: melting technology and communication in the Asian pot." Now it is "Interestingness Rediscovered: missing angles in our familiar view." The following describes why so.
I always thought I had no consistency in the blog topic I chose. In the 30 days prior to the title change I wrote about being freelance, Powerpoint as ebooks format, overrated value of stuff, making viral online video, our shortening attention, editing in the 2010s, what iPad means, online notepad, Google Buzz, and quoting.
They are loosely connected by two keywords: technology and communication, as was stated in the blog's old description: melting technology and communication in the Asian pot.
It is actually a cop-out statement. Communicating is what makes us who we are, and technology helps us do so. Plus I happen to be in Asia (Taipei). Therefore the description is no different than "everything about a person living in Asia." Which is nothing, considering there are billions of people living in territories defined as part of Asia. The title "Free random thoughts" doesn't say anything either; all our thoughts are random, in a sense.
In short, I picked the blog title and description because I didn't know what my blog was about.
But during waves of soul-searching(which get surfing-high after a long meeting, missed lottery, or fewer marbles than usual in a pack of M&Ms), I started seeing there is a pattern in topics I choose. They are about finding a fact or truth that are not paid attention to.
It's not necessary about presenting a unique opinion, though it might be so as a result. It's also not about catching up with the latest trend, though it might be timely. It's about finding out a missing angle when seeing familiar (in other words, tired) issues in our life.
For example, this entry itself is about an obvious point being missed when naming a blog: this blog's old title showed who I was, whereas a blog title should always describe what the blog is about. Period.
Mission Statement
My ultimate goal is to shout "It's an elephant!" in the well-known story of a group of blind men touching an elephant:
Each one touches a different part, but only one part, such as the side or the tusk. They then compare notes on what they felt, and learn they are in complete disagreement.
…But more likely than not, I might be one of those blind men. At least I hope I am presenting a partial truth about that elephant.
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In Taiwan I do not get that much stereotypical treatment, not because people are free from it but because people are modest enough not to blurt the K-word in your face. I guess the road is still long…
I occasionally dig a bit deeper (like that Ninja story) and amuse myself. Next time I will ask them about Harakiri.
I feel your pain on the cultural stereotypes. Either because I look ethnically ambiguous or the lack of cultural education in North Florida I can literally be exhausted by rude, ignorant, and intrusive cultural questions every single day.
My favorite was being asked if I am “Kwik-E-Mart” like the chain in the Simpsons. That guy surely thought ninjas exist and hunt whales with harpoons while watching hentai. I despair…
Sadly what you described (cultural stereotypes) exist everywhere and yes there is little effort to correct it. Thanks to the Internet we are connected but isolated in our small communities, sharing secret codes and peculiar customs without realizing so.
As you said we judge other countries based on cosmetic aspects, but also get upset when we are misunderstood by others. We aren’t that aware of our own behavior.
“we are the world’s sloppiest nation when it comes to explaining who we are, what we do, and why we are the way we are.”
This was a very well put statement. Not that I have any expertise in Japanese culture, but this is a very interesting way of stating the problem.
If you take this, and consider a lot of the VERY weird crap out there online and television that has “Japan” stamped on it, it’s no wonder people get the wrong idea about the place as a whole. They form their judgments on what is seen the most, and there is little effort to counteract it.
Like judging all of the United States based on seeing a few Doritos commercials.
Yes, Japan still has a (barely) functioning health care. Old people are eating up the bulk of the resource. They use hospitals for socializing – who can blame them? Their children had abandoned them, the nurses and doctors care about them, and they meet friends.
“Just as the young and sexually vulnerable present themselves in these western precincts as victims, so the mantra of the neophyte screenwriter is: I am young and stupid. Please abuse me.” – David Mamet, Bambi VS Godzilla …Also made note of rational political thought – Ha Ha from the land of “Corporate Health Care”…does Japan have socialized Health Care btw? I feel like an idiot for never having looked it up or asked anyone that I already knew, who would know. *IOWA award for me – Idiot out wandering around – their State is usually the Health Care penny pincher in the States* Both my maternal uncles have degrees in Health Care but it’s the one who was also a journalist (Sophia University) that is also the M.D. His baby brother was with the U.S. Embassy in Japan also and worked for Human Resources.
I love the Story of Stuff video too (also as a language learning material – they come in variety of subtitles). Political pictures are always intriguing; they show the raw emotions of people who act rationally in their daily lives.
I happened to get a kick out of the Story of Stuff vid you posted. I am still learning to blog so I’ve not quite mastered track back features. My uncle used to live in Japan for many years as a Journalist and M.D. (were from Alabama in the States) and as his daughter didn’t want his old belongings that had been stored at my grandmothers, I’ve inherited political pictures (including one of a Green Peace effort to stop whaling) pictures of my cousins mother and her family (who weren’t happy that their daughter married an American in the early seventies; A no no and my uncle is red headed too, Lol!!) and all sorts of ephemera. It’s a good thing I like scrap booking I guess.
The Japanese have misconceptions too – segrating ourselves works both ways. I remember years ago when I first visited Israel I was shocked to see bikini-clad girls roaming around the beach instead of black dress all over the place. Sometimes there is a pleasant surprise 🙂
In our society, I mean here in the states, there is a lot of misconceptions about other cultures. What is really sad is that rumors and myths are taken as truth, so the misconceptions continue. Thanks for sharing.
I once made myself skinhead and wore a yellow tee to the office. I did. Nobody gave me a direct comment. Two weeks later someone told me of the hot debates in the boarding room regarding my behavior. You stick out enough, then nobody bothers you at least on the surface…kidding.
Re: Japanese Companies are a Great Place To Work
I’m thinking that “the manicured nail that stands out gets hammered down!” ;-