Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Healthy Suspicion

Sometimes, I feel like my mind is buzzing with thoughts. This semester, I finally got me a moleskin notebook, "the legendary notebook" of Hemingway, to furiously scribble down ideas when I'm having one of those moments. I always thought advertising moleskins as legendary was funny. The company tries to lure you in with this idealized vision of writers and artists in the olden days, but in reality its just an overpriced notebook...however, I must admit that I really like the soft cover :)

We often accept what we know to be facts and don't consider their origins, implications, or consequences.
My one sociology professor was telling our class how he hopes we will develop a "healthy suspicion" towards the world around us. I think I have been plenty suspicious for a while haha, but I'm not cynical, I'm just bein realisitc :) Anyway, here's a list of some of the random things I've been thinking about that we take for granted:
  • Referring to the United States as America - There is no single America, only the continents of North and South America; however, we often assume the U.S. = America.
  • Asian - Who is exactly does this refer to? People usually think of Chinese, Japanese, and Korean people, but Indians, Filipinos, _, and many more groups fall under the Asian label. So what exactly do you mean when you say something is so Asian?
  • APIA History Month - Woohoo! Let's celebrate our Asian heritage...for one month only. What if I want to embrace it all year long?
  • Describing objects as nude, flesh tone, or skin colored - I often see clothes, shoes, nail polish, etc. described in these terms. Um, everyone's skin is not the same color, just look at one of those diversity posters with hands that are all different shades. So what skin tone are those "flesh colored" bandages referring to?
My goal for the rest of this semester is to not have any more life threatening events. Then, I shall hop off to London in January wahoo!

2 comments:

  1. geez chakchak, i wish i thought as deeply as you. i want to be plenty suspicious too! your bullet points made me think...yummy food for thought! and please follow through with your goal, kohmabs :)

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  2. you are super close to not having any more life-threatening events! though i did see when you tripped over on your way to haffner yesterday afternoon. tee hee. life is a struggle but you will make it. and then you will go to london. AH! :(

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