You thought you aren’t
Like those other fools.
I’m sure you liked art
Before it was cool.
But you hated jazz
Would you hate now,
Now that it’s less…
Less middlebrow?
For sure you aren’t
Like those other fools.
You liked being smart
Before it was cool.
So I raise my glass
To the elite,
So full of class
And self-deceit.
But my middlebrow rhymes
La-la-la, la-la-la
Are all I’ve got,
In these middlebrow times,
With my middlebrow god.
(c)
Task:
Changed for life! Tell about an event in your life that has caused a change in you. Be sure you clearly identify how you changed and how the circumstances of the event resulted in that change.
Response:
The experience that changed my life most significantly, was deciding to leave my family and come to New Zealand, aged 17. Moving countries is a life-changing experience in itself, but in order to adapt to that change, I had to quickly transform from a very shy child into a confident adult. Stepping out of a very sheltered childhood, I had to learn to make my own decisions, manage my own finance (which I knew less than nothing about) and find my first job… But most importantly, this experience helped me to find my courage and unlock my potential.
This wasn’t the first big move in my life. When I was eight, my family migrated from Russia to Namibia, where we spent the next nine years. I had two years of high school left when my parents decided they would return to Russia. It was sensible for me to continue my studies in an English speaking country to avoid relearning the entire school syllabus in a different language. New Zealand was presented as safe, friendly and more affordable than some of the alternatives. Soon I said goodbye to everything and everyone I knew and plunged into the unknown.
The immediate impact of this decision was that it made me braver. I grew up wrapped in cotton wool. The longest time I have spent away from my parents before moving out was three days at school camp. I was extremely shy and thought it unimaginable to start a conversation with somebody I didn’t know. Even asking a stranger for directions seemed terrifying. Needless to say, the idea of moving alone to a country where I knew absolutely nobody was rather unsettling. Nonetheless, I also knew it had to be done. I wanted to discover who I really was and what I was capable of. So, I decided that I cannot allow my fears to prevent me from doing what I want, even if that meant talking to strangers!
Thus my thirst for adventure defeated my sheepishness. These days I don’t hesitate before asking for directions or other information. Finding my confidence wasn’t too difficult after making the initial decision, but proved very useful in all aspects of life, from making friends, to establishing professional networks.
Task:
Respond to a proverb/quote:
“It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness.” – Chinese proverb
“Just because something doesn’t do what you planned it to do doesn’t mean it’s useless.” – Thomas Alva Edison
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” – Mahatma Gandhi
“The best way out is always through.” – Robert Frost
Choose one of the proverbs/quotes presented above that seems especially evocative or meaningful for you. Explain your choice and how or why it is personally meaningful. Does it suggest a way you would like to live your life? Or is it linked to an event that has happened to you or to someone you know? Provide details to demonstrate how the quote applies to a life experience (either one you know about or a situation that could happen).
Response:
We live in a hectic world of competing priorities and competing people, driven by and unquenchable thirst to possess, to accomplish. Caught up in the pursuit of happiness, we forget to take pleasure in the process, celebrate our victories, and contemplate our losses, thus defeating the purpose of the chase.
Like others, I used to live to illusory deadlines, telling myself I had to achieve certain things by a certain age: make an enviable career, start a family. I was impatient for results, but every year the list got longer and the deadlines tighter. Instead of enjoying my youth, I was running a race against time and each birthday, like an ominous countdown, deepened the fear that I will miss that meaningless mark I have created for myself.
Worrying about how much there is still to do, I robbed myself of the appreciation for what I had. I may have worked my way up to my dream job, but to savour it seemed counter-productive. I had to master it very quickly, and consider the next career steps: a bigger challenge, a higher salary. I also married my true love, but we did’t have the time or money for the perfect wedding, so we never had one. Nor did we have the time to celebrate our first marriage anniversary. Meanwhile, questions about the goals yet unachieved loomed above me like dark clouds. I was playing a game I could never win.
At one point we managed to break free from the daily grind and go on holiday. But even in my travels I found little rest. I was dashing ravenously through a foreign city, trying to leave no sight unseen in the short number of days I had there. After a while, the buildings, monuments, parks and people started to blend into a colourful kaleidoscope. Sadly, the impressions were so fleeting.
Looking back I understand that there is, in fact, more to life than increasing its speed. No matter how fast you run, you will never be able to see or do absolutely everything, but you will miss the tiny miracles and epiphanies hidden in the everyday. Slowing down not only relieves anxiety, but also helps to find better focus and deeper appreciation. We cannot know what awaits round the corner, but life is certainly too short to rush through it.
Task:
Write about a person you would like to meet, someone you have never met before. Why would you want to meet this person? What questions would you want to ask? Why?
Response:
“I would trade all of my technology for an afternoon with Socrates,” is a quote attributed to Steve Jobs, the visionary behind Apple Computer, and a sentiment I share. The Greek philosopher lived and taught in Athens about 2500 years ago, yet his aspirations, ideas and questions remain extremely relevant today. His famous aphorism “the unexamined life is not worth living,” has served as a motto to many who thirst for knowledge. Proclaimed as the wisest man alive by the Delphic Oracle, Socrates argued that his only wisdom was in his awareness of his ignorance. He engaged in debate with notable Athenians to prove that they too, knew nothing. Despite having many friends and followers, his questioning approach has ultimately led to his trial and death. However, his prodigious impact on philosophy and contemplation has long outlived him.
Socrates’ ideas (as recorded by Plato) have captivated my mind. His belief that true knowledge produces more questions than answers is the cornerstone of open-mindedness. Because, accordingly, as soon as you think you know the correct way, you’re probably mistaken. I would have liked to discuss these ideas with him to deepen my understanding. I would ask Socrates about his thoughts on the human soul and how that fits into his concept of the world. It would also be fascinating to find out his view on modern society. Has his anxiety towards written information been justified? He had a complicated relationship with the Athenian democracy, and it would be interesting if his opinion of its modern version would differ.
In addition to being one of the most influential of western philosophers, Socrates was also the most enigmatic. Sceptical towards the written word, he never wrote any of his own ideas. All we know about Socrates is second-hand and widely debated. His biographers, such as Xenophon and Plato presented their own interpretations, as there were no clear standards about historical accuracy at the time. This is one of the reasons I would have liked to meet Socrates – to separate the man from the myth. Although I must admit, had I been faced with the opportunity, I would feel nervous about the risk of disenchantment. Nonetheless, it’s a risk I would take. If Socrates was anything like how he was described, he’d make an excellent conversationalist, and as somebody who places great value on the pursuit of knowledge, I’d really like to meet him.
I was recently interviewed about my experiences as Third Culture Kid (TCK) by Faye Zhang who runs the NZCFS Youth website. NZCFS Youth is part of the New Zealand China Friendship Society (NZCFS) – an organisation that aims to foster links and cultural understanding between the two countries.
Originally from Chengde, China, Faye came to New Zealand to do her university degree. She later moved back to China to work. However, on her return, she felt like a foreigner in her own country. She was still Chinese, but not quite. Her way of thinking changed and she found it easier to make friends with foreigners. She came back to New Zealand, but didn’t feel quite like a New Zealander either. That’s when a friend told she’s got the “Third Culture Kid syndrome”. Immediately interested in this phenomenon, Faye did some research and found the experiences ascribed to TCKs very applicable to herself and to many of her friends. She decided to undertake the project of writing about other TCKs in New Zealand and their experiences. She has posted several TCK interviews on the NZCFS Youth website. That’s how I found her, and well… made it onto the website too.
Midnight Media Musings... 