Our view of the world is mainly influenced by our experiences with varying cultures as we grow up and the lessons we are taught about these cultures. I had the opportunity to experience both the Korean and American culture from a young age as I lived in a Korean home in American society.
At a young age, I did not know that the word “orientalism” existed and did not even fathom what “hegemony” meant. Though I started with a naïve mindset, I slowly understood the typical stereotypes of Asian cultures that were perceived by society. Though the word “Asian” might be one big group to some, it is a cluster of various cultures to me. Accordingly, I am amazed everyday I learn something new in this class whether it is a dance movement or a short clip on an oriental play. All the material in this class is new to me in which I have no previous basis of knowledge. I guess you could say that I have a clean slate to build upon and I am glad of this fact.
Orientalism does have an influential affect on the way some may view the world. As a Korean-American, I am often asked of my views on certain topics. My friends expect a very strict and controlled response from me but are later surprised of the fact that my response is very open. Stereotypes are naturally brought up in discussions, but I think that I am a perfect example of someone who can attest to the incorrectness of stereotypes with just my opinions and lifestyle alone. Stereotypes are going to still be prominent within future generations. We need to stop letting preconceived notions of cultures rule our minds, so that we may respect each other and live respectful lives accordingly.
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