Sunday, April 3, 2016

Week 1 - Two Cultures

The idea of “Two Cultures” is not new to me, but until now I hadn’t read anything that so eloquently articulated the concept. C.P. Snow maintained that his colleagues from each of the two cultures were comparable in intelligence, race, and social origin, but continuously misunderstood each other. Additionally, professor Vesna
mentions how the two cultures have been generalized into stereotypes – each has an over-simplified view of the other. I have seen the effects of these misunderstandings and stereotypes in my own family life. On my mother’s side of the family, art is highly valued – my grandfather was an architect and regularly painted beautiful watercolor pieces. On my father’s side of the family, science is highly valued - my grandfather has contributed a significant amount of research to autoimmune diseases and my father works in the realm of biological sciences. Both sides of my family are equally smart and talented, yet their emphasis on what is important is opposite, sometimes causing misunderstandings, division, and stereotypical commentary. Growing up, I have often felt like the two sides of my family are different worlds, and have struggled to find balance between two equally valuable aspects of my life and heritage. (Pictured above: my grandfather painting as I watch at a young age).





As discussed in the video “Changing Education Paradigms,” two cultures are deeply engrained in our educational system. The humanities and sciences are separate and specialized, which causes a division among students who choose to go one route or the other. This is plainly visible at UCLA, where there is a culture of scientific and technological “elite” among south-campus majors and an emphasis on aesthetic experience among north-campus majors. I wish there was a major that encompassed both!


One stereotype that I have personal experience with is the “athlete” stereotype. At UCLA, I see the idea of Two Cultures in the division between intercollegiate athletes and the regular student body. Among the athletic population, we have discussed feeling judged as lazy or nonchalant in our academics, even though many of us have well above a 3.0 GPA on top of having to spend 3-5 hours a day (often more) for our athletic obligations. Conversely, I have heard accusations that regular students would never be able to “do what athletes do,” but I would disagree that the regular student body puts their time and energy into other activities, and may have equally busy schedules. The misunderstandings between these two cultures are apparent, but as I have grown in friendships with fellow athletes and non-athletes alike, I see and appreciate both sides.


Sources:
Changing Education Paradigms. Perf. Sir Ken Robinson. YouTube. Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, 14 Oct. 2010. Web. <http://youtu.be/zDZFcDGpL4U>.

Dong, Han Q. Kamila Tan Beach Volleyball. 2016. Los Angeles. Facebook. Web. 3 Apr. 2016. Photograph.
Kamila and Grandfather, Pine Valley, CA. Personal photograph by author. 1998.

North vs. South Campus. 2011. Deviant Art. Web. 3 Apr. 2016. Photograph.

Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Kamila,

    When I first started UCLA, I heard many of the stereotypes you stated about athletes--and to a certain extent, I believed them. When I became a resident assistant, however, I stopped believing in those assumptions made about athletes because I was able to meet and interact with them on a closer level. In fact, I believe they are some of the hardest working students I know. I thank you for sharing your story to help dispel a perceived divide between non-athletes and student-athletes, and I hope more bridges between these two groups will continue to be formed!

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