Friday, April 22, 2005
being chinese chinese
how often have not we described ourselves as singaporeans rather than chinese?she's never thought of herself as an "authentic" chinese other than obvious physical traits and that she could speak and read chinese. she grew up watching american sitcoms and cartoons. she grew up infatuated with kirk cameron in growing pains. she grew up wishing she was some popular cheerleader of sorts in beverly hills 90210. she grew up in an environment that welcomed "american-ness" in thoughts, beliefs and attitudes during her primary years. she grew rebellious and independent. she grew up, in other words, un-chinese. she's been labelled several names from a globalised chinese to a banana (yellow outside white inside) to a hang tze (a local slang for potato which older folks use to chastise those who cannot speak mandarin).
why did she try to break away from traditional chinese beliefs and old school mentalities? she understands the government's worrying stance on younger singaporeans losing the chinese culture. but what else do you expect in a cosmopolitan city where everyone's influenced in one way or the other by american imperialism? do you honestly expect kids to grow up timid and docile when they sit in front of their tellies at night watching the simpsons? america's "freedom of rights" has a great social impact on conditioning her thoughts and behaviour. she grew up believing in equal rights. she grew up despising judgmentalism and narrow mindedness of many around her. she's seen her dad's friends looking at her frankness and independence as being too aggro and open minded. ahyoh, your daughter like that, how to find boyfriend or husband next time? or she doesn't intend to get married ah? (twats) but you know what? she knows deep down pseudo master's very proud of his little girl despite all that. ha!
bee wrote this at 1:01 PM
5peekaboos
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At 9:53 PM,
adrock2xander said...
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I concur...
You are t3h cool Bee...i think we established that fact a long time ago...hence our unusual online friendship :)
bee said...
haha, u r funny. thanks! yeah, that's why i read your blog everyday despite my "bee-see-ness".
yo, wanna do coffee in melbourne?
adrock2xander said...
Yes let's do that...ya gona be here in 2 weeks' yeah?
bee said...
yup from 6-10 may :p
adrock2xander said...
Cya online...geme t3h d3tailz...
