The Yin and Yang of American Culture

The Yin and Yang of American Culture A riddle by Eun Y. Kim is a perspective of the American way of life by a Korean American. Kim uses the yin and yang symbolism to describe the positive and negatives of American culture and how it compares to Asian culture. Kims exposure to American culture as a offspring sister in Korea and immigrating to the United States while also being raised in a Korean household where Korean tradition was upheld provides a solid basis for her analysis.I have chosen cinque of her yang statements for discussion which I believe I have experienced eing a fourth generation American merely also witnessing the truth to these statements during my travels to Asia as swell up as to Portugal. One of the biggest statements for Kims yang is Dreaming the Impossible. As children in America the majority of us are told to dream big. I was told as a child that I could be anything I wanted to be whether it was an astronaut, a veterinarian, or an entrepreneur. I have fo rever and a day dreamed of being a veterinarian, and I am slowly working towards my dream.I have seen friends of mine attain their dreams such s a close friend wanted to run away football for the Air extort academy he completed his four years at the academy playing football and went on to complete ten years as an Air Force transfericer. I have also seen the balance between the United States and Portugal, and how we encourage dreams and support them. My hubby was born in Portugal and moved to the U. S. when he was two years old. His mom and dad worked hard to live the American dream which to them was owning your own house and providing for your family.They did non push dreams other than that one on my usband or his brother. Despite this my husband created his dream to fly planes. He cannot remember how old he was Just that he was young, but he remembers taking a summertime trip to Portugal to visit his grandparents, and he was invited into the cockpit of the airplane where he was allowed to sit in the captains seat and was given a short tutorial, but ever since than his obsession with airplanes and flying took off. His parents may not have told him that he could do anything he dreamed of like my parents, but the American condition system did.Dreaming the Impossible also leads to fictile Systems, Flexible Roles. I am a great example of this. I finished high school and automatically rolled into college but after a year and a half of doing the bare minimum I inflexible that I wasnt serious about school at the moment and instead of wasting my time and notes I would train some time off to decide what was important to me. presently about ten years later I am finally back to school to the full time while also finishing up my contract in the Navvy. I am working full time and going to school full time with a flexible system and a semi- lexible role in both.The American education system allows me to do this and actually encourages us to do this. When I was growing up, my best friends mother was a computer engineer and when we were in middle school she had decided it was no longer for her. She quit her Job and went back to school, and she now teaches middle school mathematics which she had always wanted to but chose engineering because of the money. A third yang I have had experience with is Openness and favor. In September 2 I was able to visit Japan tor a tew days cod to a deployment portThe ship I was stationed on pulled into Yokosuka Japan, and although I didnt receive much ofa culture shock there, I did when I traveled to Tokyo. My first observation of how the Japanese were not as friendly as Americans was when I rode the channelize. My friends and I were patiently waiting for the train doors to open to allow those get off to get off first before boarding but no one else did. Everyone else was crowding the doors and making it difficult for those getting off to do so but no one seemed to have a problem with the so called r udeness except for us Americans.We quickly learned if we wanted a place on the train we had to be quick and impatient. Although Japanese citizens were not as friendly and open as American citizens I did experience a very nice Japanese woman who could tell I was confused by the subway map in Tokyo. I was standing in the subway trying to make heads and follow of the map on the wall when this elderly Japanese woman started speaking English to me asking me if I needed assistance. She explained that she had recently moved back to Tokyo after living in Minnesota for the one-time(prenominal) 40 years which quickly explained her illingness to help a complete stranger out.Although I did meet potentiometer of helpful strangers in Yokosuka, which is accustomed to American visitors, she was the only smile I received while in Tokyo which wasnt from a friend. Americans love to have fun, and I am no exception. The phase work hard, play hard is commonly used in the United States and describes me . I work full time and go to school full time, and if I have completed all my homework by Saturday night or budgeted my time I definitely like to go out and have fun. I also sustain time during the eek to do things that are not work related or school related such as see a movie or go for a run or cod a workout class at the gym.To me if I work hard then I deserve to go through some time getting out and doing what I want. My family is the same way as well as my in laws who live in the states. A couple times a year my husband and I will vacation with our family either going camping or going to Wildwood, NJ to spend some time at the beach and the boardwalk. If my husband and I can coordinate a spend where we both have off we will usually head some place new to kayak or ightsee. We are always looking for fun as well as saving our money to complete these fun tasks.Its what we live for even if we have to put in some overtime to procure it. My last yang is Remaining Active throughout L ife which I have yet to experience in person since I am only 31 years old but I have sight my 80 year old father in this accomplishment. I started bugging my dad around the time I graduated from high school that he should think about slowing down and retiring since he was 67 years old. This past May he finally took my advice and is finally retired but still ontinues to jazz life.A few times a week he is fishing or riding his motorcycle or spending time with family he is the energizer bunny. He also looks like he Just dour 60 and not 80, which he turned in October of this year. I believe that staying busy and having hobbies is what has allowed him to take 20 years off his life. I also like to think I have kept him young because he did have me late in life (around the age of 49), and he was always active in parenting me. He helped me with my homework and also helped me practice basketball and softball by participating in them with me.I am thankful that he didnt believe that as he a ged he was unable to do things those jr. than him could do. The Yin and Yang of American Culture has reinforced the wonderful things I love about the American culture but has also helped me realize that there are certain things from the East I would like to incorporate into my life. Kims brainwave of the light as well as the dark in the United States is something all United States citizens should take notice of, and in my opinion may make our society better. I know I am going to correct some of my own vices to bring over to the yang.