Navigating Cultural Identities: A Personal Perspective on Asian America
In Asian studies class, I learned that Asian Americans often practice Asian culture at home and American culture in public. I am sure this is true of all families who have maintained their original countriesrsquo; cultures, whatever their identity as xxxAmericans. Private culture at home and American culture in public.
Overlap in Cultural Practices
There is no overlap between East Asian and the Indian sub-continent so no. There is some overlap in East Asians and Southeast Asians and some Pacific Islands. I donrsquo;t think you can define an ldquo;Asianrdquo; culture in the same way Europeans can.
Identity Fluidity in Daily Life
The reality is most people are not a single persona; they put on different hats as needed. Occasionally, they wear more than one. When we crush those stupid Russkies in hockey at the Olympics, I am an American through and through. When I curse at those blasted Canucks who throw perfidious means, I am an American, too. Identities, these hats, are easily worn and easily doffed. In the office or friend groups, I am not Asian, American, gay, or male. I am myself. In the office, I fight for better technical procedures and better programming. My politics revolve around strengthening the team and garnering more resources.
Cultural Practices and Identity
It is the same when it comes to race relations and voting blocs. My identities are tools of convenience, applied when needed and revealed when useful. In the Korean diaspora, I am a Korean American, born here, a gyopo. When activating representation in the media, I am an Asian American, a native-born, native speaker of English, and a master of Engrish. These are facets, nothing more. They are reflected only as circumstances require.
Asian American might just be a political identity, but humans are a political animal.
Cultural Complexity in Everyday Life
As far as culture, it is a nebulous term. Anything and everything can be cultural. Hot dogs may be American when in a bun, Korean when in stew, or something else in a different context. Since we are what we eat, and I have eaten a few hot dogs in my day, culturally, I may as well be American, Korean, and pan-Asian all at the same time. Quantum superposition is not necessary to explain this. Context is what matters.