colour of diversity

Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another's uniqueness.

Ola Joseph

when we were a kid, school, parents told us about appreciate the differences, negociate the cultural challenges in society, tolerate it. religion also taught about 'respect' each other.

diversity is something that we could not resist. If someone has asked the diversity question, people always answer with "ooh yeah, we have to respect each other, diversity will make our life more colorful, etc". But sometimes i wonder, that's only a bullshit answer. when you get back to your family's value and culture, they will order you to have a partner who has the same culture with you. that's the platinum rule.

so, what's the point of diversity, respect, appreciate that they've been taught to us since we were a kid? in the end, it's always come back to stereotype, generalization, and hegemony. ebony will always be with ebony, and so does ivory. if there's a chance ebony end up with ivory, again, society will see that differently.

i'm so sick of these. i grew up in a multicultural environment. i have bunch of friends with a different ethnic, there's no majority and minority. we respect each other, and we negotiate our identity and cultural differences. i can learn other's culture, and vice versa. but when it comes to a big family gathering (and they're coming from a place that one culture is a majority) it will back to generalization and stereotyping. no more ebony and ivory.

so (again) what's the point of the colour of diversity, people?

november rain : 10 years later.

Nothing falls like London Rain

Heather Nova

this november rain really set my mood.

i'm wondering, where will i be in 10 years later?

i wanna see the same rain,
same rainbow,

but

different view,
different street.

wearing trench coat.
holding the umbrella.
walking down London town.

hmm. who knows?

human and construct

If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.

Maya Angelou

every human has their own construct, they only see what they want to see and give meaning by what they've had in their mind.

it makes you, it's you, and me it's me.

i realize that, and thank god, i chose communication as my major, i learn about communication, message, and so forth. this "construct" thing based on constructivism theory. it assumes that human will interpret message by his own knowledge in their mind. it makes an immense effect on our daily relationship with others, right!?

well, this what makes me sometimes do not understand why people complain in everything. don't get me wrong here. i used to be a very bad complainer / grumbler / crybaby / sniveller *you named it* . and at some point, i reached my turning point, someone slapped me right in the face, and woke me up that, i didn't have something to complain about. i have a great life, super-loving-care-hardworking mom, goods to eat, and even comfy blanket to crawl in.

what else?

i mean, i know that i also have imperfection, sometimes i feel kinda mess, and universe seems didn't give any damn thing to support me. but, c'est la vie, right? you will face your ups, but you can't turn your back from your downs. because it what makes you a successful and humble person.

nothing to complain about, fella.

i just read an article in marketeers magazine. it's about twitter and people who likes to complain everything on their tweets. we're not an expertise, nor the perfect person. traffic, floods, accident are not an easy thing to solve. governors with all their bullshits are not God who can fix everything in the same time. it takes time, long time. so, instead of complaining, why we don't start to act in other way, i mean, if you complain on traffic, why don't you move or rent a room which near to your office or campus?

this morning, again, i faced the "come-on-can-you-please-stop-complaining?" moment. but then, i started to let it go, because as i said earlier every human has their own construct. we need to appreciate whatever others think. we can't force others to agree with us. it's a rights.

just start to look at your own attitude. less complaining. start to see that God has given you everything, and there are a lot of unfortunate people out there. if we could save our complain and start to think about them, world especially our states will be a better place. better, but not perfect.

no offense, fella.

“There were people who went to sleep last night,
poor and rich and white and black,
but they will never wake again.

And those dead folks would give anything at all
for just five minutes of this weather
or ten minutes of plowing.

So you watch yourself about complaining.
What you’re supposed to do
when you don’t like a thing is change it.
If you can’t change it,
change the way you think about it”

Maya Angelou