On Culture, Customs, Class lines, and Outsiders

A writer I occasionally follow wrote about an observation he made at a Thai restaurant. It seems like he did an exercise that all of us writers do when we people-watch, make the observation and create a story to go with it.  When the hostess/woman and waiter at the counter bowed to a non-assuming asian college student, the assumption that it was a sign of respect to someone of higher stature.  He wrote that this bowing and the girl's hand-wave was a clear and overt display of class distinction where the lower class revered the higher class. There was also the supposition that the US doesn't have hard lines of class distinction. It's a "quirk" of "our" culture.  By "our" did he mean "American?" Was there a presumption that the "young Asian-American college student" didn't share in the "American" culture since she was clearly part of the "other" culture?

I had a slightly visceral reaction to his post mainly because of all the second generation baggage I grew up with (some would define me as 1st gen since I was born in the US, but my parents are immigrants). Additionally, I have all of the cultural the baggage that comes from growing up in a cultural enclave. Also, if a person has not experienced/observed class lines & distinctions, have not had to navigate those lines, then (s)he is in a position of privilege (but not so privileged that (s)he identified as part of the elite class).

That being said, I think a presumption of culture, rituals, and protocol is a slippery slope towards misrepresentation, stereotyping, and covert racism. As authors and writers, I think it's important to do our best to truly understand a culture before we build a world that incorporates aspects of it.

So... I'm just going to present 2 videos that represent...

1)




And 2) ... as food for thought.





What about you? What's your take on cultural gestures, customs, and the like? Do you know of any writer who did a great job at creating and/or representing different cultures? Any authors/writers that you've read (or work you've seen) who created a unique/distinct culture that is not easily (or disrespectfully) identifiable as "ethnic"?

Back to Basics and whatever it takes

So last night, I went back to basics. I pulled out a journal I'd been kinda using (it's over 10 years old judging by the first entry in it) and used it to pen some ideas and notes on my most current project. I ended up writing for a few hours and 7 pages worth of notes, giving the project a little but more clarity and structure. Now, I've torn those pages out and tucked them into the pocket of my Moleskine journal.

I thought it was appropriate for the story that I'm writing - one that's steeped in Chinese superstition and death rituals - that I succumb to a but of writer superstition as well. For those of you who don't know, Moleskine notebooks have a bit of legend to it, being the notebook of choice for artists and writers like Van Gogh and Hemmingway. They're also my favorite since they're so portable, yet well made (sewn pages, some perforated for easy tear-out when needed, durable cover, good paper).

So now, I carry my Moleskine with me where ever I go.  I just need to find the nifty pen holster for it so I don't need to dig around for a pen. I'm also staying up later and consuming inordinate amounts of coffee (even by my standards).  But all of this will be worth it.