My answer to the questions is very simple. I am hundred percent Japanese. Most Japanese were born in Japan and were not from other countries. My parents were also born in Japan, and so were their parents. The Japanese live on a land composed of many islands and it was closed historically. We don’t see so many ethnicities in our country as people do in America. If I say exactly, my mother’s parents are from Amami islands which share a little different culture from the mainland. They share similar culture with Okinawa which was an independent country a long time ago. My father’s parents are from mainland but so close to Amami islands.
I don’t think those difference where we are from in the country, but I do think that my ethnicity as a Japanese influence who I am. Japanese people are pretty much influenced by Confucianism which came from China, Buddhism, and Shinto which we worship ancestors and nature gods. Like in China and Korea, collectivism is very much important to us. I really hadn’t realized this until lately since we took it for granted. However, I have realized that I am influenced by it so much as I spend time in the States. Whereas Western people tend to be assertive and directive, and an individual tends to stand out, Japanese people are not supposed to be and do so. To us, harmony with others is so important, and we should think of others like their feelings and faces before ourselves. I still struggle with speaking up in class and I tend to keep quiet when I am with so many people. This experience made me realize that I am influenced by our ethnicity through religion and culture.
I think that our appearance can tell where we are from and this causes some different communication styles. Asian culture treasures elder people and we respect them very much. It is normal to bow each other when we see older people than us and when we meet others for the first time. However, I don’t do that when I meet with Western people because they have another communication styles. One example that our ethnicity influences the way we communicate with us can be found when I meet with Korean people. We can tell that we’re from different countries by our slight differences of our faces and the different languages. When I see a Korean guy on campus, he always bows a little bit to me while waving his hand. He seems confused if he should have Western communication style or our Asian communication style. I also feel confused if I should bow to him because we know that we share the similar custom and I need to honor him because he’s older than me, but we’re not from the same country and we’re in America.
When once I was having dinner with a Korean friend, there were his friends to the next table coincidentally. My friends and other Koreans bowed each other, and his friends thought I was a Korean, too since they didn’t hear me speaking in Japanese then. I knew that they are from Korea, so I was not going to bow because we’re not from the same country. However, they bowed to me and I had to bow them back. It was interesting because they and I don’t usually bow to Western people even they’re older than us or when we meet for the first time.
When Asian students communicate with students from other Asian country, especially Eastern Asia, it is funny to see because we communicate in English but we share the Asian culture and the way of thinking and life.
Does age matter in communication styles when you communicate with others in your culture?
Do you think it is important to know what ethnic background you have?
Age matters somewhat in communication, but much less so than you described. It really depends on the individual and the situation as each relationship is different.
返信削除As for the importance of knowing your own ethnicity. It helps you understand your own background and culture more. It also can help make you more self aware of yourself and recognize the good and bad aspects of yourself.
I would say that yes, age does matter. I do not see many teenagers hanging out with forty year old's. There can be a slight age differance when you are younger for it not to matter (like 13-15) but as you get older, the age that you usually hang out with gets larger (40-60). This is supported by dating and getting married. When you are in high school, you usually date someone that is within one or two grades of you. But later on when you get married, the age seperation may be 5 years or in some marriages, 10 years.
返信削除I think the age question depends on the person and the context. I don't like how there is less emphasis on respect for the elderly on our culture as opposed to cultures that do. I believe in the phrase, "you're only as old as you feel" or however it is said. When I talk with people in their 40's, 50's, 60's (for the record I'm not calling people in their 40's-60's elderly), they express how it seems like just a short time ago when their children were little and how it all happened so fast. Yet, they are often viewed as outdated and out of touch with today's society and today's youth. I think the elderly must laugh at us because we often don't take their good advice because we feel it's not relevant to today's society and take the advice from someone with less experience instead.
返信削除They place bets on us.
I enjoy knowing my ethnic background, but could be just as successful without that knowledge. I think the importance in knowing your ethnic background depends on how much you value tradition.
Personally, my communication style is certainly different with people who are older than me. My parent’s always emphasized the importance of being respectful to adults while I was growing up. The neighbors on both sides of my parent’s home will always be Dr. Bloom on one side and Mr. Phillips on the other. To call them by their first names would seem disrespectful to me.
返信削除No, I don’t think it’s of great importance to know my ethnic background. It’s interesting and fun to know where my family came from, but I want to be an individual and not a name in certain groups.
I communicate different with people who are older then me. I think I am more proper and more knowlegable about what I am saying. SO I think it does matter. You have to be more causious about what is coming out of your mouth and make sure you are not talking in slang or something like that. I do and I do not think it is important. Obviously you want to know somethings about yourself and what you are about. But sometimes also knowing to much is never a good thing. What if your ancestors or people before you were the ones who did the bad things. I think it just depends on the person.
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