I wonder...

Owing Others

2011-12-22T11:27:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, you are so in debt to other people that the best way to pay them back is to show them how much you've changed for the better because of them.

Miami Vice

2011-09-26T21:15:00.003-04:00

Hi, I'm back :) I've missed you! I can't believe it's been over a year, I'm sure no one checks this anymore :P. But anyways, what a crazy life. In summary,

I worked in Hong Kong for 2 months and lived the life of an investment banker (work wise, not necessarily as well paid!)
Hopped between New York City and San Francisco for a couple of months taking a break from life, AND watching Wicked, Memphis, Avenue Q, Spiderman and Book of Morman
Got hired at an investment firm and moved to Miami in the span of about 2 weeks in November/December

I've since been at my job for a year, and have got to see an amazing investment cycle in that short time frame. There has been an astounding amount of change. So much has happened, in the world, life, around me.

One thing that I'm as grateful as ever for, sincerely really truly!, is the people in my life. I don't know how I can tell you how much you mean to me without being cheesy. Finding good people to be around is so important. They inspire you, support you, keep you sane, tell you about your mistakes!

There's an amazing quote I think about a lot nowadays. Basically, the gist is, the people who criticize you the most are actually telling you how much they love you and care about you, because if they didn't they wouldn't bother.

My life isn't perfect, but that doesn't mean I don't realize how amazingly lucky and fortunate I am. My only wish is that I wish I could see my friends a lot more often. I wish it were also easier to meet people down here in Miami! But work's so busy, and I'm so antisocial, that it's hard.

In any case, for those of you who have visited, thank you so much! I've had so much fun and it's so great to see you. If you haven't visited Miami yet, please come! It's an amazing place here, and there's so much to do!!

Fin. College Chapter

2010-05-28T19:09:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day for graduation. It was seventy degrees, and partly cloudy. It had been 88 degrees only the day before, making anyone sitting in the sun in graduation garb extraordinarily hot. But thankfully, on commencement day, the weather was wonderful.

The extreme sadness accompanying the bliss of receiving your diploma, however, doesn't hit you full force until you're finished packing, as I am, 25 some-odd hours after commencement. Here I am, alone with my suitcases, reflecting on all my friends and experiences and challenges at Harvard, and I cannot help but feel giant pangs of sadness wash over my tiny heart and body. I do not know what to do but accept these emotions, let them wash over me, and write about it.

Out of everything, I'll miss my friends the most. Especially those who were dearest to me at this institution. I get a heartache just thinking that we'll all never be five minutes away from each other ever again. Maybe one or two might, but not all of us.

Thankfully, I'm completely exhausted. I want to do a mind-numbing activity so I don't get too depressed. Maybe civ 4.

From My Theater Diary 2004

2010-01-19T23:06:00.002-05:00

A Man from Laughing Wild by Christopher Duran

Around the last week of September 2004, the theater department students performed their monologues. I went on the third day, the person before break. I remember being very nervous. It’s weird because I would normally have thought that being a theater student moving on to the third year at School of the Arts I would be over it, but I guess I am not. I still get butterflies in my stomach, and my heart beats quickly, and it’s all I can do to keep breathing. So backstage, I laid down on the floor face up, and took a few deep breaths trying to stay as quiet as possible, and as soon as I heard my name, I performed.

I found many of my critiques repetitive and sometimes monotonous—it’s disappointing to see pages only two lines long, but I had some great feedback and I was so happy to read it. Many, many of them said that I had “done a good job”, and was “very funny”. I’m very pleased. It makes me feel accomplished. I’m so happy I did it and did it moderately well—it kind of makes me a bit big headed, but hey, I’m so happy. Some of the things that made me happiest was when people said I had made much progress. It’s really rewarding to know you’re doing something right somewhat. However, my introduction was very weak, I was very nervous, and my ending was almost nonexistent. After a very short beat at the end, and a “thank you”, I dashed offstage like a rocket—which is not very good at all. I received comments such as “We’re not going to bite you.” My most confusing comment that I don’t yet understand is that I should “Try picking a piece that fits in a story, not a soliloquy.” What was great was that I got a lot of commentary saying that the audience was laughing, and I’m very satisfied with that. People thought I had made an “odd jump” with my stakes when my character explodes and then affirms himself—but they also added that “somehow it worked.”

His performance was terrific. It was very funny. I was interested the entire time, and didn’t want him to stop.

I know it’s a pigheaded thing to quote, but I love it so much! On the flip-side, I did get some:

Some of your hand movements and gestures were repetitive. Keep grounded.

But it was also noted that “The honesty of this monologue is really beautiful, that’s what makes it so funny.”

This was a very good monologue for you, I liked how you got out of your Jason-isms.

Me too. Definitely.

Overall it was a very good experience for me, and I liked it a lot. I kind of want to find some of the people who wrote some of these comments and hug them.

One Year Later

2010-01-18T15:13:00.003-05:00

It's been a year since our production of The Laramie Project went onstage at The Agassiz. I was going over my notes and our DVD, and I have to admit that I became very nostalgic over the memories that overcame me. One year later, those of us involved with the production have moved on in our own separate ways: either getting into the meat of our college careers, applying for jobs, writing theses, continuing our involvement in theater, or what have you. Most of us don't even talk with each other anymore.

But, I know that personally, the people that I worked with almost full-time for an entire semester I will never forget. We poured our hearts and souls into this beautiful play, and came out with a wonderful project. I'll fondly remember our last minute haste to pull things together, painting the backdrop and building the set, just as much as I'll treasure singing "Piano Man" before our first live production as a team. Thank you also to everyone who don't even know how much they contributed to our show, from friends to strangers.

I don't know if I blogged that day, but about a month after our production, Rulon Stacey visited Harvard to see some of us and speak with us about his experiences and also hear about ours. We had a 2 to 3 hour talk that night, and Dr. Stacey showed us some of the letters he received from all over the world. I'll never forget the hate letter he showed us. "Do you cry like a baby for all your patients or just the faggots?" Just having physically seen and touched that letter was a profound experience for me, since I had been seeing it in the script for so long.

In any case, this just got me in a reflecting mood. Thank you Matthew, for giving me such a life-shaping experience as one I'll never forget.

62 Things To Do Before I Die

2010-01-08T19:08:00.006-05:00

Keep track of this list. Bold things that have been completed or are progressing well. Italicize things that need more attention.
Write a heartfelt poem.
Travel all seven continents.
Make enough money to be ready when space tourism takes off. Find some way to get into space.
Go bungee jumping, then move on to skydiving.
Fall in love.
Graduate from college. Finish my thesis.
Watch the sunrise once a month.
Watch the sunset once a week.
Don't worry about money, while investing wisely.
Tell someone one thing that I love about them at least once a month.
Believe in myself more.
Learn how to be conversant in another language besides Chinese.
Live in a foreign country for two years.
Attend one artistic or cultural event a month, not including movies. This includes musicals, theater, concerts, opera, symphony, ballet, modern dance, etc.
Set aside 10 minutes a day to listen to go over my favorite poems and sonnets.
Every month, get in touch with one person that I have lost contact with.
Volunteer or take part in a significant community service activity once a month.
Audition for a favorite play.
Read at least one personal-interest book every other month.
Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge or bike once a year.
Reflect on my personal history without regrets.
Become the best damn father I can be.
Get a job. If I already have a job, evaluate whether or not I am satisfied with it every 6 months.
Visit the gravesite(s) of my relatives at least once a year, and tell them how I am doing.
Be a better bigger brother.
Celebrate at least one thing every day.
Keep my personal space clean.
Give religion a chance. Explore.
Teach at least 5 years of my life, if not more.
Be an active participant in our country's body politic.
Do not be ashamed of where my life is going.
Tell my love that I love her as often as I can manage without wearing out the meaning of the word.
Splurge on the best sound system I can get my hands on.
Try to meet someone new a week.
Don't be a burden to society, be an asset.
Never forget my roots.
Take more pictures.
Listen with an open mind and a sympathetic heart.
Avoid assumptions.
Try to regularly comfort and help a stranger if they look in distress.
Don't be an ass.
Donate more money to charity.
Think of achievable random acts of kindness, then do them.
Make the people around you happy.
Stop procrastinating.
Be more literary.
Try to learn a new skill every year.
Never expect the impossible, but strive for the improbable.
Remember your dreams better.
Avoid going against your rules for saving and investing.
Appreciate spontaneity.
Forgive.
In the words of a friend, "Make Memories."
Be flexible.
Go to the gym regularly.
Don't let your bartending skills go to waste.
Develop cooking skills.
Update the list of things that you are proud of every six months.
Backup your friggin computer so you don't lose your valuable data.
Try new restaurants if you can afford it, but don't go alone.
Add more as necessary or as new things come up.

Still a Wonderful Life

2010-01-06T01:57:00.010-05:00

To be honest, the past day or two has been a challenge; a not entirely unexpected challenge, but difficult nonetheless. Today, I had to accept some really tough news but, upon reflection, the news I had been dreading didn't turn out to be all that bad: the worst thing one can do is mope and be depressed every time life throws a big lemon at your face.

What helped me get through some tough times:

Tough news one moment doesn't negate all the beautiful things that happened before it. There is no reason to let one bad apple ruin the entire crate, just keep the bad one separate from the others and you can still savor the good ones.
What more can you reasonably ask of yourself but for your best efforts, without setting yourself up for disappointment? If you did your best, then you should not be ashamed or depressed at the outcome, but should celebrate the good that came out of it.
[This one lesson I'll keep to myself for now]
I saw Invictus today, based on a beautiful story and titled after a beautiful poem. I've included the poem below, but what's more inspiring than learning more about a man who is all about acceptance, forgiveness, and most importantly, hope that the future will bring about a better tomorrow?

Invictus by William Ernest Henley
Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.
In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.
It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

It's a Wonderful Life

2009-12-13T22:38:00.003-05:00

The remarkable thing about watching movies in theaters is the communal experience that takes place as you soak in a good movie with others. Movies that you've seen more than seven times become funnier, more vivid, and more emotional than when you watch them alone. Tonight, I was fortunate to go on a date to a screening of "It's a Wonderful Life" at the Brattle Street Theater. Watching it with a packed theater, I laughed and cried more than I ever had watching this movie.

My theory is that when you watch a movie in a small group at your home, or by yourself on your computer, you're not taking advantage of the opportunity to create a social experience out of it. I never realized how social movie-watching can be. But now that I think about it, I'm more convinced. Why else would people take dates to the movies? Why else do most movies make most of their profits from theatrical releases... and a significant portion of profit from opening weekend, no less, when the theaters tend to be most packed?

The Future?

2009-10-17T16:50:00.000-04:00

Funny, in a "I want to cry for the future" kind of way.

End of Sunday, Beginning of Another Week

2009-10-05T00:15:00.003-04:00

Life is filled with so many coincidences that I refuse to believe that they are all random.

Eat Drink Man Woman

2009-09-27T00:57:00.003-04:00

Tonight I had the pleasure of watching Ang Lee's thoughtful film, "Eat Drink Man Woman," and I am definitely impressed. If you haven't seen this film, and you appreciate films that explore human relationships, asks the question "What makes people happy?" or just want to practice your Chinese, then I suggest you watch this film or at least put it on your to-do list. The characters in this film are carefully and realistically drawn and developed. The film's portrayal of food is simply mouthwatering, and the characters' progression throughout the course of the film is heartrending, heartfelt, and heartwarming.

Thank you Ang Lee, for a thoughtful film on human relationships. This is definitely one of those quality films that you'll be thinking about once it's all over. I wish I could find some Ang Lee interviews about this film online. Perhaps if you find any, you could let me know.

First Lecture in High School

2009-09-22T00:10:00.002-04:00

Today I gave my first lecture on "The French and Indian War," a really interesting topic outlined by my mentor teacher. The students were really attentive, and treated me really well! I got applause at the end!

:-D

Health Care Article

2009-08-13T00:29:00.002-04:00

For me, what I don't understand is how pretty much every other developed country has universal health care, while so many people in America really don't care about their friends and colleagues who don't have access to health care. Why isn't basic universal health care a human right? It's kind of depressing...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/health/13clinic.html?hpw

Michael Jackson and Beijing

2009-06-26T14:39:00.005-04:00

I know this post is one of a bajillion that talks about Michael Jackson, but writing from Beijing, it's interesting to note how even here, in China, his death is being mourned/recognized. Riding the cab today, Michael Jackson's songs were being played at almost every station, including the news stations. What really made me think about him, however, was when I went to a famous club in Beijing (because two of my male compadres wanted to go), and Michael Jackson was being played even in their halls, unexpectedly. I couldn't imagine a better memorium for Michael Jackson than having a thriving, dancing, joyous international group of young adults, clubbing to his songs. Even though he stands accused of some questionable acts, I felt a deep sense of sorrow. It really hit me that he won't be able to enjoy the fruits of life anymore, just like so many others that we know and don't know of.

Partially why I felt so much sorrow was because my life has been completely, utterly, unexpectedly wonderful lately. I have never been this fortunate in my life, in terms of financial security; and more importantly, relationships with other people. My skeptical half keeps dreading the moment where all my good fortune runs out. But hopefully, it won't. We'll see.

The Sky Went Dark

2009-06-16T09:53:00.004-04:00

It was a dark and stormy... morning?

Actually, it was really cool! Imagine lots of thunder, lightening, rain, (perhaps hail), and the same time... a solar eclipse. The sky literally went dark for about half an hour and it was like nighttime, at around 11!!

Too bad the storm clouds prevented (indirect) observation of the sun.

Settling in Beijing.II

2009-06-03T05:05:00.003-04:00

It's almost been a week since I last landed at the Beijing Capital International airport, and made my way, with a friend's help, to WuDaoKou, where I stayed at a youth hostel until I found my room where I'm at now.

Beijing hasn't changed much since ten months ago, which is nice in many ways. I'm living on the north west side now, rather than the east-center side, so I'm in a new neighborhood. A good friend who I went clubbing with almost every other night last summer just flew out to America... sadness. I start teaching on Friday.

Blogspot, twitter, and youtube are all blocked in China, but you can definitely find your way around it if you use your college's VPN network.

Hit me up if you plan on being in Beijing! Also, if you're interested in visiting Macau, I'm so, totally down. My chinese cell is 13681279493.

At the Airport

2009-05-28T01:46:00.002-04:00

I'm currently at LAX waiting for my flight to Seoul, and then to Beijing! I'm really excited about this summer, it should be really good, but I don't want to set my expectations too high :-P.

I can't believe it's the end of another school year. My third year. I'm going to be twenty-one soon! I'm going to graduate soon! I'm going to have to figure out how to write my research thesis to graduate though, and I'm going to have to figure out what I'm going to do with my life!! Too bad couch potato isn't a very useful profession.

So long, for now, America! I'll miss you dearly. In the meantime, I get to buy things cheaply in China :-).

Come visit!

Last Yardfest

2009-05-19T14:37:00.002-04:00

I just wanted to say, I hope that for our yardfest next year, we get Sean Kingston. That would be awesome.

Almost Ready to Say Goodbye

2009-05-13T14:52:00.003-04:00

I'm officially in the midst of reading period/finals period now that I'm locked up in my room all day doing nothing but procrastinating when I shouldn't, like right now.

This semester has been pretty laid back, compared to all of the responsibilities that I had last semester. e-recruiting for this summer wasn't particularly as successful as I hoped, but I have pretty exciting plans for this summer. I'll be in Beijing, teaching. This time I'll have a lot more free time to play around and goof off, and enjoy myself a bit before I graduate and grow up.

Investing has been pretty successful so far, although today and yesterday my portfolio has dropped quite a bit. I have more than enough to go somewhere exotic in the middle of this summer, so if any of you are interested in going to Macao, Singapore, Hong Kong or Tokyo, please let me know!

I'll be flying to San Francisco (Home!) and be there from May 23rd to May 27th, after which I'll promptly head off to Beijing!

NYTimes article on Chinese Immigration

2009-04-09T22:01:00.000-04:00

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/10/opinion/10iht-edeng.html?ref=global

HONG KONG — She’s an immigrant of the most traditional, stubborn sort, my mother, who recently turned 86 . Although she arrived in the United States from Hong Kong more than 40 years ago, Lai Wau Chiu Eng still speaks little English. Like my father, she had little interest in learning except for the few pidgin phrases they needed to run their “Chinese hand laundry” in New York.

Yay for AAA Players!

2009-03-21T13:12:00.002-04:00

Read the full article here.

I'm so excited for spring break!

Now is Not for Denial

2009-03-09T20:12:00.002-04:00

The idea that there is little room for improvement in theater is troubling. It carelessly dismisses the idea that we can expand the scope of Harvard theater to include more people and communities than are already involved. Expanding the theater base at Harvard will lead to a more dynamic theatrical community and more dynamic theater.

In an op-ed published March 9^th, “The New Era is Now[1],” Benjamin Glaser ’09 argues against the need for progressively reforming Harvard’s theater scene. While I agree that Harvard theater is relatively egalitarian and open for all students, history and experience show that being egalitarian and open is not enough. I believe that with some serious consideration and a few minor reforms, the theatrical experience at Harvard can be brought to new levels of innovation and artistic creativity, while at the same time increasing its relevance and relationship with new audiences and communities.

Glaser alleges that socially conscious theater stifles “artistic dialogue to the censorship of political correctness.” In my opinion, socially conscious theater and theater are one and the same. What else do plays do but speak to the human and social conditions of the people that write, perform, and watch these shows? To deny the relationship of most plays and social conditions is to deny the essence of what makes theater, and art in general, such a powerful force in analyzing, interpreting, and shaping society.

A misunderstanding arises from the belief that I am espousing the idea of casting actors by their race through my reference to “fresh faces” in theater. That is false. While I believe in including more people in Harvard theater, there are ways to encourage theatrical diversity at Harvard without resorting to a form of social engineering. In the op-ed[2] Glaser was responding to, I wrote that “I do not wish for a theatrical bent of affirmative action.” Simple things such as developing more community theater groups and organizations at Harvard can significantly and economically increase the diversity of Harvard theater.

I am critical of Harvard theater in its current form because I believe it can be improved. A substantive discussion, rather than casual dismissal, may explicate a few solutions. One of the major problems of Harvard theater is that there is too much demand for too few spaces. In the play that I directed last semester, The Laramie Project, a hundred people auditioned for only fifteen slots. When I took an acting class sophomore year at Harvard, nearly sixty people auditioned for twenty slots—for a beginning acting course! With so many people expressing interest in being involved in theater, it is tragic that we allow so many to fall through the cracks when we have the ability—nay, the responsibility—to do something about it.

It would be a huge step forward if we could organize a community group at Harvard that allows anyone interested in theater to explore theater. This group would not be hindered by physical limitations of existing performance spaces, and would also not be stopped by the economic limitations of hiring more faculty. By virtue of offering this opportunity for all students to remain or become involved with theater, you will increase the diversity of theater at Harvard and the talent pool from which these shows can reach into to cast their shows.

Simply denying the need for anything more than an egalitarian method of casting, is unacceptable. As the Report of the Task Force of the Arts at Harvard stipulates[3], “the arts—as they are both experienced and practiced—are irreplaceable instruments of knowledge.” We have a duty to ensure that everyone at Harvard who desires has access to the theater and we also have a duty to keep pushing the boundaries of our art.

There is almost always room for improvement. I am asking people like Glaser to not be satisfied by the current state of affairs. In the process, we may come up with something that improves the theatrical community at Harvard without compromising our artistic standards and expectations.

[1] http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=527017

[2] http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=526420

[3] http://www.news.harvard.edu/press/pressdoc/supplements/081210_ArtsTaskForceReport.pdf

Grand New Party

2009-03-02T23:59:00.006-05:00

I may be stretching a little bit here, but if trends keep continuing in their current course, then I would venutre to predict that the demise of the Republican Party as we know it is near. If not, then I would seriously make the recommendation that it should.

Let's consider some important political conditions for this. Perhaps of least importance but of great significance is Michael Steele's recent flap with Rush Limbaugh. It shows that political outsiders, who are unaware or who don't care for politicking, are serious influencers if not major leaders of an organization whose sole purpose is to be devoted to politicking. Second, it shows that party leaders, as they stand, are ineffectual at rebranding the Party's failing image. This all leads me to conclude that the best way to win power quickly and change the Republican brand is to reformulate the Republican Party itself.

There is much evidence to show that the G.O.P.'s brand is going down the tubes. The G.O.P. is losing the youth generation, and the number of people who identify with the Democratic Party is rising significantly while G.O.P. membership has stagnated. Recent events suggests that the Republican Party is confused, and is subject to infighting without a larger purpose guiding what they should be fighting for. Secondly, if Rush Limbaugh is representative of the Republican base, then it seems that the base itself is upset at the Republican Party, and perhaps at this point one of the only ways to rejuvenate them would be to create a new party.

A new party, in effect, is a "restart" button. The Republican Party can say, if they wanted, that they want a "do-over." This is only a serious recommendation if they believe that they can go no lower in terms of influence and populist favor. If they were to pursue this course, I would not put the same people in charge of this new party. I would gather people such as Ron Paul, Arnold Schwarzennegar, Charlie Crist, George Bush, Bobby Jindal, etc. to help form this party. I would also disband the party first, and utilze at least a year or two to focus on clarifying what the positions of this new party would be, and utilize this opportunity to (behind closed doors) resolve many of the issues plaguing the Republican Party currently. Once many of the kinks are worked out, this new party can put its best foot forward and perhaps rise up in power and stature faster than the G.O.P. otherwise would.

What do you think?

A Bipartisan Effort of One

2009-02-15T01:47:00.000-05:00

The only way that the Republican Party can increase their favor with the public is to govern responsibly. Until Congressional Republicans show that they are willing to be responsible executors of the public’s trust, they should be pigeon-holed from power.

In order to usher in a new era of bipartisanship, both parties must be willing to overcome party lines and participate in open dialogue. The recent economic crisis offered the Republican Party an opportunity to improve their image and prove their ability to govern. Instead, they have shown that they are incapable of governing responsibly and incapable of transcending party politics.

This past Friday, the 111^th United States Congress passed a $787 billion economic stimulus bill in an attempt to revitalize a flagging economy.[1] Of the 219[2] Republicans in the House and Senate, only three Senators voted for the stimulus package. After the first economic stimulus vote came to the House of Representatives and passed with zero Republican votes[3], Michael Steele, Chairman of the Republican National Committee, beamed about the “goose egg” that Republicans had just laid on President Obama’s desk.[4]

“Let me start by saying, the goose egg that you laid on the president’s desk was just beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”

The problems typified by this quote are many. First, Steele has shown that Republicans, especially Congressional Republicans, have not learned anything since the trouncing they received in the 2008 elections. Rather, they are quite happy to continue with the same policies and politics that drove them out of power only a short time ago.

Second, Congressional Republicans are largely out of favor, and out of power. They, more than anyone, should be eager to be bipartisan in order to maximize their influence in an environment where their votes are almost unnecessary and meaningless.

Finally, by being uncooperative in a time of crisis, the Republican Party is thumbing their noses at the American populace’s problems and concerns by stating their problems are of less concern than returning Republicans to power. In fact, under Steele’s leadership the GOP has started airing ads against Democrats who voted for the bill, hoping that the stimulus package is unsuccessful and that Democratic districts will be easy pickings if the economy does not recover.[5]

A party that banks on failure for success is a party that does not deserve to govern.

The actual revelation of Steele’s quote, and of the GOP’s recent legislative record, is that the real “goose egg” is the Republican Party. It is easy for the political party out of power to play games of semantics, hold symbolic votes with very little substance, and be obstructionist.

It is more difficult, on the other hand, to be bipartisan. It is difficult to negotiate with your enemy and accept compromise. But if you genuinely believe that your side is right, then it is better to compromise and win some provisions, than to refuse to negotiate and have that bill pass you by with no input. The numbers that the Republicans bring to Congress are a sobering reality, and the GOP is offered two choices: 1) negotiate, compromise, and collaborate, or 2) obstruct and hope for failure. The responsible choice is obvious, and so is the path that the Republican Party has chosen.

The Republican Party’s latest ad campaign unfortunate, in light of fact that the failure to act, or the failure of inaction, will result in years of lost productivity and millions of lost jobs.[6] The Republicans would do better to see opportunity in President Obama’s overtures for bipartisanship.[7] But even after holding extensive meetings with the Republican Party to solicit input on the stimulus bill, only one percent of Republicans supported the bill. Congressional Republicans even ignored most of their Republican governors within their own party to oppose the bill.[8]

Opposing viewpoints are crucial for the maintenance and development of a healthy democracy. But Congressional Republicans have crossed the line offering disagreement to just childish grandstanding. The American public, and Republicans themselves, would do better if the people responsible for these latest shenanigans just grew up.

By voluntarily separating themselves from the most important stimulus package in decades, the Republicans literally locked themselves out of power. The Democrats would do well to shut the door, in the hopes that the Republican Party wakes up.

[1] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/14/us/politics/14web-stim.html?_r=1&hp

[2] http://www.thecapitol.net/FAQ/cong_numbers.html

[3] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/29/us/politics/29obama.html

[4] http://washingtonindependent.com/28417/steele-to-house-gop-stimulus-bill-goose-egg-beautiful

[5] http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0209/18761.html

[6] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/06/opinion/06krugman.html

[7] http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics/story/1004745.html

[8] http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/31/republican-governors-urge-congress-pass-stimulus/

Theater for a New Era

2009-02-14T15:36:00.001-05:00

Published in The Crimson.

By making theater more diverse and multicultural, we can make it more imaginative and compelling for a larger group of people. Last week, common casting at Harvard offered a perfect time to reflect in what direction we want our theatrical productions to take and to keep in mind how we can make theater more inclusive and relevant in future seasons.

Theater is not created in a vacuum but rather speaks to both our individual and social conditions. Kenneth Tynan, the influential English theater critic, wrote: “No theater could sanely flourish until there was an umbilical connection between what was happening on the stage and what was happening in the world.” For that reason, the goals of producing a show should be much larger than merely to create what happens onstage.

We should communicate social messages. Moreover, our theater productions must provide an educational experience—not only for the cast and crew of that particular production—but also for the audience and community that the production encompasses. Sam Linden ’10, during a question-and-answer session for the recent production of “The Laramie Project,” quoted a friend who commendably stated: “Theater is education disguised as entertainment.”

But we continue to forget what the essence of theater can be. In order to stage a show that “looks good” and “looks right,” we confine ourselves to precedent rather than liberate our ability to enable change. We tend to emulate the productions that have been seen in the past. In this way, we pass up an opportunity to theatrically create something entirely different and unique.

The quality of theater at Harvard is superb, but there is room for improvement. It should better reflect the community that it serves. The philosophy behind common casting, that anyone should have an equal opportunity for a role, is perfect in theory but relatively unsubstantiated in practice. Many lead roles are continually played by actors of the same stripe and who have always played those roles.

Recently, there has been much work to make theater here more diverse and more inclusive. BlackCAST, for instance, made a point of staging a gender-neutral and color-blind production this past fall. Hopefully, with the arrival of a new dramatic arts concentration and graduate school, and with more theater courses offered, formal training for more people will be more available and accessible.

However, this alone will not be able to resolve our problem of underrepresentation. More calculated risk-taking is needed, and better support in place to maximize the chance that cutting-edge productions can—and will—succeed. Simply, we should try to cast some actors who do not typically populate our major shows. For many outsiders, the world of Harvard theater is exclusive and relatively confined. It’s time to shake things up.

I do not wish for a theatrical bent of affirmative action. Rather, I propose that directors and producers reevaluate what qualities they seek when they cast their actors and actresses. They should take a chance on recruiting fresh new faces. Students of multicultural backgrounds, who are traditionally underrepresented in theater, should not be discouraged by prior experiences. Instead, they should be able to keep training and auditioning for theater shows if the medium is truly something that they love.

Cultural groups, if there is an interest, should host their own theatrical productions as a way to train talent and provide more theatrical experience for more actors. In staging their own shows, these groups may find that theater is a meaningful way to explore cultural identity as well as display to others their cultural contribution of art and artists. Cultural groups can provide support, as well as provide consistency, for diverse Harvard theatrical productions.

During “The Laramie Project” pre-show panel, a show that I was fortunate to direct, Reverend Stephen Johnson noted that “The Laramie Project” is a play performed around the world. The reason why “The Laramie Project” was so popularly produced, he stated, was that people have found that the powerful message behind this one show is not just confined to one group of people in particular, but to all who face stereotypes and prejudice. The show is more popular and meaningful because of the diverse groups that perform it.

One can find similar universality in almost any theatrical production. In choosing to make theater a more inclusive place, another dimension is added to the message behind the play and the production. Those involved in the theatrical productions at Harvard can connect with a greater number of the audience and make the theatrical experience more meaningful and significant.

Jason J. Wong ’10 is a social studies concentrator in Quincy House.

Head of RNC a Fool?

2009-02-08T17:41:00.002-05:00

Wow, just wow.

After Lawrence H. Summers, the top White House economic adviser, suggested earlier on the program that the Republican party was impotent to handle the economy, Mr. Steele called those comments “laughable.”

“He acts like we have spent the last eight years in the mess that we’re currently in,” Mr. Steele said. “This is about 18 months old. The reality of it is, Bush inherited a recession. He got us through that recession.”

Ready for a new op-ed :-)

2009-02-06T02:21:00.001-05:00

Thoughts?

We can make theater more imaginative, more compelling and more sympathetic to a larger group of people by making it more diverse and multicultural.

Theater isn’t created in a vacuum. Theater speaks to both our individual and social conditions. Kenneth Tynan, an influential English theater critic, wrote “No theater could sanely flourish until there was an umbilical connection between what was happening on the stage and what was happening in the world.” For that reason, the goals of producing a show should be much larger than to just shape what happens onstage. When we produce a show, we should also communicate social messages, as well as provide an educational experience not only for the cast and crew of that particular production, but also for the audience and community that the production is a part of.

Sam Linden ’10, during a question and answer session for The Laramie Project, quoted a friend who stated that “theater is education disguised as entertainment.” I wholeheartedly agree.

Sometimes, however, we can get so caught up in details that we forget what the essence of theater is. In order to stage a show that “looks good,” and “looks right” we may confine ourselves to precedent rather than liberate our ability to make change. We get so caught up on emulating the shows that we’ve seen in the past that we pass up opportunities to create something entirely different and unique.

The quality of theater at Harvard is superb, but still has room for improvement and can better reflect the community that it serves. The philosophy behind common casting, that anyone should have an equal opportunity for a role, is almost perfect in theory but relatively unsubstantiated in practice. How many lead roles are continually played by actors of the same stripe that have always played those roles?

There has already been much work to make theater here more diverse and more inclusive. BlackCAST, for instance, made a point of staging a gender-neutral and color-blind production this past fall. Hopefully, with the arrival of a new Dramatic Arts concentration and graduate school, and with more theater courses offered, formal training for more people will be more available and accessible.

However, this alone will not be able to resolve our problem of under-representation. What is needed is more calculated risk-taking, and better support in place to maximize the chance that cutting-edge decisions will succeed. Quite simply, we should try to cast some actors who don’t typically populate our major shows. For many outsiders, the world of Harvard theater is exclusive and relatively confined. It’s time to shake things up.

I do not wish for affirmative action of the theatrical bent. Rather, I am asking that directors and producers to re-evaluate what qualities they look for when they cast their shows and take a chance on recruiting fresh new faces. Students of multicultural backgrounds traditionally under-represented in theater should not be discouraged by prior experiences and keep training and trying out for theater shows if theater is truly something that they love.

Cultural groups, if there is an interest, should host their own theatrical productions as a way to train talent and provide more theatrical experience for more actors. In staging their own shows, cultural groups may find that theater is a meaningful way to explore cultural identity as well as expose others to their cultural art and artists. Cultural groups can provide support, as well as provide consistency, for diverse Harvard theatrical productions.

During The Laramie Project pre-show panel, Rev. Stephen Johnson noted that The Laramie Project is a play performed around the world in Africa, India, and a multitude of other countries. The reason why The Laramie Project is so popularly produced, he stated, was because people have found that the powerful message behind this one show is not just confined to one group of people in particular, but to all who face stereotypes and prejudice. The show is more popular, and meaningful, because of the diverse groups that perform it.

You can find similar universality in almost any theatrical production. When you choose to make theater a more inclusive place, then you add another dimension to the message behind the play and the production. You can connect with a greater number of the audience and make the theatrical experience more meaningful. And in the process, you can invigorate old themes with new significance.

Mock Interview

2009-01-28T20:09:00.001-05:00

"I would definitely invite you back for a second round interview. You were better than a lot of business school candidates that I've interviewed."

Man... if only that were a real interview. Now I just have to get that first round interview in the first place.

Post Found, Finally.

2009-01-24T00:15:00.003-05:00

Finally found a copy of The Crimson's review online. I've been looking for this forever. Thanks Matt for emailing me the link.

I'm appreciative of their positive response. Nothing bad was said about the production! And it seems that all our important messages were received. :-) My only complaint is that I wish it were longer :-P.

So Happy

2009-01-10T23:08:00.003-05:00

I have not been so happy in so long. During tonight's performance of The Laramie Project, I laughed and cried, and being with the audience and soaking in the audience's reaction just made my emotional reactions just that much more pronounced. It really means a lot to me that we could move people to tears and laughter and inspiration with just one play. It means so much to me that our cast and crew would put so much effort in order to perform a play that is both powerful in meaning and emotion. It means so much to me that tonight's performance would be utterly perfect, and I appreciate my cast raising me on their shoulders. I really appreciate my friends, and blockmates and family for coming to see this show and share this experience with me. It fills me with emotion, that beautiful light snowflakes would be falling to the ground on this wonderful, perfect evening.

Early Reviews

2009-01-09T10:02:00.013-05:00

Stephen Johnson, who is featured in the play:

Congratulations on an outstanding opening night performace! The afternoon panel was a great success, too. We are grateful for the opportunity to come up and be a part of this project. Kudos to you, your cast, crew and sponsors.

From the director of the Harvard College Women's Center:

Huge congrats! the panel discussion and play were both so wonderful last night. I wanted to congratulate you for all of your hard work and for the amazing experience both were for me.

Congrats again and best to you and the cast for a great run this week! You should be VERY proud of what you've made possible here at Harvard.

From an Assistant Dean at Harvard College:

Allow me to add my congratulations as well. The panel and production were very good and I was very impressed by the cast.

Tim McCarthy, Lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and Adjunct Lecturer at the John F. Kennedy School of Government:

Absolutely fabulous! Bravo.

The Laramie Project

2009-01-02T08:46:00.011-05:00

Don't miss it!

The Office for the Arts at Harvard presents the Harvard premiere of:

The Laramie Project

by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project

A student independent production
Directed by Jason Wong

Assistant Direction by Jacqueline Palumbo

Produced by Truc Doan and Karla Reyes

www.harvardlaramieproject.com

January 8 to 10, 2009 7:30 p.m.

January 10 and 11, 2009 2 p.m.

at The Agassiz Theater

$10 General Admission | $7 Students

Tickets available at The Harvard Box Office

The Laramie Project is a powerful docudrama derived from a compilation of interviews conducted by Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project. The story centers on the entire community of Laramie, Wyoming and their reaction to the murder of Matthew Shepard, the victim of a gay hate crime. Both retrospective and dynamic, heartbreaking and inspiring, The Laramie Project is an experience that you won't want to miss, and one that you won't forget! For more information on our production, including news and special events, please visit our website at www.harvardlaramieproject.com

With a Special Harvard Laramie Project Panel Presentation

January 8, 2009 4:30 p.m.

at The Agassiz Theater

Free Admission! RSVP at http://harvardlaramieproject.com/panel.html

We are very excited to announce that, in conjunction with the Nicholas Papadopoulos Fund, we will be hosting a special presentation with Romaine Patterson, Rev. Stephen Johnson and his wife, Rev. Penelope Toms. All three lived in Laramie when the event occurred ten years ago, and are thrilled to be able to offer their perspective on what happened and be available to answer questions from the audience. Romaine Patterson and Rev. Johnson are featured prominently in the play. The panel will be moderated by Dr. Timothy McCarthy, and will be held prior to the opening night performance. Please visit our website for more details! http://harvardlaramieproject.com/panelists.html

Anniversary Issue

2008-12-31T14:21:00.005-05:00

Recently, we at the Kartika Review celebrated our first anniversary publication of our Winter Issue. You should check it out, especially since there aren't any other national journals out there that are committed to publish Asian and Asian Diasporic related works. This is a great issue to get started, if you haven't already. My personal favorites are Shome Dasgupta's "Anklet," and Julie Wan's "Deconstructing Babel."

http://kartikareview.com/current.html

LA Land

2008-12-22T03:08:00.002-05:00

I have to say, the weather's not bad and it's really comfortable right now in Long Beach, but I really do need to find friends in this area and get out of the house!

So much work to do over break, it must be nice to have finals done before going home.

Free Bird(s)

2008-12-19T04:56:00.005-05:00

The best times for blogging sincerely must be between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. in the morning, when hardly anyone else is up and there's nothing going on except the plethora of thoughts and memories running through your head. Good music going through iTunes too :-), I must add (thanks Lynyrd.)

What a year this year has been. I'm working on the editorial for Kartika, and I can't seem to get the reflective and excited tones right, although only I know how hard I've been trying :-). Well, perhaps now you do too.

But, it's crazy to me how much stuff has gone on this year, on a personal and global scale. I'm really astounded by the experience that 2008 has offered us: hope, inspiration, tragedy, community, challenge, memories.

As 2008 winds down to a close, I hope you will reflect with me what has happened. I would be really sad if I didn't let myself soak in what's happened, good and bad.

We are, at once, free birds and wandering souls.

I'm Back! (On the Market)

2008-12-01T18:12:00.004-05:00

Took my first dip in the stock market since spring. I'm excited, and pretty bullish too.

Cheers!

Awesome Job

2008-11-30T02:20:00.001-05:00

I really need to find one of these ten years from now, if possible.

Analyzing Blogs

2008-11-21T15:50:00.000-05:00

I'm using this site to analyze your blog :-).

Wow SOTA!

2008-11-19T01:26:00.001-05:00

I'm so proud of my high school! I'm beaming!! This is definitely one of my favorite songs, and they do it really well, and it's on youtube! Man, I honestly really miss high school.

Traders@MIT

2008-11-17T17:29:00.007-05:00

Oh my gosh! I have some exciting bit of news that will bore everyone else but me. But it's exciting!

First and foremost, let me introduce the preliminary website for The Laramie Project, still under construction, to you, my best friends. The website is more than halfway done, with features such as forums, blogs, an insider's look at the production, etc. It's going to be really amazing! Please check it out and tell me what you think. Be critical. What is uninteresting? What is unclear? Do the colors work? Are there any questions left unanswered? Is it easy to navigate? Are you eager for updates at all? Or is everything just a waste of time?

Secondly, a friend and I entered a trading competition on a whim this past Saturday at MIT, hosted by Traders@MIT and co-sponsored by J.P. Morgan and D.E. Shaw. We got second place!! There were over forty teams from Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Wellesley, Columbia, Dartmouth etc. etc., and we got second place!! I still can't believe it, because I feel like I was the only humanities concentrator there and I was so sure we wouldn't place top five. The worst part of the competition is the fact that my teammate and I could've placed first, if it weren't for a really big bone-headed move during one of the sections... to the team that won first place! We lost hella points, and they gained hella that round. Oh well, it means so much to me though that even though we made the biggest mistake of the competition we could still take second place. It was sooooo amazing!!!!!!

To Be A Teacher

2008-11-06T15:29:00.004-05:00

Gosh, to be a teacher at this amazing moment after the results of the 2008 election. What a wonderful thing to be able to show your students proof that you can do anything you want, no matter who you are or where you're from, as long as you set your mind to it. It'll be a shame if this opportunity is not used.

Good Karma

2008-11-02T23:23:00.004-05:00

So, a bunch of us took our little mentees (my mentee's name is Jason, heh) trick or treating this Halloween. While we made our rounds of Beacon Hill and ate tons of candy, lo and behold there was John Kerry!!

(Jason, my little mentee, was less interested that we were in John Kerry. He was more taken with the candy!)

Don't forget to vote!! Also, if you have five minutes, I highly recommend watching this video concerning the Republican mayor of San Diego. It regards California's Proposition 8, and is very heartwarming to see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y05XmZlF44

Kiribati's Titan AE

2008-10-01T10:11:00.003-04:00

A remarkable story of a small island nation and their hope to survive after the effects of global warming. Props to their leader(s) for their foresight.

http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2008/09.25/13-kiribati.html

Common Casting

2008-09-18T12:15:00.003-04:00

Oops! I still have two more posts on China to go. But in the meantime, I can't say how awed and happy I am at how this week is going. First of all, classes are great. I got into the Social Studies tutorial I wanted ("Citizenship Rights"), and it only has six students! I'm also getting rid of three Core requirements (Science A: Nanotechnology, Science B: Origins of Knowledge, Lit A: Lives Ruined by Literature), and fourth year Chinese! Yikes.

But the most amazing thing this week by far has been Common Casting. This is the week that pretty much all of the Harvard theatrical productions hold auditions for actors. Ours has been scheduled starting this past Monday to Thursday 9 p.m. to Midnight, and we're on our last night tonight! We've had amazing turnout, and nothing makes my day better than when an actor shows up and loves the audition, and the play, and is really excited for the production. Because of the roundabout way that I came to Harvard theater (thank you for your understanding, team!), our team has been flooding the open, house, ethnic, and other email lists encouraging everyone to audition. We're trying to be as friendly, welcoming and helpful as possible, because sometimes it can be very intimidating to audition in front of three to four strangers, and be judged, you know?

The monologues that we're having people read are Sherry Johnson and her discussion of a separate police officer's death, Romaine Patterson and standing up to Fred Phelps, Aaron Kriefels on discovering the body, and Jedidiah Schultz on how close to home prejudice can be. All are very moving and heartrending monologues. The dialogue scenes are the confession of Aaron McKinney with Rob Debree (Male), and the nearly fatal and life-altering event of Reggie Fluty and Marge Murray (Female). Oh man!!

Memories from Beijing Part I of III

2008-09-03T03:05:00.003-04:00

This summer was simply so, so amazing. I can't believe I lost the diary I was keeping on the day before I left Beijing. I need to list what happened in order to not forget!

First 24 Hours:

Landed in Beijing, saw the amazingly new and clean and uniquely designed Terminal 3 at Beijing International Airport
At the airport, saw my grandfather who was waiting for me, and we both take the bus home. I'm enraptured by my new surroundings and am glued to the window all the way, drinking in the unfamiliar landscape and scenery.
We get off the bus and try to flag a taxi home. No avail, plus there are about 20 other people looking for taxis, and grandfather looks frustrated. Using what mandarin I can remember, I ask grandfather if our home is far from here, he says it's a doable walk. We walk home.
I remember one of my first impressions was that I was really impressed by how many people are out late at night (after ten-ish) and what stores, restaurants, and the like are still open. I love places that never sleep! (or at least, sleep late)
I also remember recognizing how warm it was. This being pretty late into the evening, I realize now that this summer is going to be really hot.
Grandfather leads me to a really fancy and nice looking complex. We're staying here?! Awesome! I'm so glad I decided not to stay in the dorms. So glad. Upon being led to my room, I collapse almost immediately, being really tired.
I wake up early, around seven a.m. Grandparents are already awake (wow, how early do they get up?). We go out for breakfast. Breakfast is really cheap, about 5 kuai per person. (Exchange rate~6.8 kuai = $1) Rice porridge. Yummy!
I register my presence and local address at the nearest police station. The Chinese seem really strict at wanting to know where we're at, and for how long. The law is that foreigners must register within 24 hours upon arrival.g
We go to buy me a cell phone, and I blow a third of the kuai that I brought with me. (My mom gave me 1000 kuai). i wonder how much longer my stash is going to last.
I get a Chinese SIM card to put into my phone and receive a Chinese phone number. No one to call. I feel a little lonely amongst the crowd of people.

Next two weeks:

Grandparents take me out to see many local destinations, including Tiananmen Square, the outside of the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, a few hutongs, etc. etc. Add a bunch of new pictures to my collection. I'm really digging this photography.
I like the Temple of Heaven because there are places where you can see native Beijingers interacting socially, practicing their tai chi or meditations, and/or philosophizing or singing or playing board games.
I also visit Chairman Mao's Maosoleum. Apparently, it's his real body that's interned there.
Security at all the public spaces seems pretty intense. Security guards and police are everywhere in Tiananmen. You also have to consent to having your bag checked for weapons in order to enter places like Tiananmen.
Haven't really made new friends here, I start looking forward to starting school in order to meet people to hang around and befriend.
Grandma, grandpa and I play mahjong four times. The games are intense, but I wind up on top all four times by large margins. Then there is about a two month wait before we play again, and this very last game I lose by a large margin. :-)
During this period I spend less than 50 kuai in two weeks. That's less than $8!
The air quality is not so great. On clear days, I see a white haze in the sky, more or less. Talking about the weather, interestingly enough, when it rains it seems to rain at regular intervals, usually around noon or 3 p.m.

Start of School:

Wow. I find out that my school is at the very least an hour bus ride from my home. This is not going to be pleasant. Plus the bus system starts closing down around 10 p.m.
I'm told that the new subway line 10 should be completed in about two weeks, which might shave off 20 minutes from my commute. This subway line will later delay its opening, then delay it again. Disappointing.
The night before school starts I take my language pledge not to speak English. This pledge will often be broken by the students at my program. I find it pretty cumbersome at points as well, and break it. On the other hand, I really appreciate it because it challenges me to use and improve my Chinese, so as time progresses I follow the language pledge more and more, in spite of what my colleagues do. This night, I also meet my tutor (fu dao), 刘海荣, also known as Heidy.
I get off to a good start at school. I'm studious, and am getting good scores and following things well. My Chinese is beginning to improve exponentially. Being in a Chinese environment really does wonders for your Chinese. I can almost hold my own on my own.
You can probably survive in Beijing not knowing any Mandarin. A lot more people than you expect at least know a few English words. Especially the young people. Also, a lot off the ordering in restaurants is done by pointing at the pictures on the menus.
It's uncomfortably warm, but bearable.
Grandfather's skin gets worse by the day. Soon, grandfather is confined to the home, and his skin visibly deteriorates over the next couple of weeks. I try to get grandfather to go to a place that practices Western medicine, but he tells me traditional Chinese medicine can handle his condition. Me, not knowing enough Mandarin to debate medicine and understand medical terminology, defer to his opinions, for now.
I start spending more money now, about 250 to 350 kuai a week because eating out with friends rather than at home is obviously more costly. I start to think how I can last this summer on only 1000 kuai.
Grandparents persuade mom to infuse me with another 2000 kuai.

First month of School:

School is going steady right now. Start getting exhausted and overwhelmed trying to memorize a hundred new words per day. Four straight hours of class doesn't help. I feel like I need something to re-energize and excite me.
刘海荣 and I meet daily to practice Chinese. Rather than practicing Chinese, however, I want to see more of Beijing and have more fun and adventures. We go to the zoo once, which also has a huge acquarium. 刘海荣 hasn't been to an aquarium before, so we go! This is the start to more fun and adventure over the summer.
I start hanging out a lot and exploring more of Beijing with Daniel. Daniel and I start plotting how to attract cute girls. Daniel doesn't seem to need to do anything to attract Chinese girls, however, and I'm already interested in one so our plans are worthless.
刘海荣 and I trade music and movies. I still constantly listen to these Chinese songs.

... to be continued ...

AA Musings

2008-08-29T02:35:00.005-04:00

Tonight I decided to get some work done and during the course of the night's events, I stumbled upon an awkward circumstance while trying to compose an email: how do I communicate with an Asian English without using the term Asian American?

Puzzled, (and not wanting to start writing an article due twelve hours from now,) I decided to resolve this problem before sending out the communique, and then blog about this experience before starting my article. So in order to get the appropriate amount of background research done before reaching my own conclusion, I decided to go to a reputable source to learn as much as I could about the term "AA." I turned to urbandictionary. As expected, what I came across didn't really help. AA was defined as "Alcoholics Anonymous," "a battery size," "African American," "a bra size, or a person of said bra size," "American Airlines," ... well, you get the picture.

Not easily discouraged, I decided that I didn't need their stupid help. However, being easily distracted, I submitted another entry to the term "AA" to urbandictionary anyway. Not being an expert on etymology of the term, I was left to my own devices. I am very sure I can use AA to officially mean Asian American. (I suppose I won't know for certain until the editors at urbandictionary officiate the definition.)

Upon which I realized it's almost midnight and I have a hard deadline, so I just decided to go with the term "Asian Abroad," hope that this term sticks, and finally send that email.

Personal Asian American Experience?

2008-08-22T13:23:00.003-04:00

Just started working on a short 400 word personal article on my "Asian American experience," my first article of this kind. I'm kind of stumped right now. Just wandering around my favorite city hoping for inspiration to hit me. Ideas?

On another note it's good to be home.

7 Days

2008-08-11T11:06:00.003-04:00

I can't believe that I only have seven days left before I head home from Beijing. I'm already in the mindset that my wonderful trip here is over, which I have to will myself to get out of this mindset.

The weather has improved a lot these past two days. It's actually comfortably hot instead of just hot and humid. Things are relatively calm in the areas I've been in, no massive crowds compiled on the streets doing anything crazy (which might be exactly what organizers have in mind)- as there would be in my home city.

(With help from friends, namely with their information and guidance) I found a location to buy Olympic tickets and am on track to see China v. Spain tomorrow! So maybe I will get to be a part of this Olympics after all. Well, I suppose if you're here, and hotel rooms are going for a thousand American dollars a day and above, and the most exciting Olympics in recent memory were taking place, you'd have to be a fool to pass up the opportunity to attend.

The only thing that I regret from this trip, which isn't much (so it speaks to what a good time I've been having here) is that I dropped my new US cellphone and my diary somewhere in Beijing. Yea, unlikely to get those back. But oh well!! Hopefully by blogging I'll be able to replace everything that was lost in my diary, and I could always buy a new phone when I return to the States.

Another War

2008-08-11T10:50:00.003-04:00

As a child, and to some extent even now, I read reports of war voraciously with avid attention. But the focus of my reading has shifted dramatically. As a child, I read with little understanding about the consequences of war, that of fear, pain, anguish, prolonged suffering, and death. Back then, I read war stories and encyclopedic reports attempting to appreciate the “glory” of war. Now, when I read reports of war, I wonder how, in a modern society, we could still resort to war as anything but a last resort.

A few days ago I reported that Putin joined a bunch of world leaders in greeting Hu Jintao here in Beijing, in a televised meeting. I reported that he strolled in seemingly late, and I wondered what important business he might have been attending to. Well, now I have a pretty good suspicion.

Thoughts on the most recent and ongoing Iraq war aside, I write now out of the hopelessness of one who sits on the sidelines, simply reduced to reading the news. I write out of personal anguish of my own helplessness to stop something I dearly want to stop. I write out of personal anguish of what I fear too many others in Georgia and South Ossetia and Russia will feel. I write with awe of the strength and courage it must take to live in places and times such as this, and I write out of fear that this conflict can only get worse. I can’t imagine how people directly in this area must feel, not knowing if a greater authority or power has the ability, or the wherewithal, to put a stop to this madness. I write knowing that I can do nothing else to help.

Tonight, I blog comfortably in bed, while others out there stay up at night wondering whether or not they’ll live the next morning, or wondering whether or not their son or daughter or husband or wife or even country will survive this conflict.

One World, One Dream

2008-08-08T00:27:00.006-04:00

Kudos to whoever came up with the Olympic motto for 2008, it's a really great one.

CCTV, the government run Chinese media conglomerate, has of course been running Olympic coverage all day. Today while eating lunch, I got to see on television a bunch of Presidents and foreign leaders and their spouses shake hands with President Hu Jintao of China, pause for pictures, and watch the scene repeat itself as hundreds of countries were represented. President Bush gets the award for seeming the most friendly, while President Putin seemed to be a bit tardy (he came in last, and I don't think he was supposed to do that). While these influential leaders walked across the floor, and while we saw some visuals afterwards of their huge lunch reception afterward, I couldn't help but think that although the Olympics are an athletic, nonpolitical event, if these people wanted to, they could really address some serious issues right now, besides determining whether or not to try to use the chopsticks and risk embarrassment, or cut your losses by using a fork and knife from the beginning.

Politics aside, I can't help but be really excited for tonight! It'll just be awesome because the Chinese people and Chinese government have done so much psychologically, physically, financially, politically, etc. etc. to prepare for today. One of my friends has so kindly allowed me the use of a coveted hotel room to host a gathering for me and my friends! Allright China, the world is watching! 中国加油！

I'm Back! (to blogging)

2008-08-05T02:21:00.008-04:00

Dear all, thank you for bearing with me while I struggled through this summer in Beijing! I've been so busy with school, with work, with exploring, and with trying to eke out some sleep that I have much to catch up on, now that school and work are largely done.

Beijing has simply been amazing, and I've learned so much just by being here. It's pretty weird to be typing so many words in English now that I've lived my past few months almost exclusively in Mandarin 汉语.

I'm really, really, tremendously excited to finally have time to blog. I feel that I have learned so many new things this summer, and I have been exposed to so many new questions, that I'd be so grateful to have the opportunity to share them and organize my thoughts. I plan on starting right away. Well, time permitting. Now that school and work are over, now's the time to see all the sights and do all the things that need to be done before one leaves Beijing. Beijing is a big modern city after all!

And to all of my dear friends who I haven't seen in so long, I miss you all very, very much from the bottom of my heart. Let's try to meet as soon as possible! I'm back in the Bay Area from August 20th to September 10th, and I'm back in Boston on September 11th.

I hope all of your summers have been all that you expected them to be and more! If not, there's still one month left!

And in other exciting news!! http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=523946 Stem Cell Breakthrough!

Internet Troubles

2008-06-01T05:00:00.003-04:00

Unfortunately I cannot update as often or as detailed as I originally hoped! Suffice to say I'll do my best. For some reason, whenever I try to access my blog via jjwongsf.blogspot.com, I can't. I've even tried to follow a google link to my site. I've tried this on my laptop and on my grandparent's laptop, same internet connection though. The web works, but I can't go to my site! Does this mean my blog is blocked? Haha, maybe. This makes me wonder if I've accidentally mentioned a forbidden topic or something. All of xanga doesn't work for me neither. I still get the NYTimes and wikipedia though.

I was able to post this by going to blogger.com/home, and from there access my dashboard. In any case, Beijing is really exciting and really awesome!! I've posted some pictures on facebook. If you're in the area, contact me!! I'm eager to make new friends while I'm here.

Being here is definitely an interesting cultural and economic and personal experience- and I've only been here a few days!! I definitely recommend everyone getting international experience abroad here! Pollution isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I hope to update again soon! As soon as I stop being so lazy.

Update: I can post now, but I still can't access my blog :-P

Going to China

2008-05-29T11:28:00.002-04:00

I'm flying out to China from SFO 1:35 p.m. today! This is my first real experience abroad, so I'm really, really excited! Ahh! There are so many people I'm going to miss too, although I know I'm only gone for 2.5 months and I'll get to see everyone when I get back.

I'll try to update as much as I can from the homeland... with pictures too! I hope everyone has a great summer! Keep in touch!

Noncomprehensive List of Things to do in San Francisco

2008-05-24T00:28:00.009-04:00

As many of you know, I'm going to be in San Francisco for four days!!

I'm making of list of things to do so I can keep track :), in no particular order:

Enjoy the Bay Area air
Sit on a beach

Watch the Waves
Chase some seagulls
Meditate
Read

Go to Ghirardhelli Square
Eat Inn-N-Out
Walk the Golden Gate Bridge
Visit Fort Mason
Drink lots of Jamba Juice
Call Decker from the Ferry Building
Dinner with Anne and Cliff
See Sarah Lang
Try to reconcile with an old friend
Visit SOTA! Maybe give a talk.

Lots of hugs

Explore North Beach and Coit Tower with Lunar
Eat at Nation's with Taj
See Indiana Jones with someone
Ride BART
Ride MUNI
Go on a Downtown Adventure
Chillax at Union Square
Eat in Chinatown
Go to Naan and Curry
Take in the breathtaking views
Dip my toe into the Pacific Ocean
Go watch the Sea Lions
Fisherman's Wharf Stroll w/ my Arturo Fuente
Drive to Twin Peaks
Cheesecake Factory
Get plenty of Bubble Tea
Visit my Elementary School
Visit the Art Galleries
Go to end-of-the-year Art and Film party

I'm also starting the list of things to do when I'm back in August for two weeks and have more time!!

Finish list 1, if haven't done it
Do all of list 1 again, if possible
Visit the De Young
Visit SFMOMA
Check out the Asian Art Museum
Visit to the SFUSD building
Chill out with all my UC friends who I miss dearly and wasn't able to see cause you guys are lame and are still in school in MAY!
Elementary School Reunion (if I can make it)
Drive down to Monterey Bay
Go to Six Flags
Go to Great America
Sourdough Chowder Bowl
Find a meadow somewhere and lay in it

Wisdom and Age

2008-05-23T00:47:00.002-04:00

Maybe I should start changing my reading habits:

Older Brain May Really Be A Wiser Brain - NYTimes

For example, in studies where subjects are asked to read passages that are interrupted with unexpected words or phrases, adults 60 and older work much more slowly than college students. Although the students plow through the texts at a consistent speed regardless of what the out-of-place words mean, older people slow down even more when the words are related to the topic at hand. That indicates that they are not just stumbling over the extra information, but are taking it in and processing it.

When both groups were later asked questions for which the out-of-place words might be answers, the older adults responded much better than the students.

“For the young people, it’s as if the distraction never happened,” said an author of the review, Lynn Hasher, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto and a senior scientist at the Rotman Research Institute. “But for older adults, because they’ve retained all this extra data, they’re now suddenly the better problem solvers. They can transfer the information they’ve soaked up from one situation to another.”

Such tendencies can yield big advantages in the real world, where it is not always clear what information is important, or will become important. A seemingly irrelevant point or suggestion in a memo can take on new meaning if the original plan changes. Or extra details that stole your attention, like others’ yawning and fidgeting, may help you assess the speaker’s real impact.

End of Sophomore Year

2008-05-19T19:13:00.006-04:00

Wow, I cannot believe that I'm already half way through college. It's been both a frighteningly fast and yet exhilarating time. I love it here. Despite the trials and tribulations, I find school to be extremely challenging, rewarding, exciting, and special. I'm really looking forward to next semester's production of The Laramie Project. I had my last final today, and I stayed up until 4 a.m. because I couldn't go to sleep! I was going through every scene in my head, and also coming up with exciting ideas for publicity, outreach, recruitment, and what have you. If you can make it, I really think it'll be worth it, definitely! We're going to work very, very hard to make this production very, very special.

Coming to Harvard, I never thought I'd be so involved in theater. I thought initially that I couldn't go back, because high school was a very special place for me, and in college I'd just study the "practical" things. Well, I've learned that if I'm not happy with the things I'm doing, I should evaluate my activities, and if I'm not happy that means there are some drastic changes that need to be in order. I'm really glad that I've determined that this semester. Teaching and Theater, I think, are things that I expect to be very challenging and yet so rewarding in the upcoming junior year.

I can't believe sophomore year is over!! I need to pack things now, and empty out my room and all its modern art posters, and ... I'm getting pretty sad just thinking about it. Just 7 hours ago, I couldn't wait to be done with my last final. Now I really want to enjoy myself before I leave. I'm sad to go.

I've learned so much these past two years!! Except right now, I've done so much work these past three weeks, with final papers, oral presentations, interviews, organizing, etc. etc. I can think of nothing better to do right now than to waste all my evening playing computer games. I don't expect these posts to be read, but if you're interested, I've posted most of my final papers and presentations that have taken up so much of my life these past few weeks. Maybe someone will learn something that took me hours and hours to write. If any of these topics interest you, I'd love to hear what you have to say! I really do.

One complaint that I know I have is that I wish I had more time to work on these papers. I think that they're good, but I know that I can make them even better if I just had 1) fewer things to do in so short a time frame and/or 2) more time in which to do the things I had to do.

Anyways, here they are, in no particular order:

Social Studies Paper on Minorities in Today's Society using Beauvoir, Freud, and Foucault as a basis for discussion.

New York City Department of Education from 2002 to 2008 School Reform Analysis. This was a group project, so both the presentation and paper are jointly authored by Sarah Kasok, Jon Sproul, and Jason Wong.

Los Angeles Unified School District Urban Education Reform up to 2008 Analysis.

Statistical Analysis on Home Environment and Income on School Behavior.

P.S. We broke 3000 hits!

Social Studies Final Paper

2008-05-19T19:09:00.003-04:00

Modeling Minorities: An Examination of the Causes and Effects of Majority and Minority Power Relations
by Jason Wong

Abstract:

This essay is primarily concerned with existing power relations among minorities in today’s society. We begin with Simone de Beauvoir’s analysis of the subjugation of women, and use this discussion to springboard into the idea that her ideas can be expanded to encompass not only women, but most minorities. In order to gain a better idea of the existing power relations among majorities and minorities, we attempt to look at Freud and Focault’s idea of society and civilization, and how societies and civilizations shape the individuals that comprise them. Finally we conclude with the thought that although economic conditions have allowed for greater equality than before, that is, that capitalism tends to break down discriminatory barriers, minorities will never truly be free of their subjugation unless society is made more aware of their existence, and culturally highlight the diversity of the human race rather than limit it.

Minorities in Society - Upload a doc

Statistics and Sociology Final Paper

2008-05-19T19:08:00.003-04:00

Home, Sweet Home: An Explanation of Income and Home Environments on School Behavior
by Jason Wong

Abstract:
in this paper I explore the idea that family income and home environment are indicators of student academic behavior. My hypothesis is that both variables can predict whether or not students are likely or unlikely to turn in their homework. Ultimately, however, my findings are unable to support my hypothesis. Multiple regression shows that, contrary to what I expected from my descriptive analysis, that family income and time alone are both pretty poor indicators of homework completion. In the end, I explore other potential factors that could be greater indicators of student behavior in school.

Home Sweet Home - Upload a doc

Urban Education Policy Case Analysis: Los Angeles Unified School District

2008-05-19T19:07:00.003-04:00

Los Angeles Unified School District School Reform to 2008 final paper: by Jason Wong

Abstract:
In this paper I try to introduce, analyze and evaluate the reform efforts of the Los Angeles Unified School District. I note that the relatively short time frame since Mayor Villaraigrosa took partial responsibility of the school district makes it hard to tell whether or not LAUSD urban school reforms are working, although I also note that district test scores have been stagnant for a while. Finally, I make the recommendation that LAUSD improve its strategy by focusing on the three c’s: clarity, comprehensiveness, and cohesion.

Los Angeles Case Analysis - Upload a doc

Urban Education Policy Case Analysis: New York City

2008-05-19T19:05:00.004-04:00

New York City Public School Reform 2002 to 2008 presentation and paper accompaniment: by Sarah Kasok, Jon Sproul, and Jason Wong

New York City Public School Reform 2002 to 2008 - Upload a doc

New York City School Reform 2002 to 2008 Presentation Paper - Upload a doc

Worry and Celebration

2008-05-15T20:52:00.001-04:00

Two NYTimes article excerpts for today:

Rescuers Aim for Chinese Villages Yet Unreached

There was little light left when another man came up from the riverbed into Wandeng. He had been walking for 10 hours with a cane. He was one of the few people to make it out of Qingping. His daughter and grandson were riding on a bus along the mountain road when the earthquake hit. He has not found the bus, and he had come out to look for medicine and help.

“Nearly all of our houses have collapsed,” said the man, Fu Rukun, 54. He carried a plastic bag with an umbrella and some food. His pants were wet from walking the stream.

Another man, Cao Xueping, 36, approached. His mother and daughter live in Qingping while he works as a construction foreman in another province. Without working phones, he had traveled hundreds of miles to learn their fate.

“What about the children?” Mr. Cao asked. Mr. Fu happened to be a janitor at the local school. Unlike schools that had collapsed in other cities, the Qingping school was not damaged. “The students are O.K.,” he said.

Mr. Cao gripped the older man’s cane. “Thank you,” he said, his eyes tearing as he made a call on his cellphone. He waited until someone answered. “Our daughter is safe,” he said, his eyes tearing. “Our daughter is O.K.”

California Court Affirms Right to Gay Marriage

Given the historic, cultural, symbolic and constitutional significance of marriage, Chief Justice Ronald M. George wrote for the majority, the state cannot limit its availability to opposite-sex couples.

“In view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship,” he wrote, “the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples.”

Supporters of gay marriage said the ruling was a milestone. “This decision will give Americans the lived experience that ending exclusion from marriage helps families and harms no one,” said Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, who noted that same-sex marriages are now legal in South Africa, Canada, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands.

A Moment to Breathe

2008-05-14T04:37:00.008-04:00

Let us take a moment to reflect on the disasters that have happened in China and Myanmar. If you can, I encourage you to donate (click here for a link to the American Red Cross page). For most of us, donating is all we can do to help.

I'm trying to start on a final paper for my statistics class which is due later today. But I can't help but think that throughout my short life, which is already about 20% over, tens and probably hundreds of millions of people have already died premature deaths, due to natural disasters, preventable diseases and poverty, and human conflict. How does one fathom this huge number?

One can't. One can't and shouldn't try to imagine the unimaginable, it's unnatural to be able to measure or quantify human suffering. We can't forget about the Sichuans, the Myanmars, the Darfurs, the Jerusalems, the New Orleans, the tsunamis, the earthquakes, the hurricanes, the wars, the genocides, the starvation, the diseases that our people face every day; but we do. We really do have the power to minimize human suffering; but we don't. As a society, we don't come together as a single community and help one another enough. Why?

I can't help but feel very, very fortunate for what I have, and what opportunities are available to me. My personal conflicts are so petty compared to the life and death struggle that is being confronted by countless other human beings around our humble planet. This paper doesn't feel nearly as important to me as would being one of those people out there feel looking for survivors, handing out supplies to the needy, and maintaining law and order.

In a way I'm sad and somber about these events, but I'm appreciative of these moments that compel me to stop what I am doing, and take this time to breathe. I think it's good to be reminded about suffering, pain, death, discrimination, compassion, love, loss, happiness, friendship... because without these reminders, we may forget about what our larger purpose in and contribution to society will be. It gives me perspective, and time to think and reflect on my life, and on what's happening around the globe. I only hope that one day I will be able to act on these thoughts.

For now, I will donate what I can to help because really, that's all I can do right now besides hope that things will be better, and hope that many lives will be saved by what our governments and institutions are doing now to help these people in need.

The Power of Theater

2008-05-13T01:11:00.006-04:00

Today was a really significant day for our beginning acting class. It was our last day together. The first part of our class was spent reminiscing, and sharing with each other what this class meant to us. One thing in particular resounded with me, that through this class, I've met many, many other students who I would not have gotten to know otherwise, and through this class we've all formed a distinct community. People of different tastes, theatrical experiences, backgrounds, geographic locations, ages, etc. etc. all met and conglomerated in this class. It's awesome. More so than any other academic class, wherever our individual paths lead us now, whenever ours cross with each other, we'll be more than classmates.

Unlike athletics, where people compete with one another, and unlike academic classes, where you don't really get to work with other people and get to know them, theater is a place for community, personal growth, and exploration. Where else do you explore human nature? Where else do you depend on so many other people to create art? I love theater so much. I know I probably won't be able to depend on theater as a career, but I know my appreciation of theater will last a lifetime.

Also today is the horrible news from China and Myanmar. It's so sad. We should do all we can to help, if it is just helping people be aware of the human devastation that's happening there, and compelling people to donate if they can.

For all we know, sooner or later we might be one of those victims. No place is really immune from natural disasters.

The Harvard Laramie Project

2008-05-09T16:52:00.007-04:00

We did it!! WE did IT! I just learned of this not even three days ago, and I'm still bouncing off the walls and flying high above the clouds.

We are producing the Harvard premier of The Laramie Project! The number of performances, and performance times will be announced at a later date, but we will be putting this production on at the Agassiz Theater here at Harvard on the weekend of January 8 to 11, 2009! Everyone's invited! Please come! It's going to be awesome!

In any case, we have big plans for this production, including possibly the use of cinematography and photographs in order to create an ultra-modern artistic feel. For our publicity campaign, we are hoping to utilize all the means available to us, including print ads, posters/flyers, making use of the internet, and especially utilizing a social network as a way to connect the cast, crew, and fans of the Harvard Laramie Project! I think what's going to be new about this particular web campaign is that I'm going to encourage all of the staff, cast and crew to blog about their experiences when they can. I think it's going to be great! It's kind of like mimicking the diary moments inside the play itself (if you are familiar with this play, you'll know what I'm talking about, if not, don't worry about it!) In addition, you'll be able to ask us questions, and prod our artistic vision as we lead into opening night! Furthermore, you'll get an insider's view of what it's like to put on a theatrical production. We have much to offer! Visit theharvardlaramieproject.ning.com and check it out! You should register! And stay tuned!

For the past two weeks, our staff has poured their heart and soul into organizing a group and a proposal for our show. Our proposal for The Agassiz theater is eight pages long. Including our credentials section, our proposal's almost twenty pages! This is all for a production that wasn't even guaranteed a space or funding!

The night before I expected to hear about whether or not we got a space, I had nightmares where I begged and pleaded with everyone I knew to get this project off the ground even though we were rejected. I prepared myself not to show disappointment or cry if we were refused. I woke up the next morning, tired from an exhausting repose, and was glued to my email inbox. I received this email in the late afternoon, that read:

We were impressed by your commitment to bringing this show to the Harvard campus, and the team presentation during your interview.

The NCT/Agassiz Review Committee has decided to grant The Laramie Project a two week residency at the Agassiz Theatre for the weeks of Dec. 15 to Jan. 11 (taking into account winter recess) contingent on the following items:
- There will only be one weekend of performances, starting no earlier than Wednesday, 1/7, and going no later than a matinee on Sunday, 1/11, allowing for an evening strike.
- You agree to work with the Agassiz staff and other building users to ensure all support spaces (Horner Room, scene shop, lobbies, etc.) are shared fairly and always left clean and organized for the next group.
- You abide by the rules and policies of the Agassiz Operations Manual and Tech Safety Manual.

Honestly, I teared up. I'm so excited for this show! We have such a genuinely awesome group behind this production, I can't help but be more and more excited for this production as time passes!! We still have much work to do, such as apply for funding, and get our paperwork together and create our organization behind this production, but we're doing this! It's almost like living a dream. *pinches self* Stay with us and follow our trials and tribulations as we begin our journey to our big performance dates! Welcome, all, to The Harvard Laramie Project!

My First Class

2008-05-04T21:22:00.004-04:00

Well, today was the final day of class for AP US Government at MIT. I've been super busy trying to get all my paperwork, finals, presentations, applications, and sanity in order, I didn't really have time to think about preparing myself for this moment.

It hit me as soon as I told the class I had to leave a little early to submit an important application for a potential production of The Laramie Project; which I hope to direct this fall on the tenth anniversary of Matthew's death. My departure felt sudden, but the class leapt to wish me goodbye. Christina and I are hoping on hosting a final get together here at Harvard next week, but we may not see many of these students for a long, long time to come.

I was waiting desolately at the bus stop for the bus to arrive to make my appointment, and I started to tear up a little bit. I remembered each of their faces from the first day of class, and since then, I've gotten to know all of them really well. I've met their families, hosted some of their visits to Harvard, talked with them about life and politics and art, and overall had a really good time this year. Sunday afternoons, from 1:30 to 5:00 became something that I really looked forward to every week, and perhaps was one of the highlights of my week.

Well, I can't describe how sad I feel to be letting go of my dear friends who I won't be able to see on a regular basis anymore and chat with. It's heartening to think about how they're all growing up and will go to college soon, and then get jobs, and run their own lives. I feel so old when I think along these lines, but in reality I know I'm growing up along with them. I hope we keep in touch, I'd be really depressed if no one from my first class contacted me again. I've learned so much from my students, more than I can ever teach them.

I sincerely recommend teaching to everyone who can, at least for a year or two. My paths have crossed with a small group of wonderful people, and I know that from now on, our paths will continue on through life's travails, together.

Roots of Racism Today

2008-04-28T16:21:00.012-04:00

A few days ago I wondered aloud whether or not our capacity for "compassion" as a society was decreasing, or whether or not I'm just being overly sensitive. In the context of reading Weber, I was exploring some of Weber's conceptions for the disenchantment of society, such as bureaucratization and rationalization. I wrote an entire essay for my Social Studies class on why I disagreed with Weber's prognosis that bureaucratization and rationalization are disenchanting for society. Of course, I wrote in the narrower context of the roles of the politician and the scientist. Since then, I've been taken by another idea on this related problem of the disenchantment of society by thinking that people may just be withdrawing from a public life, for whatever reason, and therefore are just becoming more removed and isolated from their peers that way.

Think about it: with people living in the suburbs, or just hanging out with their own comfortable social networks and not really stretching their social boundaries, how much are people really exposed to the ethnic, cultural, economic, geographic, political, artistic and philosophical diversity around them in society? How much compassion can one feel for peers that they don't even entirely know exist, or who are almost entirely alien and foreign to them?

(In response to my musings, I've received more stories of people who have experienced and/or seen something similar. Fascinating stuff. Thank you so much for sharing with me. I really appreciate knowing that there are people out here who I can communicate with so I don't feel like I'm constantly only communicating with myself.)

In any case, one of my friends responded by asking, "How much compassion has there been in society to begin with?" In this, she was critiquing my question's implication that in order for society's ability for compassion to decrease, I had to be referring to a period of time where compassion was the norm. I've been wondering about that too; she's right. How much compassion, really, has there been in a society with a history of war, religious conflict, genocide, cheats, and colonization? The ideals that I hold in my head are either just high minded fantasies and daydreams, or something that I've only experienced on a smaller scale.

I guess I'm really remarking about how, upon leaving San Francisco, I feel that people's understanding of diversity and compassion are really different than I expected. I feel really lucky to have had a really compassionate community in high school. Compassion to me, if I can just throw out a definition, is the ability to empathize even with people that you have little understanding of, or fundamental disagreements with. A compassionate community, then, is one where disagreements and differences are tolerated, accepted, and even appreciated. Imagine what a compassionate society can be.

Truthfully, it scares me that people can cut each other off and be emotionally detached from each other. I've lived this only recently, where I fear my roommates and I (who have split up for about two to three weeks ago over fundamental differences) have little to do with one another now. I don't even think that they miss my presence, although I know that I still care for them. In any case, my example isn't exactly illustrative of the point I'm trying to make, although it is illustrative of it on a smaller scale. What I'm trying to say is that what scares me the most, is that there is a capacity in people and society to dehumanize other individuals or even other groups of people. You don't need to physically harm or disrespect someone in order to dehumanize them. Quite simply, you can shatter their dreams. You can just treat them differently, or simply ignore them. What's worse is when you actively work to suppress them.

This has happened a lot recently to many groups, but in our current American society this is happening particularly to Muslim-Americans. There's an article in the New York Times today that struck me in particular. In this case we have a Muslim-American who attempted to moderate between Muslim-Americans, Jewish-Americans, and Christians. Ultimately, her efforts were untenable, and she paid for it. Her dream was to create a school that would teach the Arabic language, just like we do with many schools for the Spanish, French, Chinese, and other languages. Religion wasn't even a consideration in the curriculum, except in the context of global studies. Yet people out there made religion an issue, and painted her as an extremist. In fact, she didn't need to be an extremist to be punished, all that people needed to do to ruin her was identify her with a group of people who the greater American society holds little compassion for.

One of these critics in particular was a Harvard grad, Daniel Pipes. In any case, here are some of his quotes:

Conceptually, such a school could be “marvelous,” Mr. Pipes wrote, but in practice, it was certain to be problematic. “Arabic-language instruction is inevitably laden with Pan-Arabist and Islamist baggage,” he wrote, referring to the school as a madrassa, which means school in Arabic but, in the West, carries the implication of Islamic teaching.
Mr. Pipes is perhaps best known for Campus Watch, a national initiative he created to scrutinize Middle Eastern programs at colleges and universities. The drive has accused professors of, among other things, being soft on militant Islam and sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. It has stirred widespread controversy and, in some cases, may have undermined professors’ bids for tenure.
Mr. Pipes was joined in the monitoring effort by other self-declared watchdogs of militant Islam. Their Web sites are often linked to one another and their messages interwoven. One critic, David Horowitz, founded Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week, a campaign aimed at college campuses. He noted in an interview that monitors of radical Islam have increasingly trained their sights on nonviolent Muslim-Americans.

It's interesting to me how the Arabic language can automatically be defined by Islamic religious fundamentalism, and the English language not automatically identified by Christian fundamentalist evangelism. This contradiction only serves to point out the absurdity of how harshly people can treat other groups they have little understanding of, and consequently, little compassion for.

In any case, her story is a complex and complicated story. Naturally, if you have time, I encourage you to read about it and think about it.

In an odd twist of fate, she was sent to the Bronx last fall to review a small, innovative school that had opened the same month as Khalil Gibran. It also taught a foreign language: Spanish. The students seemed to be thriving. As Ms. Almontaser walked the hallways, she was shaken, she said.
“It wasn’t that I was envious that her dream materialized,” said Ms. Almontaser, referring to the principal. “It was seeing her sixth graders, her teachers, and seeing that she did it. And I didn’t get a chance.”

What is the root of the problem? Can something as simple as more compassion be the end-all cure-all of racism?

Prisons and Immigration

2008-04-26T02:02:00.015-04:00

I've been meaning to say something about the U.S. prison system and current immigration policies for a while now. Right now, though, I feel like I'm writing out of the blue, so I'm not prepared to put my heart into this post yet. Maybe I'll get to that certain place you get to when you open up your heart and just write- if I just start somewhere.

So let me start with a few thoughts:

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, the tempest-post to me,
I lift my golden lamp beside the door.

When I think about our country, I think about the great ideals that we were founded upon. They weren't perfect. We were, after all, founded upon a time of slavery, of sexism, and on war and territorial expansion. But even with all these caveats, we created a country. It was a country which I think was created for the purposes of aiming for ever higher ideals of compassion and benevolence, with the goal of progressively creating a better civilization and society for us and those after us. It was written, after all, that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Not some, not only citizens, not whites or landowners or those who are educated or Christian, but "all".

I love the inclusive "all" in that sentence. I love the words "yearning to breathe free", and "I lift my golden lamp beside the door." I think of these words, and I get so inspired. I feel full of love and sympathy. I want to get into public policy when I think these thoughts. I want to teach our next generation of students to feel the same way. I want to do something that expresses these wonderful thoughts that were written naught three hundred years ago.

We have come a long, long way since those early days. We have expanded suffrage and granted minorities more rights and liberties and equalities progressively with time. At the same time, I think, we are getting a little bit more isolated. I think a lot of people tend to be drawn into their own little comfortable social circles, and try not to worry about social problems unless these problems directly affect them. I look at capable people who could do some good for this world, and I see some of them distracted by suburban living, by wealth and luxury, by sailboats and video games, by everything other than thinking about what's wrong with our society and working towards a solution. I see people that look down on others, and disparage them, and add to their hopeless situation.

I don't want to disparage these people, and I don't want to say that "if they only knew better, they would think the same way that I do. " I don't think that way. At the same time, I just wish that more people were compassionate in our society. I see compassion as something that's fading away with time. I think of the people in prison, and I ask the question, why do we let so many people rot there, for so long? I think of some people's reactions to immigrants, and I wonder how they have little compassion for people who, just like their forebears, are only looking for a better life? I love Maya Angelou's poetry, especially "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings." I don't want anyone to be the caged bird. But we have so many caged birds. Literally, we have a growing prison population (the highest in the Western world, even higher than China's on a proportionate basis) for silly things like drugs and petty crimes, which are bad, but why aren't we exploring rehabilitation and other policies just like other societies do? If our system's broken, why aren't we trying to fix it? Where is our compassion for our human brethren?

A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.

What are your thoughts? Reactions?

The Truth Shall Set You Free

2008-04-22T21:41:00.008-04:00

I'm struggling to find a methodology by which to state what I feel. I'm having a hard time because I don't think people are stupid. By and large, I think people are really capable of understanding anything you can teach them. Just think, in Newton's time only a few people really understood the implications of his theories on motion. Now it's standard high school physics fare. So, with time, it just goes to show that anything a genius can come up with can soon be standard knowledge. What's troubling though, as a news article that a Harvard Tutor (what we call RAs) pointed out via his blog, is that ignorance isn't bliss, it's widespread. He quotes an article that states,

"A recent survey of teenagers by the education advocacy group Common Core found that a quarter could not identify Adolf Hitler, a third did not know that the Bill of Rights guaranteed freedom of speech and religion, and fewer than half knew that the Civil War took place between 1850 and 1900."

Weber once wrote that the charismatic politician can overcome reason, and by that he meant in a good way in that the charismatic might bring back some of the magic of humanity back into our society. It's also a double edged sword. Just think about what our current government is doing to repudiate the public's knowledge on the effects of global warming, and a recent news report shows that they've been trying to convince us that air pollution doesn't really affect our health. As if. My question is how, by what passivity, or influence, or politics, do we let this happen? It's ridiculous. In an era of great technological progress and achievement, why is it that we allow parts of the government to impinge on the progress we strive for by suppressing or calling into question science?

Here's the quote from the article I reference:

Short-term exposure to smog, or ozone, is clearly linked to premature deaths that should be taken into account when measuring the health benefits of reducing air pollution, a National Academy of Sciences report concluded Tuesday.

The findings contradict arguments made by some White House officials that the connection between smog and premature death has not been shown sufficiently, and that the number of saved lives should not be calculated in determining clean air benefits.

The Chinese Begin Their Response to the West

2008-04-19T17:27:00.008-04:00

Just as many had anticipated, many Chinese are reacting to the protests of the West and (what I would also argue) unobjective news reporting by Western media outlets.

For further information, read this NYTimes article:

Over the last week, Ms. Zhu and her classmates have been channeling anger over anti-China protests during the tumultuous Olympic torch relay into a boycott campaign against French companies, blamed for their country’s support of pro-Tibetan agitators. Some have also called for a boycott against American chains like McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken.

On Friday and Saturday, protesters gathered in front of a half-dozen outlets of the French retailer Carrefour, including a demonstration in the central city of Wuhan that reportedly drew several thousand people, according to Agence France-Presse.
...
For the moment, however, most of the outrage is confined to the Internet. More than 20 million people have signed online petitions saying they plan to stop shopping at the Carrefour chain, Louis Vuitton and other stores linked to France because of what they see as the country’s failure to protect the torch during its visit to Paris last week. In a survey released on Friday, China’s state news agency, known as Xinhua, said 66 percent of those who responded said they would stay away from Carrefour during a monthlong boycott planned for May.
...
Public indignation has also been directed at Western news outlets, which are blamed for one-sided coverage of the torch relay and for anti-Chinese bias in their reporting on the disturbances in Tibet. In recent days, foreign news outlets here have been swamped by angry phone calls; two music videos circulating on the Internet blast CNN with expletives and lyrics like, “Don’t think that repeating something over and over again means that lies become truth.”But in a sign that the government may now be worried about the intensity of popular passion, Xinhua said on Friday that it was time to curb nationalist zeal. While it lauded the boycott crusade, it advised people not to complicate the government’s aim of encouraging foreign investment in China.

Bureaucracies and Politicians

2008-04-19T15:13:00.008-04:00

A while ago I posted an essay discussing Weber's view of the politician and the scientist in terms of the budding modern bureaucracy. I wrote that modern societies may not be as disenchanting as Weber realized. On the other hand, I have to give Weber credit for predicting that bureaucratic mismanagement could bring about disasters such as this:

"Arrested for killing his father late one night in 1958, James was ruled mentally ill by a judge, sent to an asylum for the criminally insane — and forgotten.

Decades after his doctors pronounced him cured, he remained trapped in a criminal justice nightmare. The hospital could only release him to the prisons authority. The prisons authority could only pick him up under a court order. The courts never called for him because they couldn't find his file.

Longing for some of his lost years, James wishes he had been convicted of murdering his father. At least then, he would have been freed after only 15 or 20 years in prison.

But a conviction would have been unlikely. His father was still alive." (link to the full story)

On another note, speaking of politicians, it's ridiculous that no one's doing anything to better manage the billions of dollars we throw at the farm industry when we could spend that money promoting sustainable, organic farming. Come on Democrats! You can do a lot of good with the money we throw at these commercial farms on a lot of issues, not just for our farms. Think about global warming, the environment, promoting domestic businesses, etc. etc. What's more interesting? Imagine going to China for organic foods. It's happening!

from sfgate.com

"Farm bill negotiators may have to trim these programs to make room for billions of dollars in automatic payouts to a few big commercial farms growing a few grain crops whose market prices are shattering records.

The 91 percent of California farmers who grow produce and are struggling against urban encroachment and environmental regulations will get none of that money. The farm bill throws a comparative pittance to the organic farming that shuns pesticides and rotates crops in a traditional method that attracts wildlife. Organic farming remains just 0.5 percent of U.S. agriculture despite soaring demand. Buyers are forced to look to China for organic produce."

The Kartika Review

2008-04-15T23:40:00.021-04:00

I've complained a lot about the dearth of Asian American voices in cultural mediums, so it's really heartwarming to find a publication out there that is trying to develop and promote the AA voice and experience out there to the larger American society.

In reality, I think it's really remarkable that there really isn't a work or a series of works that are universally acknowledged to encompass the Asian American experience. To me, this is a travesty because the Asian American experience encompasses many historical events, is fraught with challenges and successes, encourages cultural exploration, explores the meaning of family, raises many questions around "What is American culture?"... well, you get the picture.

I hope you'll check out the Kartika Review. If you, or anyone you know, writes about anything related to the Asian Diaspora, or is a talented AA writer, please seriously consider submitting to the magazine. The Kartika Review is a quarterly magazine, and accepts submissions year-round. It's a new publication, so imagine the possibilities of what may come if we all buy-in and support this project, which is perhaps the only one of its kind.

Just think about how much more vibrant, more colorful, more interesting society is now that we are growing ever more diverse and multicultural than we ever were in history. So if one entire group of people's voices and/or artistic representations are less clear, prominent and/or developed than others, then isn't that is a cause worth working towards?

(In the interest of full disclosure, I was recently brought on as the Essays Editor for the Kartika Review. Therefore, I'm personally interested and invested in this project, and if you are a writer or are interested in writing, then I hope that you would think about sharing your work with us for the benefit of the AA community and all our readers.)

Don't Be Racist, Jack Cafferty

2008-04-14T22:04:00.013-04:00

Since I began posting about Asian American and Chinese issues last week, starting with the protests over the Olympic torch and Clinton's call to President Bush to boycott the Olympics, we've covered a lot of ground concerning politics, stereotypes, perceptions, culture, Hollywood, theater, movies, pop culture... you name it. Add one more to the list... well actually, biased news reports and commentary were already on the list, but whatever, let's add this new event anyways:

CNN commentator Jack Cafferty on the United States' relationship with China on the April 9 broadcast of "Situation Room": (Click here for a link to the youtube video)

"Well, I don't know if China is any different, but our relationship with China is certainly different. We're in hock to the Chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in Iraq, for one thing. They're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper. We also are running hundred of billions of dollars worth of trade deficits with them, as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart. So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed. I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years."

If you're interested, you can sign a petition here. 27,500 signatures and counting. It's fine to bring up concerns and debate them, but let's stop race/nation baiting for our own domestic and foreign policy deficits.

Technology and The World

2008-04-13T19:07:00.004-04:00

If you have some time to spare, I recommend reading this article from the New York Times on cell phones, the developing world, and poverty. I found this article really enlightening. The anthropologist/designer that they hired to me seems to have a dream job. As someone who's read a lot of social theory, it's interesting to extrapolate the effects that cell phones have even to the most impoverished members of society. If trends continue, it seems like every person in the world may soon enough have a cell phone. How interesting is that? What effect do you think this would have on society?

Creepy

2008-04-12T16:55:00.004-04:00

I just went to myspace.com for the first time this year. Two minutes later, I received an email from my gmail account that reads:

This email was sent by My Music.
---
Valued MyMusic user,

We've recently expanded our MyMusic application network to MySpace!

Now you can also access your entire music library from the Facebook MyMusic app (and iTunes) on your MySpace account.

It's super easy to do:

1. Just install the MySpace Music app here: http://myspace.com/music_app

2. Then, sync your two accounts together here: http://sync.qloud.com

Enjoy and Rock on,

The My Music Team

How do they know? I'm just a little creeped out by this.

Boycott 21

2008-04-12T00:39:00.037-04:00

Ever since yesterday evening, I've been really actively promoting the Boycott 21 facebook group and have been trying to tell all my friends to boycott the movie. I'm worked up on this issue because this is a case of Hollywood whitewashing a partially Asian American event, and marginalizing the Asian American role.

I want to say a few words in support of boycotting 21, and then I want to say a few words about my own stances on this issue versus another stance I took publicly on a Harvard Op-Ed on Equal Opportunity Casting. I also want to say a few words why your support, even if it's just you, means a lot.

In a serious movie about the American cowboys, Hollywood (and I'd happily recant if I'm ever proven wrong) would never cast Asian Americans, Hispanics, or African Americans as the major characters. But 21 is another example of this equation being carried out in real life, albeit in reverse and only in one direction. 21 is an example where a group of people’s contributions are being marginalized, for whatever reason. This is unfair, and quite simply, the state of affairs as they are now sucks.

Asian American actors have yet to break the glass ceiling so that they are better represented on screen or on stage. If you look at the Hollywood productions themselves, there seems to be a movement (accidental, or intentional) to suppress Asian American talent. I'm not arguing that Asian Americans are being oppressed by the man! But on the other hand, Asian Americans are already given very little opportunity to break through to major productions, especially when Asian American stories like 21 are whitewashed, and when Asian productions such as The Departed, and The Ring, are redone with a White cast.

There's an argument to be had that maybe there isn't enough Asian American talent. My answer is that there is a Chicken or the Egg paradox that makes it hard to tell. Is it that there aren't enough Asians on stage or in major Hollywood productions because there is little Asian American interest in trying out for these roles? Or is it that Hollywood doesn't really give them a chance, so Asian Americans don't really bother... and Asian American talent consequently stays underdeveloped?

So why is it important to boycott a silly movie? Well, to tell you the truth, boycotting this movie probably won’t make a difference. It won’t make a difference, unless, be it on this issue or another issue, the people who matter get our message. They might hear us this time, they might hear us next time, or the time after that. What’s most important, though, is that we keep trying. Just by signing on to this facebook group, and inviting your friends makes a difference. That’s one more voice, one more human being, endorsing a message that is important for people to realize.

It’s not fair to Asian American talent that Hollywood does this. It’s not fair to the Asian American community to be largely ignored in mass media. It's not fair to society that Asians don't get to donate their version of George Clooney, or Will Smith, or Samuel Jackson, etc. etc. to the enjoyment and entertainment of society. For whatever reason, why is it intentionally harder for Asian Americans to break through in theater and in the movie theater? What in our culture doesn't allow for fair casting without consideration toward ethnic background? Even Roger Ebert has noticed a general condescending attitude toward Asian American artists and its detrimental effects. Ebert angrily proclaimed to the public at large and particularly to an amateur critic who criticized the Asian American cast and production team at a Better Luck Tomorrow event that "What I find very offensive and condescending about your comment, is that nobody would say to a bunch of White filmmakers, "How could you do this?!"... Asian Americans have a right to be whoever the hell they want to be!" (3:06) [I definitely recommend watching this youtube video]

We all know that if we don't start somewhere, if we don't say anything, if we don't do something, then nothing will change. The state of affairs will continue to persist- and some people don’t think that’s a bad thing.

It is a bad thing because there’s this dream. There’s a dream about a multicultural society, where the color of a person’s skin doesn’t matter. In this ideal society, it doesn’t matter if there’s a white actor playing an Asian American role and vice versa. But we aren’t there yet. We aren't there when this trade-off only goes in one direction. We’re at a place where Asian Americans are noticeably absent from the stage, from the movie screens, and from television. We’re in a place where we have to work to make things happen. So let’s work.

Please join us and Boycott 21, and please tell your friends. This isn't the first time this has happened to Asian Americans as a group. Otherwise, I'm inclined to agree that one instance isn't a big deal and probably doesn't indicate much, if anything. But there's been a pattern of whitewashing and anti-Asian racial casting, where Asian Americans are excluded from these historical roles and/or are ethnically subjugated if they are even given roles. The least we can do to address this problem is start a dialogue.

Follow-Up: Why Calling for Bush to Boycott the Opening Ceremonies is a Big Deal

2008-04-10T21:32:00.011-04:00

Two nights ago I posted why I've dropped my support for Hillary. For me, her very public statement calling for President Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies of the Olympics both alienated and disappointed me. I feel like a better stance for her to take could have been Barack's "let's wait and see approach", at the very least, and an even better role model to follow on this sensitive issue would be San Francisco Gavin Newsom's handling of San Francisco's sponsorship of the Olympic torch run. Gavin, as best anyone could, balanced the needs of the torch run, the rights of its protesters and supporters very commendably. I wish our national politicians displayed these qualities.

Quite simply, many Chinese-Americans and I feel that America, though perhaps the most free and diverse nation in the world, is still not an ideal place. Stereotypes, such as that we are nerdy, tend to excel in math and science, and have no social life just aren't true, and yet you'll see these characteristics typified by the media all the time, if we aren't excluded all together. (Incidentally, you can read a well-articulated article on this other issue here.)

I'm not bringing this up to whine, or even complain. I've learned to accept these stereotypes and their consequences with a grain of salt, as a part of life that maybe some day I can help change. So why am I bringing this up? What does this have to do with Hillary Clinton's campaign-- one that I had been so excited for up until recently?

I am bringing this up because Clinton should know that her calls aren't going to do anything. China's not going to listen to her calls. President Bush is not going to listen to her on this matter. So why do it? The only reason I can think of for Clinton's actions are that docking China wins lots of political points, not only in areas where race is still a sensitive issue, but also in places that specifically view China as a threat to their way of life economically. To me, if this is the case, it's a form of race baiting-- even if it is unintentional. That's why I indicated, in my previous post, that her actions displayed either a lack of judgment, bad advice, or both.

For better or for worse, I believe that the coverage of the Olympic torch and the Olympics overall has been slanted by the Western media. If you read most of the headlines, you'll read about protesters standing out against China's human rights violations. You won't hear emphasis on quotes from protesters calling Chinese Americans communists, which is a patently ridiculous accusation reminiscent of the McCarthy witch-hunts. You won't hear about how China is single handedly bringing more people out of poverty faster than the United States, the E.U., or any other international organization. (I'm not coming to China's defense in terms of human rights violations, I just want to make the point that most reporting on China right now is really noticeably biased.) People don't realize these complicated issues, because the media's not reporting on them fairly. How many protesters even know where Tibet is?

Anyways, a lot of people have looked at this issue in more prescient ways than I care to express here right now. If anyone would like to talk about it, however, and debate it, please do!! I'd definitely spend time responding, if that is the case. But right now, I'm not sure that there is interest.

I hope this post answers your last question Sarah. To also make it clear, I'm not against Hillary. I just don't want to contribute to her campaign anymore for this primary season. I'm equally supportive of both both Clinton and Obama over McCain. I'm just not as excited as I used to be. This also explains why I'm not discounting these candidates based on their foreign, economic, or social policies. I'm for them. They're both much better than Republicans. I also think that targeting China makes it easier for some of us to forget about our own country's human rights abuses.

Why I've Dropped My Support for Hillary Clinton

2008-04-08T19:19:00.016-04:00

After really passionately supporting Hillary Clinton as my candidate for President almost since she began her candidacy, it is with great disappointment that I have to announce that I cannot support her to that extent anymore.

(Not that my thoughts make much of a difference, I suppose I'm just announcing this personally exceptional moment to myself on my blog, maybe facebook.)

One recent event in particular prompted this change: her recent appeal to President Bush to boycott the Olympics in Beijing. The issue of China's human rights record is a separate topic, but one that is important enough to require a brief mention concerning this post. I've read many reactions to the protests in London and Paris, most of which are supportive of the protesters. I'll write another post about this issue after the Olympic flame tours my favorite city tomorrow. Save to say, I support their right to protest, on the other hand I believe they have taken their protests too far. It is one thing to make a statement and practice civil disobedience, it is another to be disruptive to the extent that one will attack people in wheelchairs in order to make a statement. These issues need to be aired out, and I'll do my best to write about this important issue tomorrow.

But for now, I think Clinton's calls to boycott the Opening Ceremonies are indicative of exactly the opposite of what I hoped for in a Presidential candidate. Objectively speaking, her protests will do nothing to convince President Bush to boycott the Olympics. Her appeal to President Bush does nothing more than appeal for political points among certain groups. In fact, her appeal does her more harm than good. She has demonstrated, by this one act, how little she really understands China as a country, while at the same time arguing for her foreign policy credentials; and has demonstrated how much she's willing to turn a peaceful international event into a forum for politics in a way that really demeans what the ancient tradition of the Olympics stands for, in my mind.

I may be wrong about what I believe the Olympics stands for, but as I understood it, it was an event to help heal international rifts and act as a peaceful, friendly forum for athletic competition. To me, the Olympics overall indicates that there are things, such as celebrating such ideals, that are more meaningful to us as a human society than rivalries. I think people kid themselves when they think that people are solely motivated by China's dismal human rights record. Let's face it, China does have a dismal human rights record. But let's also face it: What good does poking the eye of a giant do to help it better sympathize with human rights?

People with other motives too are interested in increasing rifts between America and China.

Also, I think people (particularly those who have only paid attention to issues concerning China in depth for only a few days or weeks at most) need to wake up to the twin realities of: 1) China overall, not just the Chinese government, are really excited about hosting the Olympics. It is ingrained in our culture that being hosts are a great responsibility. To not be great hosts is to lose a lot of face. For an entire international community to put politics in play where politics never really was an intention of the Olympics, except the transcendence of politics, would be an insult to the entire Chinese nation. The Chinese people already have a reason to be biased against us in the West, the Western media sometimes really does seem to report Chinese issues from a one-sided vantage point. That's not a wrong in of itself, but the Western media as an important democratic institution should not be intentionally or inadvertently giving biased reports against an entire country. And 2), let's face it, China has a really thin skin in terms of criticism. What does Clinton's appeal to boycott the Olympics really do then, if it doesn't convince President Bush to boycott? It insults the Chinese government and the Chinese people, and it doesn't accomplish much else. In the event that Clinton becomes President now, she has only more distance to cover before being able to repair relations with the Chinese. What kind of foreign policy advice is she getting? That she's willing to risk so much, for no gain, except maybe political points, is cause for my disappointment and despair that I have lost the candidate that I have hoped for. There are much better ways, in terms of impact and less divisiveness, to work out international disagreements. Forcefully bringing them into the Olympics is not one of them.

Let's make it clear: Civil disobedience and protests are great. Attacking people in wheelchairs is not. If one is a politician running for an office where one should know better (for many reasons), turning an athletic competition into an official political bashing opportunity reflects poor judgment, bad advice, and maybe both.

For these reasons, and a few others, I am renouncing my support for any Democratic nominee for the duration of this year's primary. Good luck to both candidates.

Weber’s Conceptions of the Roles of Two Types of Individuals: the Politician vs. the Scientist

2008-04-06T11:55:00.012-04:00

This paper is primarily interested in the great sociologist and philosopher Max Weber’s account of the characteristics of the politician and the scientist and the contributions each has made to modernity. In order to place Weber’s discussions on the roles of the politician and scientist in their proper context, we must briefly discuss the rise of the bureaucratic order of the Weberian society. We begin with Weber’s sobering idea that modern society is headed toward a colorless, completely rational and bureaucratic order, which Weber indicated was the “disenchantment of the world.” We then discuss the roles and characteristics of the politician and scientist themselves, and critically examine Weber’s claim that the politician plays a bigger and more irreplaceable role in modern society than the scientist. We evaluate this idea and attempt to look at historical and current examples to support and discredit this claim, primarily focusing on the role of the scientist in modern society. Finally, I come up with my own modified analysis of the roles of the politician and the scientist. I indicate that, considering their overarching tendency to promote social progress and the overall goals of society, the roles, characteristics, and contributions of the politician and the scientist are not as mutually exclusive as Weber believed. I conclude with the thought that because politicians and scientists can contribute to society in a way that Weber may not have considered, then modern society may not be as depressing as Weber believed.

Max Weber was fascinated by the issue of modernity. Weber’s prognosis of what will result from modern society, however, was very discouraging. One of Weber’s most famous quotes reads, “The fate of our times is characterized by rationalization and intellectualization and, above all, by the ‘disenchantment of the world.’” (Weber, Science as a Vocation, p. 155) Weber believed that the defining characteristic of the modern state was the increasing reliance on rationalization and bureaucratization, which had a negative effect on society by taking away some of the magical effects of the natural world. Weber dismally wrote, “No summer’s bloom lies ahead of us, but rather a polar night of icy darkness and hardness, no matter which group may triumph externally now.” (Weber, Politics as a Vocation, p. 128) For Weber, the future brought ‘darkness and hardness’ because the rationalization of society brought on by the ascent of bureaucratic order was all but assured through the rise of democratic societies. This is because bureaucratic societies are the most effective means to level social stratification, one of the major goals of democratic order. On this idea, Weber wrote about how bureaucracies encourage equality:

“Bureaucracy inevitably accompanies modern mass democracy in contrast to the democratic self-government of small homogeneous units. This results from the characteristic principle of bureaucracy: the abstract regularity of the execution of authority, which is a result of the demand for ‘equality before the law’ in the personal and functional sense—hence, of the horror of ‘privilege,’ and the principled rejection of doing business ‘from case to case.’ Such regularity also follows from the social preconditions of the origin of bureaucracies.” (Weber, Bureaucracy, p. 224)

Two types of individuals loomed large in Weber’s account of modernity and the rise of bureaucracy: the politician and the scientist. Weber, as a preeminent sociologist, was particularly interested in studying the patterns of social relationships and interaction among and between the scientist and the politician. Furthermore, he investigated their effects on the modern social state, which we just described as increasingly rational, intellectualized, and disenchanted.

For Weber, the politician and the scientist both play key roles in the highly bureaucratic modern society. In his analysis, Weber has mostly given up on the ability of either of these two types of individuals to bring back romantic and inspiring notions of humanity and enchantment into social order. Weber overall held a low opinion of scientists. He described the culture of science as a “predominance of mediocrity” because in his mind random chance, rather than naturally endowed and/or developed ability, played a larger role in the process of academic selection. In his lecture Science as a Vocation Weber wrote:

The fact that hazard rather than ability plays so large a role is not alone or even predominantly owing to the ‘human, all too human’ factors, which naturally occur in the process of academic selection as in any other selection. […] The predominance of mediocrity is rather due to the laws of human co-operation, especially the co-operation of several bodies, and, in this case, co-operation of the faculties who recommend and of the ministries of education. (Weber, Science as a Vocation, p. 132)

Weber argues that networking and other “human, all too human” factors play too large a role when scientists achieve academic recognition and/or academic positions in academia. Weber also believed that great scientific discoveries may happen only once in a blue moon, and that these discoveries will be out of date in too short a time frame. A scientist seeking to enter the field will have to gamble on whether or not an idea will strike them at the appropriate moment. Weber famously mused that “ideas occur to us when they please, not when it pleases us,” and that “each of us knows that what he has accomplished will be antiquated in ten, twenty, fifty years.” (Weber, Science as a Vocation, p. 136 & 138) Weber’s biggest issue with science, though, is not based on the fact that he viewed success in science as random chance. His biggest issue with science is based on the idea that scientific accomplishments are purely technical achievements. Science, Weber argues, doesn’t provide additional meaning to life. In fact, Weber would say, science detracts from life. Success in science would mean increasing rationalization and disenchantment in the world. Weber argued:

It means something else, namely, the knowledge or belief that if one but wished one could learn it at any time. Hence, it means that principally there are no mysterious incalculable forces that come into play, but rather that one can, in principle, master all things by calculation. This means that the world is disenchanted. One need no longer have recourse to magical means in order to master or implore the spirits, as did the savage, for whom such mysterious powers existed. Technical means and calculations perform the service. This above all is what intellectualization means. (Weber, Science as a Vocation, p. 139)

It is important to note that Weber sees one key distinction between science as a vocation and politics as a vocation. Science as a vocation directly leads to the disenchantment of natural occurrences and our understanding of natural events. Politics as a vocation, on the other hand, (for reasons which we will discuss after this note), only indirectly leads to bureaucratization and rationalization. Furthermore, it is possible for a very talented and rare political leader to be able to inspire others and serve “the vocation for politics in its deepest meaning.” (Weber, Politics as a Vocation, 1958, p. 128) Generally, it is assumed, that both types of individuals (politicians and scientists) will encourage, promote, and protect rational bureaucratic order, although Weber leaves room to hope that a charismatic authority can restore meaning and vigor to the populace, should one arise.

Weber begins his lecture on Politics as a Vocation with the line, “This lecture, which I give at your request, will necessarily disappoint you in a number of ways,” (Weber, Politics as a Vocation, p. 77), indicating that the vocation of politics may not be as glorious, or to use a Weberian term, ‘enchanting’, as one would think. Politicians, being in charge of the political state, tend toward routine and bureaucratic order rather than promote personal relations and/or passionate behavior. The state, after all, “is a human community that (successfully) claims the monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.” (Weber, Politics as a Vocation, p. 78) It makes sense then that politicians would turn to bureaucratic administration in order to maintain the stability of the state, ensure law and order, and otherwise manage politics in a way that doesn’t radically alter the systems and organizations in place nor stir up the populace in a negative manner. Weber writes that “the political element consists, above all, in the task of maintaining ‘law and order’ in the country, hence maintaining the existing power relations.” (Weber, Politics as a Vocation, p. 91) The process of promoting this stability and bureaucratic order has given rise to a class of politicians who Weber describes as the ‘professional politicians’, who Weber notes, are “unlike the charismatic leader.” (Weber, Politics as a Vocation, p. 83)

Weber does, however, as previously noted, hold on to the hope that politicians can circumvent the rationality of their time through charismatic leadership. Weber writes that “As a permanent structure with a system of rational rules, bureaucracy is fashioned to meet calculable and recurrent needs by a means of a normal routine.” (Weber, The Sociology of Charismatic Authority, p. 245) He continues, however, later on in his essay entitled The Sociology of Charismatic Authority that “charisma, and this is decisive, always rejects as undignified any pecuniary gain that is methodical and rational. In general, charisma rejects all rational economic conduct.” (Weber, The Sociology of Charismatic Authority, p. 247) Charismatic leadership, Weber notes, “takes passion and perspective. Certainly all historical experience confirms the truth—that man would not have attained the possible unless time and again he had reached out for the impossible. But to do that a man must be a leader, and not only a leader but a hero as well, in a very sober sense of the word.” (Weber, Politics as a Vocation, p. 128) Charismatic leadership, then, can inspire and encourage passion in the populace through their leadership. Charismatic leaders can help men and women reach for goals they never before believe possible. But charismatic leadership is a double edged sword, in addition to being a rare quality among men. Weber notes that “by its very nature, the existence of charismatic authority is specifically unstable.” (Weber, The Sociology of Charismatic Authority, p. 248) By this observation Weber is implying that charismatic leaders can also blind a populace and encourage them to pursue action that are detrimental to their overall social welfare and best interests.

It is safe to say that Weber emphasizes the role of the politician more than the scientist. As previously noted Weber believes that scientists serve a technical purpose rather than a deeper meaning—which is to say that science as a vocation doesn’t increase human society’s sense of purpose. Weber writes,

Under these internal presuppositions, what is the meaning of science as a vocation, now after all these former illusions […] have been dispelled? Tolstoi has given the simplest answer, with the words: ‘Science is meaningless because it gives no answer to our question, the only question important for us: “What shall we do and how shall we live?”’ That science does not give an answer to this is indisputable. (Weber, Science as a Vocation, p. 143)

On this point, Weber is overly critical of the field of science. Weber does not recognize that a key characteristic of the scientist is that the scientist necessarily first takes into account the greater needs of society before embarking in scientific investigation. In order for the scientist’s discoveries to be relevant to society, which is to say that in order for the scientist to make money off his or her discovery or achieve renown from it, the scientist needs to understand toward what purpose their discovery shall serve. For example on one hand Weber makes the argument that most of humanity need not understand the physics behind a moving streetcar. Weber writes that “unless he is a physicist, one who rides on the streetcar has no idea how the car happened to get into motion. And he does not need to know.” (Weber, Science as a Vocation, p. 139) However, in order for such a technology to exist, someone needs to acquire the technical knowledge to create such an invention. In order for such a technology to serve human purposes, that person, the scientist, needs to first understand how his or her invention will further humanity’s goals.

Weber takes issue with the fact that the invention and improvement of the streetcar itself does not shed light on important questions such as “What shall we do and how shall we live?” Responding to Weber’s example, the streetcar assists human transport, and the train helps increase human industrial capacity and supports an increasing human population by transporting goods and supplies. The scientist is eminently aware of these facts, and for this reason the scientist’s technical discoveries are not outside the domain of serving larger social purposes as Weber would believe. For this reason Weber underestimates the contributions scientists have made to further the larger social questions.

It is obvious to the modern observer that science has greatly changed the experience of human society and how we humans go about our lives. Without our latest technical advances, humans would not be as connected as they are if we did not have cheap and ready access to telephones, speedy travel, and the internet. Governments, such as the United States, and other entities such as the United Nations, would not be motivated to interfere in genocides such as Sudan and Darfur if it weren’t for the populace’s easy access to news of worldly events (modern communication is a byproduct of science). The fact that international countries are pressured to react to catastrophes and crises in other states are a testament to how increasingly inter-connected human society is compared to human societies of the past where such incidences would be ignored. Science can also change human society for the worse, as well as for the better. The advent of the nuclear bomb allows motivated groups of people the option of destroying the planet as we know it. Society has necessarily reacted to these threats, especially political bureaucracies concerned with self-preservation.

Weber’s major critique of this assessment would focus on the ultimate authority by which scientists are held accountable. He would argue that scientific accomplishments are only a response to the general needs of the day, and are exploited by others such as politicians. Weber writes that individual scientists generally “maintain that he engages in ‘science for science’s sake’ and not merely because others, by exploiting science, bring about commercial or technical success and can better feed, dress, illuminate, and govern.” (Weber, Science as a Vocation, p. 138) This argument also has historical merit: the United States’ development of the nuclear bomb was a result of government sponsorship of the science, without which the nuclear bomb would likely not have developed the way it had—especially if countries did not compete to obtain the destructive nuclear technology. This shows that politics and science are inextricably linked, which Weber agrees. But the nuclear example is only one of many different examples for ways in which scientific discoveries are made. Many have been encouraged by governments, but others have been encouraged also by individuals unaffiliated with governments, be it for capital gain, academic study, and/or fame. Individual scientific discoveries happen often enough that rather than treat them, as Weber would, as exceptions, they must be included in the rule. The advent of electricity was unanticipated, and thus its discovery and utilization could not have been prompted by the government. On the other hand, other inventions such as the nuclear bomb, the internet, and other inventions were sponsored by the government to serve social and/or state needs. This shows that Weber is correct in many areas of his analysis, but could have been mistaken in others.

In response to Weber’s critique concerning the politician’s greater authority over society than the scientist, I would argue that the relationship between politicians and scientists are more complex than Weber recognizes. Weber holds the reasonable assumption that politicians hold the ultimate authority within a state. On the other hand, as Weber also recognizes, there is much movement on behalf of democratic societies of the modern era to level social stratification and enable governments to tap into the will and desires of their citizens in order to better serve them (see Bureaucracy page 224, which was quoted early on in this paper). In this manner, citizens, being “occasional politicians” (Weber, Politics as a Vocation, p. 83) can complicate the authority of the politician. Citizens, if under the influence of scientists or scientific beliefs that are contradictory to those held by politicians, can easily vote in politicians that agree with them and vote out politicians who disagree. For this reason, politicians don’t hold supreme authority over the power of the state. Furthermore, in democratic societies, there is always the possibility of the scientist becoming the politician. In modern American politics, there are many examples of scientists becoming politicians. Howard Dean, a doctor by trade, was a governor and contender for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President, and now heads the Democratic Party organization. George Foster, a physicist, was recently elected to the United States House of Representatives for the Illinois 14^th Congressional District.[1]

Weber believed that the scientist and the politician generally promoted bureaucratic order that increased rationalization, intellectualization, and disenchantment of worldly affairs. On that same vein, he criticized scientists for their technical study, and did not recognize that their discoveries and achievements can in actuality serve general social pursuits. Their discoveries in many instances are necessarily based on their understanding of social progress and how their achievements can service societal needs. To name a few of their accomplishments, many of their inventions have allowed humans to increase their population and live in greater luxury than at any other point in history, to better enjoy each other’s company even from faraway locations, to be exposed to many different geographies and cultures through advances in transportation, and each of these achievements and others (while we may take them for granted) have encouraged us to dream of other future advances in store for us. These advances have also enabled us to reach ever higher in whatever pursuit we choose to strive for. For example, we would not be able to dream about exploring space, or even conceive of space exploration, if not for the technological achievements before our time. I would argue that rather than being disenchanting, these accomplishments, and the possibilities for greater achievements, is more enchanting than he realized.

Works Cited

Weber, M. (1958). Bureaucracy. In H. Gerth, & C. W. Mills, From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology (pp. 196-244). New York City: Oxford University Press.

Weber, M. (1958). Politics as a Vocation. In H. H. Gerth, & C. W. Mills, From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology (pp. 77 - 128). New York City: Oxford University Press.

Weber, M. (1958). Science as a Vocation. In H. Gerth, & C. W. Mills, From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology (pp. 129-158). New York City: Oxford University Press.

Weber, M. (2002). The Protestant Ethic & The Spirit of Capitalism. (S. Kalberg, Ed.) New York City: Oxford University Press.

Weber, M. (1958). The Sociology of Charismatic Authority. In H. Gerth, & C. W. Mills, From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology (pp. 245-252). New York City: Oxford University Press.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Foster_(physicist)

Why I Post My Academic Work

2008-04-04T15:05:00.006-04:00

In the past I've received comments from good friends who read my blog questioning why I post some of my academic work on this blog. They have a great many valid points: most of the comments (minus three or four so far) that I've received on this blog, and my personal xanga blog, have been on personal posts. Additionally, by posting my work, I may be inviting myself to plagiarism, or maybe I'm acting a little big headed to think that my regular classwork should be anything more than papers to be turned in for a letter grade.

One of the reasons why I started this blog was because I was unsatisfied with the way in which personally interesting academic dialogue that was formulated in class seemed to stop as soon as you turn in a paper on a topic that interests you. You're lucky if you receive more than one round of feedback in return. Then, academic inquiry on that matter seems to die, unless you fortuitously find someone else to converse on the topic with, or by some random chance a friend is going through your written work and is interested in a paper or two that you wrote, and brings it up in conversation.

So I thought, many people write deep penetrating analysis on politics and receive lots of feedback, I wonder if I posted some of my classwork, maybe I could have a dialogue or two or three in a topic that interests me that would be highly educational, and personally meaningful. It might take time for someone to randomly happen upon a little known blog and be interested in whatever written essay happens to be available at the time, but these issues aren't timely at all, and in fact can be discussed any time... maybe even up to decades from now if these blog posts last. So I waited, and continued to add content to this blog, and I even posted a few updates and other less-developed thoughts to see what might stick.

I happened upon my first response to an academic essay the other day by checking my scribd.com account. You can find the essay here, along with a short response. If you also look here, you'll find an entire blog post dedicated to what was written! This is about Smith and his concepts of justice and virtue. Really interesting stuff!! Professor Gavin Kennedy lent his expertise to point out that I misunderstood Smith's conception of justice. I have to tell you, moments like these make this whole affair worth it. I highly recommend that you start an "I wonder..." blog just in case someone out there happens upon something you're interested in and you two are then given the fortuitous opportunity to converse about it. Let me know if you do!

Urban Education Reform Midterm: San Francisco

2008-04-01T22:02:00.003-04:00

School District Reform in San Francisco

Introduction

Located in the internationally renowned city of San Francisco, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) is both a source of local pride and a source of headache. SFUSD is the top performing urban public school district in California, is the only district to meet proficiency targets for special education students, and the school district was a finalist for the prestigious Broad Prize for Urban Education in 2005[i]. On the other hand, SFUSD is often characterized by problems that include political infighting among school board members that inhibits the activities of the Superintendent and district administration. It is often criticized for its student placement policies, lack of utilization of technological development over the years, shaky relationships with the teacher’s union, and still has much more room for improvement on student test scores. Any attempt at improving SFUSD must address these deficiencies while preserving the district’s overall progress over the years and protecting its tradition of student achievement growth over most of the past decade.

A Tale of Two Cities

San Francisco overall is a very wealthy city. The population of San Francisco is among the most highly educated in the nation (indicated by the proportion of residents with college degrees[ii]), and live in areas where housing prices are among the nation’s highest.[1] On the other hand as a result of high housing prices (and lack of affordable housing for middle-class families), San Francisco is also in the midst of a great middle-class flight. Much of San Francisco’s middle class population has evaporated over the years, and school district enrollment has reflected their decline. SFUSD currently serves approximately 55,000 students, down from its peak of over 90,000 in the 1960s and 1970s. Over the past ten years, SFUSD has lost almost 10,000 students[iii]. The lower-income group has remained relatively stable, and/or might have decreased slightly over the years due to gentrification. But most lower-income residents are protected from increasing housing costs due to specifically designated low-income housing in most development projects, and because of the relatively stable housing costs in troubled low-income neighborhoods. As such, San Francisco is sometimes known as the “tale of two cities”, because of relative differences in lifestyle among its two dominant groups. San Francisco schools in general reflect this disparity: San Francisco has the highest population of private school enrollment in the nation (at approximately 30%[iv]), while SFUSD enrollment is mostly minority and low income (SFUSD is only 10% white, and 62% of students qualify for free lunch according to 2005 figures[v])

Taking Stock

SFUSD faces many challenges familiar to an urban school district. SFUSD serves primarily low-income and minority students, faces declining enrollment, is attempting to narrow a daunting achievement gap and increase its test scores. SFUSD is also challenged by nearly annual budget deficits that are precipitated by state budget cuts, declining student enrollment, a sometimes temperamental and combative union leadership, and rising costs of conducting regular business (such as in purchasing commodities and paying for salary increases for teachers, administrators, and staff). San Francisco also faces problems that are unique to urban school districts, such as that many members of San Francisco’s active community activists, and several members of the Board of Education are ultra-liberal; for example they may take extreme positions such as closing down the city’s prestigious arts high school for all students because students with arts backgrounds are unfairly advantaged in the admissions process, which is primarily based on auditions. Infighting among the school board was the primary precipitating factor that pushed out former San Francisco Superintendent Arlene Ackerman from her position. Political infighting also prevented her successor, Interim Superintendent Gwen Chan, from seeking to apply for the permanent position of Superintendent.

On the other hand, SFUSD has many achievements that it should treasure and seek to improve. SFUSD has the highest test scores for an urban school district in the state; in 2005 48% of its students performed proficient or advanced on the state’s rigorous reading examination, and 57% of its students performed proficient or advanced on the state’s rigorous math examination[vi]. Approximately one third of San Francisco’s schools are among the top 25% percent of test scoring schools in the state. San Francisco has a very active community base from which to tap, members who include people who have worked with and/or founded or helped developed organizations such as DonorsChoose.org, GreatSchools.net, a SFSchools email listserv, and Parents for Public Schools. San Francisco also offers 17 language immersion programs and several alternative schools that specialize in college preparation, the arts, etc. Many schools have rich histories and are located in distinct communities each with unique resources of their own to offer the schools.

School Governance

Most administrative functions are decentralized. District central office plays a large role in coordinating district policy and ensuring school oversight, but most decisions such as various school policies (that don’t conflict with a pre-existing district policy) are determined on a school site by site basis. Most decisions on the school site level are made by a School Site Council (SSC), which is approximately 50% composed by teachers and administrators, and approximately 50% composed by parents and students (except at the elementary school level). SSCs are mostly responsible for the budget, although they can also determine other school policies such as student discipline, academic class offerings, etc. in coordination with the school principle within the larger school district context. SSCs typically meet monthly during most of the school year, and more often during the budget season. SSCs are required to meet with the larger school community to solicit input approximately twice during the budgeting season. Typically, the school district will provide a “menu” of items and their costs. Menu “offerings” include teachers, administrators, secretaries, supplies, central office support, nurses, security guards, etc. School budgets are allocated primarily by student attendance by way of the “Weighted Student Formula” (WSF), which distributes money on a per pupil basis. Students with more needs, such as special education and low income students, are weighted more in order to incentivize schools to outreach and enroll these students. Furthermore, “troubled” schools can sometimes receive up to three times more per student than the district average in order to provide them the financial resources to offer more programs and support.[2] School Site Councils are also responsible for annual reports which include school goals, and academic plans for each school. District staff will visit periodically to ensure that these plans are being followed, evaluate, and give input where they see fit. Sometimes, SSCs are also charged with making unfortunate decisions on which school programs to cut and which staff members to lay off in times of budget trouble.

District Budget

Many of the school district’s accomplishments have occurred in spite of nearly annual troublesome budget situations, which have also helped to further strain some of the already testy political problems that surround the school district. The twin trials of severe budget cuts and declining enrollment have put the district’s progress in jeopardy, tested the district’s relationship with its unions, strained other political relationships, and also forced the district to take action that has alienated certain constituencies and has affected all schools in the district. The district has been forced to lay off teachers, close under-enrolled schools, and cut WSF funding across the board, all three actions which prompted wide ranging reactions from political resistance and alienation to much division within the school board itself. For this upcoming school year, the school district faces an additional budget cut of $40 million, based on the latest budget proposal submitted by the governor of California. California school districts already currently spend approximately $1,900 less per student than the national average[vii].

District Reform

As previously noted, the situation in SFUSD is very complicated. Any effort at district reform submitted on behalf of the superintendent of schools needs to carefully consider both its budgetary and political consequences even before submitting it for consideration before the Board of Education or the public. Most importantly, “reform” efforts in San Francisco must not impinge on the progress that SFUSD has already made toward educating its students. As such, “reform” is probably a less apt term for SFUSD than “plan of action.” SFUSD’s plan of action should revolve around three main pillars: 1) Protecting its record of increasing student achievement, and enhancing the academic goals of the district for its students; 2) managing its tricky political and budgetary considerations in order to maximize the effectiveness of the first pillar; and finally 3) Building relationships with outside community members and organizations in order to enhance the school district’s long term position in terms of resources available to students and in terms of stemming, and hopefully, reversing the trend of declining student enrollment. The school district should aim to become a beacon of hope for all urban students within San Francisco and aim to become one of San Francisco city’s primary assets. This third goal should also support the first two major goals of the school district.

The first goal of our school district is the most important—the other two goals are designed to support this first crucial motive. Our plan of action for raising student performance should include ideas that increase individual school cultures of excellence and results, and support teachers and principals in their efforts toward this goal. Ultimately, the aim of the school district should include the idea that the definitive goal of the school district isn’t only to raise student test scores, but also to prepare them for college, teach them to better able citizens of the world, and attempt to maximize their individual potential. The school district has already put a lot of effort into raising test scores, including giving school sites more authority over their individual academic plans and holding them accountable for results. My first priority would be to protect these efforts and allow what’s working to continue, so I’d be loathe to make drastic changes. But as someone who’s gone through the SFUSD school system, I don’t think these efforts go far enough. I think SFUSD could substantially increase student achievement by also taking aim at more intangible aspects of education, such as school culture. I would propose SFUSD take aim at affecting school culture by developing a method by which teachers and staff try to emulate professional conduct in all of their actions in front of students. For example, in many schools teachers and administers often disagree with each other and among each other. Many times, these fights find their way into the classroom, and this may contribute to student despondency. Students should feel that schools are places of intellectual and academic discourse and discovery. Teachers and administrators who disrespect each other certainly do not contribute to this ideal environment.

Although this idea seems simple, I realize that aiming at something intangible as school culture as an area for change is a difficult plan of action to implement. First of all, there are usually pre-existing cultures within schools that are hard to change. Secondly, some teachers might be offended at the implication that the district views their behavior as “disrespectful.” In one case in University Park School in Worcester, MA, one teacher attempted to file a grievance against the students he was teaching because they demanded more rigor and substance from his teaching. I think these concerns are all valid points, but I also think that these challenges can be overcome in various creative ways. To begin, it’s easier to have principals buy into ideas such as this because the administrator’s union and administrators in general tend to be more cooperative with school district officials. Having principals buy in can be a start, since the teacher’s union tends to be more combative. Having principals start leading teachers by their own example might produce tangible results. Furthermore, I think that enough teachers are amenable to the idea reasonable idea of a respectful workplace culture that enough might buy in to start a movement. If not, the district can take other steps such as negotiating with the union to include cultural factors in teacher evaluations, and the district can also continually push this message year over year in order to push more teachers to internalize this message through district newsletters, professional development days, awards and recognition to peers who cooperate, etc.

Another idea to help increase student performance would be to invest in technology to make the district more “paperless” and to make data more available to teachers. Ultimately, if we could cut down on the paperwork (and staff time wasted on paper pushing), perhaps our investment in new technologies would be revenue neutral over time, and might even save the district money over time. We then have two benefits of: saving the district money by reducing staff required to push papers (and also fewer resources wasted on commodities that might prove useless to the ordinary teacher and student in the classroom), and we’d also support our teachers by giving them more information on which to act in order to refine their teaching practices and meet individual student needs.

I’d also seek to tangibly increase student achievement by transferring resources (so that this policy is budget neutral) into creating more alternative learning communities, especially in comprehensive schools. Even if I could only afford to change schools in name into “Engineering Academies”, “Architecture/Visual Art School”, etc., I would do it on the condition of reasonable outside support. (By reasonable outside support I do not exclusively mean financial, I think soliciting coaches and perhaps “guest teachers” from professionals in their respective fields to help train students can be very meaningful.) I think our third pillar could have the most impact toward this goal. If the school district were able to attract law firms, biotechnology companies, architecture firms, and even just a small fraction of the many prestigious organizations that do business in San Francisco, even small commitments can make a difference.[viii] I believe that opening our schools to outside mentorship and resources in a carefully constructed way can 1) increase community interest in what is going on in our schools, and 2) increase the meaningful niche learning opportunities available to students. I would only pursue these ideas as long as they are an addition to reforms that have already proved their worth in SFUSD, which is namely, preserving the School Site Council and the Weighted Student Formula. I think that SSCs already do much to encourage parental participation in our public education system. Some recent candidates to school board were initially drawn into school district politics because of their experience and training on SSCs[ix].

Of our three major pillars, I think the second one is perhaps the most complicated and involves the most politicking. Methods to achieve this goal would also differ depending on the composition of the school board, and the perception of the populace toward San Francisco schools. I believe we could best prepare a plan of action for the latter in this paper. I believe the former would vary on a case by case basis. However, I would like to make one suggestion concerning the school board before I move on. I think if there were a more user friendly way to post records of board member votes, and have the public and press better able to scrutinize their votes, public statements, and political positions, then the school board might be held more accountable to being reasonable. At the very least this might encourage them to be more consistent and rely less upon personal relationships and disagreements. Moving on to the goal of increasing public support for our school district, I would lean heavily on outreach and communication. I believe most San Francisco schools are performing very well, and the school district has already achieved many accomplishments that it can use to make a case for more support such as higher taxes to support our schools, and perhaps make the case that dissuades more families from leaving the public school system. Some of these efforts have already been successful, approximately two years ago city voters decisively voted to pass an initiative that made the city pay approximately $20 million annually to schools in order to supplement its budget.[3]

Conclusion/Summation

There are many current and past practices that continue to be valuable to SFUSD’s continuing improvement in test scores. These practices include decentralization and the development of the School Site Council, the Weighted Student Formula, and efforts begun under former Superintendent Ackerman to clean up the district’s image in order to increase public support for increasing district resources by way of taxes, grants, etc. My ultimate goal would be to ensure the continuance of these valuable practices. On the other hand, SFUSD is still far from perfect. Approximately 44% of SFUSD’s graduates haven’t completed all of the courses required for admission into the prestigious University of California or California State University system. In addition, approximately half of SFUSD’s student population doesn’t score “proficient or advanced” on California’s Standards Test. In order to increase student achievement, I would aim at upgrading SFUSD’s technological resources in order to better support teachers on the front line and try to reduce the politicking on the San Francisco school board. I would also aim at relatively intangible aspects of education reform such as improving school culture and increasing community involvement in schools. I am very excited about San Francisco’s current success in educating its students, and am also very excited over the possibility of further improvement and achievement.

[1] One would think that in a city as property rich as San Francisco, SFUSD should never be in need of financial resources. In my conversations with many who were there, this was almost the case in the pre-Prop 13 era. (SFUSD was never a rich school district, but its financial picture was better in the past.) Before California’s anti-tax landmark Proposition 13 was passed, schools could pay for the latest machine technology to help train students in well-paying blue collar jobs and careers, for example. You can often tell which schools were built before and after Proposition 13 almost simply by how elaborate and posh some of the older buildings are in comparison to our newer ones. But Proposition 13 limited property tax increases year over year after its passage to approximately 2.5%. Property values have gone sky-high since then. Since this is the case, many companies are paying approximately 1970s level taxes for properties that have gone up perhaps more than tenfold since then. For this reason, SFUSD cannot tap into the vast wealth that has accumulated in San Francisco’s rich property reserves, even for commercial property worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

[2] Ultimately, however, on average these troubled schools receive about equal or less than higher academically performing schools. This is mostly due to the fact that higher performing schools have higher teacher retention rates, and teachers (because of their seniority) earn more at these schools than at lower performing schools. Schools still pay the average amount per teacher, regardless of what each teacher ultimately costs the district, so in a sense lower performing schools, in spite of their greater budget allocation, are in some ways also subsidizing the higher performing schools.

[3] This was a remarkable achievement, given that only a few years earlier a similar measure would never have passed. There had been a public scandal of a former superintendent mismanaging funds and being involved in shady deals. Superintendent Ackerman helped clean up the district’s image and laid the foundation for this victory. I believe Ackerman’s efforts should be continued, and that the district should aim for a bigger slice of the city’s wealth (San Francisco itself has a city budget of $5 billion). On another somewhat unrelated note, it is a sad statement of the extent of the state’s budget cuts for education that the district had to dip into this approximately $20 million yearly fund in order to fund salary increases for teachers in order to prevent a strike, instead of the supplementary arts, sports, and librarian funding it was intended for.

[i] This information can be found from several sources, including the California Department of Education, the Broad Education Foundation, and from the district’s “Did You Know?” webpage. http://portal.sfusd.edu/template/default.cfm?page=about.didyouknow

[ii] MSN Encarta lists that the Census Bureau’s statistic for San Francisco stands at second place for an urban area in the nation with a population proportion of 50.1% of residents having obtained a college degree or higher.

[iii] These figures were presented to the Board of Education of SFUSD of which I was a member two years ago. This information isn’t readily accessible on the internet, but please contact me if you would like contact information of district officials with whom to check these figures. As far as I’m aware, these numbers are still accurate, although district enrollment may have begun to stabilize starting this school year. You can note part of this decline by comparing Broad Finalist enrollment figures from 2005 district enrollment (approximately 57,000 students), at http://www.just4kids.org/en/files/broad/2005_San_Francisco.pdf to this past year’s student enrollment of 55,500 http://portal.sfusd.edu/template/default.cfm?page=about.glance

[iv] An article on this subject by the San Francisco Chronicle, a local newspaper, can be found online at http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/05/31/MNGJIJ50T41.DTL

[v] San Francisco overall is approximately 44% white, according to a report at http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/06/06075.html San Francisco figures can be found at the following site: http://www.just4kids.org/en/files/broad/2005_San_Francisco.pdf

[vi] The discrepancy between its reading and math scores can be attributed to its relatively high English Language Learner population, which stands at 28%. The test score information is derived from http://portal.sfusd.edu/template/default.cfm?page=about.didyouknow

[vii] http://portal.sfusd.edu/template/default.cfm?page=news.budget_action

[viii] The mock trial program at my high school changed my life. It only required the commitment of four lawyers, once or twice a week. From mock trial, I was introduced to the rigors of law and competition, and I was introduced to people who helped me obtain education public policy experience.

[ix] I briefly mentioned one of these cases in an article I co-wrote for the Harvard Political Review last year: http://hprsite.squarespace.com/golden-laboratory-fall2006/2006/11/13/golden-laboratory.html

A New Sun Rises

2008-03-29T21:54:00.007-04:00

This past week a very special friend visited me at Harvard for spring break. Although I miss home very much, I'm glad I stayed, and I'm glad I got to spend some time with this person.

It didn't start out real well. Actually, it started off as a blast. We threw a pretty hopping dance party, and I introduced her to one of my good friends. They hit it off, although there was nothing really romantic between the two, I realized that I got a little jealous. I struggled with my emotions for a while, hoping not to show them, but my unease was pretty apparent, because they noticed. We worked it out by the end of the week.

We all ultimately had a good time. I introduced her to more of my friends, mostly guys (for some reason, it seems that mostly guys have stayed on campus this spring break), over the course of the spring break. We did a lot of fun things, we took walks, visited the Museum of Fine Arts (a very amazing museum, by the way), and had some time to ourselves, although I wish we had more time.

There's really no point to this blog post I suppose. Another one of my friends has been going through some tough times, and I called her to tell her I appreciated her, and that I know that there are many, many of us who appreciate her. I think it helped. I can't wait to see her again, I'm sure it'll be good for the both of us. I also learned a lot from one of my guy friends, things that I never realized before. I won't forget what we discussed, but in the limited time we had we hadn't been able to sort out our problems (there aren't any problems between us, just our personal problems), so I hope we talk more.

I'm sorry I can't be more specific. I'm sure I'll reread this post down the line and wonder what the heck I'm talking about. I'm sure many of you are wondering the same thing. What I mean to communicate between you, and I, though, is that every so often we should remind ourselves to be there for our friends and remind ourselves that our friends are here for us. I hope you give someone a call, or even better, spend some time with them.

Relational Paradox: That of the Individual and Society

2008-03-21T00:57:00.008-04:00

Relational Paradox: That of the Individual and Society

Alexis de Tocqueville enjoyed paradoxes. In his visit to the United States, Tocqueville remarked that “No novelty in the United States struck me more vividly during my stay there than the equality of conditions.”[1] Tocqueville was awed by what he observed in his trip, and he believed that the relatively young country represented a new modern society that would replace an aging aristocratic one. To Tocqueville, it was the basic premise of equality and egalitarianism that gave rise to a more improved society. Tocqueville continued his remarks on the United States’ ‘equality of conditions’ in his introduction, where he wrote “It is easy to see the immense influence of this basic fact on the whole course of society. It gives a particular turn to public opinion and a particular twist to the new laws, new maxims to those who govern and particular habits to the governed.”[2] On the other hand, especially in volume two of his great work Democracy in America, Tocqueville paradoxically wrote about the dangers of the country’s egalitarianism. Notably, Tocqueville feared individualism, as well as the tyranny of the majority. The perfect state, in Tocqueville’s mind, was a delicate balance of individual freedoms and collective cohesion that seems impossible for any state to practically attain.

Although this paper is primarily concerned with Tocqueville’s vision of modern societies, this paper also utilizes other notable thinkers and ideas in an attempt to critique Tocqueville’s observations and theories. We begin with the idea that Tocqueville, who is interested in the development of the democratic social state, seems to inaccurately emphasize religion’s ability to preserve mores that are essential to the maintenance of freedom. History has shown that in reality religion can be divisive, encourage self-segregation, and emphasize differences among individuals rather than encourage unity among all peoples. The development of social mores that stem from equality are also a great concern for Tocqueville, who believed that equality begot individualism and encouraged self-centered individuals. But this paper argues that Tocqueville is unnecessarily concerned about the ramifications of the self-centered individual who, as Adam Smith and Friedrich A. von Hayek would argue, can still be both self-centered and at the same time serve society’s needs. Smith and Hayek would argue that these two points are not mutually exclusive, whereas Tocqueville seems to imply that they are. Furthermore, this essay looks at a possible solution to the Tocqueville’s other problem of the “tyranny of the majority” by utilizing associations as havens for dissent and debate. Finally, this essay goes back to Tocqueville’s major point about the importance of equality in the modern society attempts to piece together a coherent philosophy behind the concept of the individual in modern society. Additionally, it is important to note that all references to American democracy refer to republican democracy.

For Tocqueville, the origins of United States egalitarian society is founded upon a complex interaction of the physical geography of North America, the history of the colonies, and the religious beliefs of its people. Inevitably, these major influences on American society assisted in its development into an egalitarian society by helping to determine the country’s social state. The American social state allowed individual Americans a suitable participatory role in local and national politics that was mutually beneficial to both individuals and the state. Tocqueville supported this idea when he wrote that “The social state is commonly the result of circumstances, sometimes of laws, but most often of a combination of the two.”[3] Tocqueville emphasized two factors, however, that are primarily responsible for the culture of democracy that pervaded the country: the interaction between the religious and political ideals among all members of United States society. In the religious/moral world, Tocqueville wrote, everything was ordered, coordinated and organized while everything in the political world was chaotic, disordered and confused. “Far from harming each other,” Tocqueville wrote, “these two apparently opposed tendencies work in harmony and seem to lend mutual support.”[4] Tocqueville explained this idea of mutual benefit by describing religion as the “guardian of mores” and the companion of freedom in its struggle to maintain itself.

It is important to note, however, that during Tocqueville’s visit the entire country (excluding Native American and African Americans), was almost entirely Christian. More specifically, most of America at that time was Protestant. Since this is the case, Tocqueville’s observation that religion and freedom mutually supported one another was in actually an observation that Protestantism (rather than religion overall) and freedom are only mutually beneficial to each other. He wrote that “For Americans the idea of Christianity and liberty are so completely mingled that it is almost impossible to get them to conceive of the one without the other.”[5] But, if Tocqueville is correct to assume that religion and freedom are mutually beneficial to each other, then his conception of the development of democratic mores is almost useless in a society that consists of different and/or several religions and belief systems—assuming that everyone doesn’t or won’t convert to become Protestants. Tocqueville doesn’t seem to disagree. On page 445 Tocqueville writes how Islamic beliefs and egalitarian mores are inherently incompatible, and therefore, Islamic countries are less susceptible to democratizing:

Mohammed brought down from heaven and put into the Koran not religious doctrines only, but political maxims, criminal and civil laws, and scientific theories. The Gospels, on the other hand, deal only with the relations between man and God and between man and man. Beyond that, they teach nothing and do not oblige people to believe anything. That alone, among a thousand reasons, is enough to show that Islam will not be able to hold its power long in ages of enlightenment and democracy, while Christianity is destined to reign in such ages, as in all others.[6]

Tocqueville, an imperialist, might therefore argue that other societies and cultures have to emulate Protestantism if they didn’t convert outright, in order to remain competitive and/or not be conquered by Christian democratic societies. If this is the case, that societies should first convert into Protestantism in order to craft a workable democratic society, then Tocqueville doesn’t explain the rise of other great democracies since his time in Japan, India, and South Africa. Each has their own set of beliefs and religious values that are different from Protestantism, and none of these countries adopted Protestantism or another form of Christianity as a major religion. If Christianity were so important to the development of democratic culture, then why did America’s founding fathers purposefully separate the roles of church and state in society?

History has shown that even if all of one society or country has similar beliefs, there are times and cases from which religion is divisive, and encourages self-destructive social behavior. For example, modern American society is currently extremely conflicted over abortion and gay rights issues. Even within the Protestant religious umbrella, people are fragmented on their stances on these two issues. Some have taken to militant action, such as the bombing of abortion clinics, or the assassination of gay rights activists (i.e. Harvey Milk). Some churches, such as the Episcopal Church, have adopted amended rules and/or split and formed other organizations in order to recognize gay couples, or to allow women a place in religious organizational leadership. These destructive social behaviors and divisions can sometimes be primarily fueled by religious fervor. In these cases, religion can emphasize differences among individuals rather than encourage unity, as extremely polarized issues remain unresolved as long as opposing beliefs exist. These conditions can make it difficult for associations to develop and/or foster.

For Toqueville, associations are the bonds that are created among individuals in order to utilize their collective power to influence government and society. Associations are an important aspect of American culture because associations help develop fellow-feeling and solidarity. Tocqueville observed that forming and belonging to associations was one of the more pronounced activities of American citizens. Tocqueville noted that “Americans of all ages, all stations in life, and all types of disposition are forever forming associations.”[7] He emphasized associations because they provide a necessary service in fighting against the problems of individualism. “If men are to remain civilized or to become civilized,” Tocqueville wrote, “the art of association must develop and improve among them at the same speed as equality of conditions spreads.”[8] The ramifications of the equality of conditions are a paramount concern for Tocqueville, who believed that equality encouraged individualism. Tocqueville had the belief that because equality enables each person to serve their individual self interests, then individuals were susceptible to harmful individualist tendencies that could prove destructive. “Individualism” is an evolution from egoism, which Tocqueville claims is “a passionate and exaggerated love of self which leads a man to think of all things in terms of himself and to prefer himself to all.”[9] Each citizen, then, is isolated from (or isolates himself from) the rest of society into the society of his or her limited social circle of family and friends. The individual “gladly leaves the greater society to look after itself”[10] and recuses him or herself from a responsibility to contribute back to society. Equality of conditions demolishes human fellowship, and according to Tocqueville, is of democratic origin and threatens to grow as conditions get more equal.”[11]

However, there is no reason that individual self-interest and the interests of society are mutually exclusive. By all accounts, Tocqueville would prefer a kind of political man over the family man (or woman) when in reality in a modern society they can be one and the same, or at least share similar interests. While individualism and social isolation is a worry, it is not as pronounced as Tocqueville believes. Smith notes that "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages." Therefore, individual self-interest and collective social interests can be intertwined. The family man can still serve society by serving his family’s interests. In Smith’s example, the family man would help provide bread, meat, or beer for society. In addition, there is little reason for men and women to isolate themselves from politics or their fellow-beings when most businesses and occupations require some form of social interaction and in many cases men and women of all interests are affected by various state legislation concerning suitable business practices, taxation, driver’s licenses, etc.

Tocqueville’s other great concern for the individual was the tyranny of the majority. A big question for Tocqueville was to whom individuals can turn to when conflicts arise between the individual and the rest of society. On page 252 of Democracy in America, Tocqueville pondered:

When a man or a party suffers an injustice in the United States, to whom can he turn? To public opinion? That is what forms the majority. To the legislative body? It represents the majority and obeys it blindly. To the executive power? It is appointed by the majority and serves as its passive instrument. To the police? They are nothing but the majority under arms. A jury? The jury is the majority vested with the right to pronounce judgment; even the judges in certain states are elected by the majority. So, however iniquitous or unreasonable the measure which hurts you, you must submit.[12]

James Madison, an American politician who helped oversee the development of the United States, had a similar concern. In his editorial, Federalist #10, Madison wrote that “Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens, […] that measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority.”[13] But Madison responded to this question by stating that the only way to combat this tyranny was to encourage associations, which he called factions, to increase so that they could combat one another when individual associations become too powerful. Eventually, Madison assumed, if one faction was becoming too powerful, then that would encourage many of the other smaller factions to work together to negate the effects of the large faction. Madison concludes Federalist #10 by stating:

The influence of factious leaders may kindle a flame within their particular States, but will be unable to spread a general conflagration through the other States. A religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the Confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it must secure the national councils against any danger from that source.[14]

Thus, associations, which already constitute a major part of American culture, can serve to both divide the interests of the majority, and also serve to unite smaller associations against the overwhelming power of the majority.

Tocqueville believed that equality of conditions was an important component of any modern society. He believed the egalitarian social state of America helped develop American characteristics of industriousness and the desire to accumulate wealth. Tocqueville, however, may have used observations which were too general in order to craft his theory on American society. Tocqueville seems to have confused the effects of democracy and egalitarianism with the effects of commercial society. Furthermore, Tocqueville’s analysis of religion in America is incomplete; his analysis doesn’t explain what might happen if America suddenly became less religious, or more religious with different beliefs, and what effects these might have on society. Tocqueville rightly concentrates on the power of the individual in modern society, but Tocqueville fears both individualism, and paradoxically, the tyranny of the majority. Tocqueville’s individualism is grounded on the idea that the goals and activities political man, as opposed to those of the family man, are mutually exclusive.

In actuality I have tried to show that this isn’t the case, and there are many instances in business and politics that directly affect the political and family man at the same time. Tocqueville’s concern over the tyranny of the majority is a valid concern, and can be seen even today in the majority’s denial of equal rights for gays and lesbians. Madison’s solution would be to encourage the development of more factions and associations to limit any individual association’s power. Tocqueville himself noted that associations were an enormous part of American life. Ultimately, even though he expresses some reservations about, and an incomplete understanding of commercial society, Tocqueville raises two penetrating concerns of the modern era: the risk of the individual isolating him/herself from the rest of his/her fellows, and the risk to the individual from the tyranny of society.

[1] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 9

[2] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 9

[3] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 50

[4] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 47

[5] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 293

[6] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 445

[7] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 513

[8] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 515

[9] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 506

[10] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 506

[11] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 507

[12] Tocqueville, Alexis de Democracy in America translated by George Lawrence edited by J.P. Mayer; published by Perennial Classics 2000, New York NY Page 252

[13] Madison, James Federalist #10 http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm

[14] Madison, James Federalist #10 http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm

Straight Couples Bill

2008-03-09T18:51:00.002-04:00

I still think that a comprehensive gay rights/marriage bill should be passed first.

Straight Couples Bill

At Least One Person Realizes

2008-03-06T16:22:00.001-05:00

It seems that McCain has realized the importance of Florida in the general election, and is already working to woo Floridians. When will the Democrats get beyond their impasse and seat Florida delegates or hold a new primary/caucus??

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/06/vice-presidential-tea-leaves-and-a-dig-at-obama

There, Mr. McCain praised Mr. Crist effusively once more, and said: “As many of you may recall, his endorsement of my candidacy obviously was very crucial in my ability to win the primary here in the state of Florida, and I’m very well aware of the importance of Florida in the general election.’’

Guns on Campus? Legal?!

2008-03-05T21:13:00.002-05:00

Sounds like a horrible idea, doesn't it? But guess who just introduced a bill to legalize concealed weapons on college campuses...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/05/us/05guns.html?ref=us

Interesting Vermont Ballot Measures

2008-03-04T20:21:00.003-05:00

The New York Times Live Blogging for tonight's Texas-Ohio-Rhode Island-Vermont primaries revealed an interesting Vermont ballot measure:

The Associated Press also reports that voters in two Vermont towns approved symbolic measures Tuesday calling for the indictment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney for what they consider violations of the Constitution. The measures seek to have police arrest Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney if they ever visit Brattleboro or nearby Marlboro.

Not sure of the likelihood that either will be cruising downtown Brat anytime soon, but now you know where the Green Mountaineers are coming from.

P.S. :crosses fingers for Hillary!:

Equal Opportunity Casting

2008-02-04T19:51:00.001-05:00

We did it!! Unfortunately, lots of cuts had to be made. And one minor factual error-- well exaggeration made it through the rounds of edits, but it's published!! The message is hopefully coming out!! Thank you so much everyone for your help, edits, tips, information, support, etc. etc.

I'll keep you updated should there be any updates on this issue. You can find a direct link to the Crimson's publication here. A full version of the Op-Ed released on this blog, is available here.

Best,
Jason

Equal Opportunity Casting

Published On Monday, February 04, 2008 2:10 AM

By JASON J. WONG

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This past fall, the New College Theater celebrated its grand re-opening with an excellent production of the hilariously absurd play, “Oh Dad, Poor Dad.” Like many other Harvard theatrical productions, however, the triumph of the production was attenuated by the lack of minorities in the cast. Sadly, many audience members and production staff were oblivious to the lack of minority representation.

That Harvard-affiliated and subsidized productions should better represent the diversity of its student body is a no-brainer. That there is little movement toward this goal, and also a history of homogeneity in Harvard’s theater community should be a cause for concern among Harvard’s artists, activists, and students.

Minorities make up nearly half of the Harvard population. Yet, minority actors, directors, producers, and techies are few and far between. In Harvard productions, how often do you find minority actors cast onstage, besides in productions that are staged by cultural groups such as BlackCAST or Bodas de Sangre? Certain ethnicities, particularly Asian and Middle Eastern, are conspicuously missing from Harvard’s thespian community.

To be sure, no one should go to a theatrical production expecting 21 percent of the cast to mirror Harvard College’s Asian population. But it is unfortunate that no one expects to see a variety of actors from different minority groups play roles in productions that were written in an era when Caucasians dominated the theater community.

Admittedly, it is hard to blame a casting director for looking at a quintessentially American role like Willy Loman’s in “Death of a Salesman” and visualizing a white actor because that is how the role is traditionally portrayed. But Loman’s character encompasses a more fundamental struggle to achieve the American Dream that transcends race. Why, then, can’t Loman’s character be played equally well by others who represent one of the many other peoples whose struggle to achieve the American dream is just as, if not more, real?

The American Dream is inherently multicultural and involves people of different ethnicities. But no one in the Harvard theater community openly discusses this dearth of minority involvement.

The problem is that no one questions why we tend to prefer white actors. For example, it is generally presumed that the major roles of Jonathan and Rosalie in “Oh Dad, Poor Dad” will be cast as white. Many people may believe that the only plays worth producing are written for white actors, but this line of thought leaves little room for actors of other ethnicities to find roles that are not a stereotype of their ethnic appearance and/or not minor roles. Furthermore, this line of thought does not justify why white actors were cast in “The Mikado,” in which the characters are supposedly Japanese.

For whatever reason, there is a tendency against “color blind” casting, and we miss key opportunities to expose theater-going audiences to a multicultural experience.

Of course, the idea of “color-blind” casting is a controversial one in the larger theatrical world. August Wilson, the African-American Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, argued that ethnic experiences are distinct and unique, and therefore cannot be successfully intertwined onstage. By contrast, Professor of English, Emeritus, theatre critic, and playwright Robert S. Brustein, contended that racial issues could be resolved onstage when he stated that “theater works best as a unifying rather than a segregating medium.” This discussion is missing at Harvard. The theater scene still does not involve nearly the number of minorities that it should.

Why, at a place like Harvard that is exceptionally diverse in many respects, is the group of students involved in theatre so homogeneous?

We must decide not to be limited by our predilections toward actors of one type. By this I mean that we need to open up our minds—and stages—to the idea of minority leads in traditionally white roles. Other solutions include creating ethnically conscious productions, and using race and ethnicity in creative ways. Patrick Stewart famously reversed the colors in his production of “Othello” a few years ago in Washington D.C.

Isn’t theater, after all, supposed to challenge society, the human condition, and traditionally held beliefs through art?

At some point, one wonders when the status quo will change to better represent our increasingly diverse society. It won’t change until we will ourselves to confront the issue. Today, the first day of Common Casting, is a good opportunity to start. There isn’t a better time than now to challenge ourselves to imagine an African American, an Asian, or a Latino in important American roles such as Willy, Rosalie, or Jonathan. Only when we, as actors, directors, casting directors, critics, producers and audience members, open up to the idea of such a possibility will minority actors truly be given an equal chance to perform in these roles.

Jason J. Wong ’10 is a social studies concentrator in Quincy House.