Spring Break
Letter to the Editor
Diversity: Culture not fully represented
Issue date: 5/13/09 Section: Forum
Articles such as that on Feb. 20, 2009, "China filled with surprises, tradition, unity," do nothing to promote understanding and appreciation for other cultures and ways of life.
Culture encompasses values, tradition, language, ideology and a range of other things that describe the diverse human experience. The poorly written article by liberal studies freshman Joce DeWitt was largely a comparison of the material wealth between middle-class Americans and ordinary Chinese.
To say that DeWitt's view of culture and tradition is superficial is an understatement. The description of diversity in cosmopolitan Hong Kong was limited to the contrast between "knock-off merchandise" with "Chanel and Gucci" being sold on the street. For much of the article, DeWitt complained about how luxuries such as hot water and clothes dryers were inaccessible during her one-year stay as a tourist in China. Part of a being a cultured person is being adaptable and respectful, not condescending to the ways of life of others.
Oregon State has a large and active Asian student population and many professors of Chinese descent. If The Daily Barometer truly invites dialogue and diverse perspectives, a Chinese member of the OSU community should have been invited to write the article or provide commentary. Who better to write an article about life in China than a Chinese? If the purpose of the article was to compare life in the United States with that in China, a piece from a first generation Chinese-American student would have been more appropriate.
As an Asian, I found the article insulting, especially because people who know nothing about China might read it and develop a negative view of the country and Asian culture in general.
Elizabeth Quimba
Junior in zoology
Culture encompasses values, tradition, language, ideology and a range of other things that describe the diverse human experience. The poorly written article by liberal studies freshman Joce DeWitt was largely a comparison of the material wealth between middle-class Americans and ordinary Chinese.
To say that DeWitt's view of culture and tradition is superficial is an understatement. The description of diversity in cosmopolitan Hong Kong was limited to the contrast between "knock-off merchandise" with "Chanel and Gucci" being sold on the street. For much of the article, DeWitt complained about how luxuries such as hot water and clothes dryers were inaccessible during her one-year stay as a tourist in China. Part of a being a cultured person is being adaptable and respectful, not condescending to the ways of life of others.
Oregon State has a large and active Asian student population and many professors of Chinese descent. If The Daily Barometer truly invites dialogue and diverse perspectives, a Chinese member of the OSU community should have been invited to write the article or provide commentary. Who better to write an article about life in China than a Chinese? If the purpose of the article was to compare life in the United States with that in China, a piece from a first generation Chinese-American student would have been more appropriate.
As an Asian, I found the article insulting, especially because people who know nothing about China might read it and develop a negative view of the country and Asian culture in general.
Elizabeth Quimba
Junior in zoology
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