Individuality @ MindSay 
While sifting through the Internet in an attempt to gather information for a report, I stumbled upon an article in the China Daily (link): a Chinese person’s evaluation of China’s innovation and his/her suggestions on how to improve the situation.
Here’s a juicy snippet: “Chinese culture generally curbs creativity and innovation. In our society, official authority is never to be challenged. Starting from kindergarten, children are trained to follow the rules. Our education system is based on rote learning. Even in our postgraduate studies, the teacher is always right. Admittedly we have changed. Yes, quite a lot in many areas. But let's face it, we are still a conformist society.”
That was posted in several official communist news websites. In the push for innovation, the Chinese government admits that its entire education system is faulty—and beyond that, their entire society is conformist. It seems that China is willing to accept faults when it is ready to deal with them.
The author of the article goes on to say that “a highly individualistic society like the United States” isn’t necessarily the answer. The suggested answer to China’s creativity woes lies in tolerance. The author harks back to China’s history to make the point: “According to Professor Robert Temple, visiting professor of the history and philosophy of science at Tsinghua University, over the past 3,000 years, Chinese inventions were on the average 1,223 years ahead of the West. This can prove once and for all that creativity and innovation have nothing to do with individualism, and that China is capable of inventing things well in advance of others. China does not have to pursue the adversarial and expansionist strategy typical of an individualistic society.”
The idea is that there is more than one route to creativity. America’s vaunted individualism is only coincidently related to innovation. This is because the real source of innovation, proven by China’s past, is tolerance. (Can I mention the fact that “highly individualist” might just be a pseudonym for “democracy”? And that this barely disguised attack on democracy relies on nothing bearing any resemblance to logic? But the point of this article does not lie in assaulting this author’s line of reasoning.)
The author asserts that China, in the past, was a “highly inclusive and tolerant” society. It is not such any longer. And tolerance, not individualism, is the key to innovation. This is because tolerance will allow people to break out of a conformist social mindset, and thus innovate. The essay concludes with a plea: “Start with our children. Teach them that getting into university is not the only objective of studying, and that rote learning is not the only way to study. Give them the ability to think critically, and let them challenge the authorities. Tolerate those who think and act somewhat differently from most of us, and leave them alone to do their own things. Let our children know that making money is not the be-all and end-all.”
Though I may have a hard time with some of the author’s logic and wording (I admit that this may simply be an issue of translation), I do find this article very interesting. The Chinese have officially stated what everyone says about Chinese creativity. The education system and the attitudes behind it need to change. Rote learning is not the only way to learn and it is ok to question authority. In other words, the Chinese need to become more tolerant—but most certainly not more individualistic.
Happy Mother's Day!
.... I got into the spirit... bought a lovely wordy card for my mother who lives miles and miles away and got one for my .... well "boyfriend" sounds so juvenile and well "significant other" so fake and "husband" so final and "common-law husband" is just to damn long... I always have a difficult time defining his status - well anyway you get the picture - a card for his mother.
Sometimes I feel as though I need to breathe... not like that exhale shit! But to reconnect with the me before I became connected with him! 
Either that or I am having a hard time coping with birthdays! Maybe I am getting old .... thinking old...acting aged!
Heck, I probably need to just go out and get on bad! It has been awhile! My girlfriend and I had decided that every month a group of us would go out, no men allowed! It was working fine... especially when she and her man was in limbo but honestly, come to think of it.... now that he is back (as if he ever really left) that concept has faltered by the wayside!
everyone is wrapped up in something and if I keep waiting for company, for commitment, for change... nothing is going to happen... it starts and ends with me afterall it is my life! The only one I've got and I might as well enjoy it.... make something of it... and leave a positive mark!
The lid has finally opened... Nike was right!
Now that deserves a vodka and cranberry juice or hell, I'll settle for a beastly cold beer!
Anyway.... thank you mama for the nine months you carried me!
And to all out there raising the future on your own (single father/mother) .... auntie or granny.... HAPPY MOTHER's DAY!
PS my sister is having a baby... due in October!
I'm taking bets .... boy or girl?
RELEASE ISN'T IT GRAND!
I am who I am...I make no apologies for this...If anyone disagrees with me, so what, opinions are like assholes....everyone has one....I have plenty of likes and dislikes, but I NEVER criticize or ridicule anyone for being who they are...why is it that many, many, people are judgmental asswipes?....I dont know...Our world would be less full of shit if peole concerned themselves more with themselves than with others, cause the only thing you can change in this world is yourself...why do people need to be a follower? why not try to be a leader, an individual, why conform to the standards set for you by others?
this is why some people hate me...im not gonna follow their bullshit games...
I make my own way....
N
Imagine my surprise when I was leaving almost 5 hours later. I clearly hadn't planned on staying that long, but I was having a good time. Of course, near the end of the night, things started to get odd. As my coworkers got more alcohol in them, they became more and more willing to discuss how they were going to change me to make me more like them. Okay, "discuss" is a kind word. There were more willing to tell me how they were going to change me, and through that, how they were going to get me married.
Most of their suggestions were bunk. Most of their suggestions involved throwing out any individuality and uniqueness. I told them that by doing these things, I'd actually be in disguise as someone that I clearly wasn't. They said that I'd still be me, but I'd be presenting someone different. "So I'd be lying? Putting up a front?" I asked. They were unwilling to commit to the word "lie", but did admit that I was putting on a show. I refused to do any of these things.
They did have one really good suggestion. They said I needed a pair of black Dr. Martens, because my brown ones, while nice, don't go with every outfit. I breathed a big reluctant sigh and admitted defeat. They all smiled big with their victory over me. They were quite happy that they were helping. What they don't know is that I've been looking for a certain style of Docs in my size for about 2 months now. Wouldn't it be great if my shoe store finally got them in stock? By buying the shoes now, I could get the shoes that I wanted AND give my coworkers the impression that I got them because of their coaxing. A victory for them; that really isn't one.
"Stop evaluating Christians by what the world thinks about them or what they seem to be like on the outside...When someone becomes a Christian he becomes a brand new person on the inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun."
There's a guy that recently started going to my church, Andrew, who just became a Christian. He's what people might a call a 'punk'-converse, band shirts, the works. I relate to him well for that. The amazing thing about Andrew is, he appreciates the beauty and majesty of God more than any Bible-pushing religious 'good' Christian I know. He just has this child-like awe of the God that made this earth. We were sitting outside at church last Wednesday night and he was gazing into the sky just saying, "It's so vast. It's so amazing." He appreciates beauty because God created it.
The thing that I find amazing is that people that profess to be Christians judge him, and say that his faith isn't going to last, simply because of how he talks, dresses, and the things he likes to do. I was actually yelled at by someone because when I went out in the hall one sunday to pray with Andrew and my friend Alyssa, they assumed that I was going outside to smoke with the "stoner looking kids".
God loves each of us no matter how we look, dress, or talk. In fact, God loves Andrew's individuality, because He made him that way. We weren't created to be all the same as if made with a cookie-cutter. It's a shame that more people don't realize that...
Showing 1 - 5. [ Next ]