My natural attitude towards life is one of joy, wonder, awe as I witness the beauty of it
unfolding within and around me. I cherish life, goodness, and beauty of nature. Coming
from a culture with a Buddhist religion, I deeply believed that human beings are inherently
intelligent and innocent. We are born with flexible intelligence that enables us to respond to
each challenge that life presents us with clarity, precision, and effectiveness. We are
capable, creative, and powerful. Humans are oriented to their environment principally
through culture and families. My natural relationship with my family and other human
beings is characterized by awareness of our close connection to each other from loving
cooperation, trusting, caring, exploring, communicating, and being closed to one another.
In this paper, I will discuss mainly the contents of my culture, religion, family, school, peers,
employment, mass media and the connections that have developed or shaped to my
current “self”.
Chinese civilization has a solid history of more than five thousands years. It has
contributed both precious philosophy and principles for creating my personal character. I
came from a culture, religion and family that emphasizes joyfulness, sympathy for others,
and harmony in life. The extended family system, ancestor worship and Chinese
philosophy are important characteristics of Chinese culture, which is embodied primarily in
Confucianist teachings (Confucius, Chinese great philosopher, 551 B.C. – 479 B. C.). In
my earliest school years from China, I was taught to be gravity, earnestness, kindness,
sincerity and generosity of soul. I have learned that it’s my responsibility and obligation to
respect my parents or elderly citizens where constructed me as an obedient individual. In
turn, my family takes pride in what I do, and I attempt to bring honor to my family through
my accomplishments.
As a result of rapid industrialization, technology improvements, mass media effects and
strong Western influences, Chinese family structures and functions have begun to change.
This has happened to my family as well. The family pattern of my generation has become
“intra-generational social mobility” and nuclear units composed of education, occupational
achievements, wealth, power, meritocracy, social standing and mobility. This “Human
Evolution” has shaped my behaviors and beliefs through social control where I tried to
avoid the consequences of being a deviant. However, even in this time of social change, I
still have a strong sense of family responsibility, and my family still influences my behaviors
and beliefs.
It’s interesting to realize that there are some family patterns that have passed down from
generation to generation. Most were patterns of survival that allowed my ancestors to
cope with the terror and insecurity of totalitarian feudalistic oppression within their society.
One of the patterns is desperation around education for survival. In Chinese culture, the
only way to get ahead is through study. I am sure that this comes from the “Imperial
Exams” which were the great equalizer in Chinese history, where even the peasants could
attain high government posts if they did well in it. My parents have acquired this pattern as
well. Since both of my parents lost opportunities of getting education because of the
“Chinese Cultural Revolution” (1966-1976), they internalized this oppression and place a
great deal of emphasis on this for their children. They often reminded me “the only chance
of getting ahead is through education”, and have influenced my academic development
where education allowed me to discover myself including both strength and weakness. My
parents have always used my brother as a scholar instance. He was graduated from
University of California with double degree in aeronautic and mechanical engineering.
While still studying in UCI, he also was a great mathematic and physic tutor in University of
Southern California, where he earned part of his education expenses along with scholarship
and federal financial aid. Although this academic pressure didn’t influence me from being
competitive with him, my brother certainly assisted to establish my educational goal and
deserved for my respects.
I believed everyone’s, including my, life process is like an interesting book that consisting
both happiness and sadness. I would like to examine the history of my life furthermore to
the connections of molding and shaping into the person I am today. As a child at the age
of twelve, who could hardly make any decisions, immigrated to the United States without
any prior notices, I grew up in the underprivileged community in Los Angeles. I still can
recall the days of crying for returning to China where glory was belonging to me. I was
recognized as a perfect and smart student who always has achieved top scores in school.
Entering into a diverse culture (United States), the ways of my living standards were totally
changed. Communication was difficult where English was an innovative language for me
and civilization was completely dissimilar as I was in cultural shock.
I soon began to enroll in school and study basic education from public institutions. My
performance was indubitably acceptable. In fact, I almost achieved straight As in all
classes from elementary to high school. Although score is not the most important in
education, I was recognized as one of the teachers’ most favorable students and my
parents were very proud of me. Schooling also enlarged my social visions and activities.
Becoming a member of mathematic clubs encouraged my social interactions with other
people who have different cultural backgrounds. Soon we established peer groups where
we shared common interests and goals. Exchanging cultural values, beliefs and ideas with
members in my primary and secondary groups lead me to believe that every human being
is created unquestionably unique and special. I learned that adaptation is a way of life and
quickly I recognized my social identity.
After high school, I soon found my first job at the other side of my community, Hollywood,
an entertainment city with well economic development that provides different kinds of
opportunities, including success and failure. I worked as a telemarketer for a huge
telecommunication service provider, AT&T Corporation. My duty was to call both
residential and commercial customers (prospects) and promote telecommunication
products over the telephone. The function of this task was somewhat difficult, as it
required effective communication and immediate response to conquer prospects’
objections. The reward for this complicated post was either federal minimum wage or
highly commissions depend on participant’s productivity. The ability to persuade helped
me to gain an enormous income that was five times better than minimum wage. Although
these factors of desire to achieve didn’t molded my work ethic to be materialistic, but
certainly aggressive.
The precious experiences or knowledge gained from public education, employment, and
socialization combined with my cultural values and beliefs created me a self-conscious type
of person. Although our behaviors are shaped and controlled by society, I developed a
strong and unique personal character. It has positively contributed and influenced the way
I behave and respond to society in daily life. For example: Communication in the 21st
century is very effective with the inventions of high-speed internet, cable and satellite
television. The information diffuse from these mass medias has helped me to understand
and concede the world better instead of controlling the way I think and reason.
After carefully exploring at my culture, religion, family, and other important connections, I
am truly proud to be Chinese. Chinese make up more than one fifth of the world’s
population. We present culture and civilization that are thousand of years old, rich in arts,
sciences, philosophies, natural resources, and great inventions or contributions to today’s
societies. We may be living in our countries of origin or living as immigrants in other
nations. We represent much of the world’s labor force, and produce a major proportion
of the world’s goods and services. Each of us speaks at least few Chinese dialects, and
has different, unique and precious values.
I deeply value the concept of living in harmony. Especially, being a Chinese immigrant to
the United States. I learned that adaptation is a good way of life. Healthy human
adaptation is derived from a balance of work, play, and self-maintenance within the
individual’s broader environment. In Chinese culture, people are advised to live according
to the principle of “Yin Yang”, that is to be orderly and harmonious in the areas of eating
and living as to maintain proper vitality and to assure a long life. Life is not complete
without “love”. These significant relationships or experiences certainly provide happiness
along with other major substances that enrich the true and unique meaning of our life!
Paper Two.
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