My angle on "Values" and the Korean/Japanese experience
What comes naturally to you is the best thing to share and it usually serve others because you're intuitive, and you don't need to be phony or corny about what you're talking about.
It's kind of the opposite of when you're lying and making stuff up, because then you don't actually know what you're saying and you forget what you said. And you can't remember because it's not the truth.
Let me talk about inclusive / diversity topics for this blog.
My good friend just shared an article with me that Seattle is very progressive, and they're "getting rid of the caste system"; more specifically, the city is instituting an anti-caste discrimination ordinance. I am so appreciative to have such amazing friends who are high on social awareness and they continue to watch this important space with a keen eye.
This sparked inside me something that was SO normal.
A few things that came up:
1) I am grateful that I attended ISSH (the International School of the Sacred Heart) where there is a class that focuses on "Values". This is a real class :)
The curriculum is shared on their website, and I will share it here directly.
The aim of all Values courses is to encourage students to discover and define the values by which they live, to show concern and respect for all people and for their faith, to reflect on their own behavior and to value prayer and spirituality.
https://www.issh.ac.jp/academics/middle-school/grade-6
I see that the school still offers this class. I am so happy to see this.
The sharp contrast that I experienced when I moved to the American School in grade 8 was that... the social studies class I joined on one of the first days at this new school.... some of my classmates didn't know who Mother Teresa was. Interesting!? It was when she passed. And Princess Diana. Apparently when I move schools, something shifts in the world....?!
2) I will take some time to process my internal knowledge + experiences on being Korean/Japanese growing up in the 80s and 90s...
As I write this in 2023, KPOP and other Korean trends have taken over the world.
BTS is global, and speaking at the UN General Assembly.
You don't have to ask anyone if they know Korean music - they all do.... because this soft power has absolutely taken over the world. JPOP on the other hand has kind of died down!
My mom who passed last year, grew up right after the end of the second world war.
She could speak fluent Korean because her father believed in hardcore nationalism in a way, yet also emphasized being as Japanese as possible to minimize racism. How that must have been so much pressure. I heard she would get rocks thrown at her when she would walk to school. Can you imagine that now? She was shocked, angry for a while when Korean music became a thing in the late 90s / early 2000s when I was graduating high school - actually, it was when WINTER SONATA came out, and Japanese people went nuts over the drama series -- she was like what is going on!!! The same generation of people who would bully her and her siblings now decided to love / worship Korean actors. It was only the beginning - tip of the iceberg then! I guess she wanted some type of acknowledgment or apology in a way? I can appreciate that.
I remember there were many other "half"s in my class -- by the way, another topic to explore is this label we have in Japanese - ハーフ。 I've heard others say "double" - which is kind of more cool and accurate in a way....
When I look now at the diversity discussions happening in Japan, it's quite elementary but better than nothing ;) The awareness and conscious shift is really shining a light on how interconnected society is, I pray that the globe and different environments will support an equitable world without extremism or "one or the other".....
After writing this, I realize I have a lot of things to share. I could write on this topic forever.
Thanks to anyone who read this and do give me any feedback or comments if you have any.
Feel free to reach out to me at: contact@mikitakashimaryo.com