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[CCBC-Net] Writing Across Cultures
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From: RUKHSANA KHAN <irrualli>
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 14:30:26 -0800
Does this mean that I
I can't see a problem writing about New York. It's such a dominant place that I'd even argue that its influence is felt globally, though of course you'd have to make sure you get the basics of New York culture right and not do something ridiculous like situate Times Square in the middle of Central Park.
But in writing about RLS (that's Robert Louis Stevenson I'm guessing) in Samoa, I don't see a problem either because you're concerned more with RLS than Samoan culture. If you were writing about Samoan culture, then the best bet would be to live there a while.
When going somewhere you need to stay long enough, not to feel like a tourist any more. That is ideal, but not necessarily a requirement.
But especially for a WASP writer from North America, experiencing the culture you're writing about is essential because so much of the thought processes that exist in these other cultures are outside the scope of your imagination. I know it may be difficult for you to accept that, but I do believe this is the case.
I think our first reaction to a culture vastly different from our own way of life is repugnance. And questions, "How can they do that? How can they justify that? What are they thinking?"
These kinds of thoughts tend to rise unbidden in our minds. But once we've been around long enough, we begin to understand the way the local people think, and why they act and react in the ways that they do.
Only when you can understand a culture, can you be fair to them, imo.
Rukhsana
p.s. I do not mean to attack anyone's right to write about whatever culture they choose. I myself, am writing about a culture that is not my own, ie pre-Islamic Arabia (I'm of Pakistani origin) But one of the things I've had to do is to subjugate my own notions in order to adopt those of the culture I'm writing about. I'm also reading a fourthousand page volume of the sayings of Muhammad (peace be upon him) to glean enough information of the society around him to really understand it.
Received on Tue 30 Jan 2001 04:30:26 PM CST
Date: Tue, 30 Jan 2001 14:30:26 -0800
Does this mean that I
I can't see a problem writing about New York. It's such a dominant place that I'd even argue that its influence is felt globally, though of course you'd have to make sure you get the basics of New York culture right and not do something ridiculous like situate Times Square in the middle of Central Park.
But in writing about RLS (that's Robert Louis Stevenson I'm guessing) in Samoa, I don't see a problem either because you're concerned more with RLS than Samoan culture. If you were writing about Samoan culture, then the best bet would be to live there a while.
When going somewhere you need to stay long enough, not to feel like a tourist any more. That is ideal, but not necessarily a requirement.
But especially for a WASP writer from North America, experiencing the culture you're writing about is essential because so much of the thought processes that exist in these other cultures are outside the scope of your imagination. I know it may be difficult for you to accept that, but I do believe this is the case.
I think our first reaction to a culture vastly different from our own way of life is repugnance. And questions, "How can they do that? How can they justify that? What are they thinking?"
These kinds of thoughts tend to rise unbidden in our minds. But once we've been around long enough, we begin to understand the way the local people think, and why they act and react in the ways that they do.
Only when you can understand a culture, can you be fair to them, imo.
Rukhsana
p.s. I do not mean to attack anyone's right to write about whatever culture they choose. I myself, am writing about a culture that is not my own, ie pre-Islamic Arabia (I'm of Pakistani origin) But one of the things I've had to do is to subjugate my own notions in order to adopt those of the culture I'm writing about. I'm also reading a fourthousand page volume of the sayings of Muhammad (peace be upon him) to glean enough information of the society around him to really understand it.
Received on Tue 30 Jan 2001 04:30:26 PM CST
