ean Clancy re can mean different things to different peo- t’s what makes yogurt so special. To the pedi- improving one’s self by mental training (I my mom handing me a stack of books by d Huxley, among others, and telling me cked “culture”). fe..neither of these things, and yet er defin harder toms, and cereffi these traditions an aren’t practiced is what dif er. Another possibility might be any activity, fashion, sport, or language, that has been seen often enough in any given geographic area that it no longer raises any eyebrows. Maybe it is anything that no longer shocks the previous gener- ation, something that they can identify with, I set out: to find some answers. It was as if I had a word on the tip of my tongue; I had a feeling: that I knew what culture was, I just had trouble articulating a definition. I contacted Lynn Ruschinsky, a professor here at Emily Carr (and U.B.C.), regarding this. question. I was in need of more information, and since Lynn teaches a class titled “Issues and Methodologies in Non-Western Art”, 1 figured she ‘would have some informative insights. I approached her for a “quick two-minute interview...” which turned out being a half hour long, in-depth conversation regarding the difficulties one faces in trying to examine another group of people: When I was reviewing the tape of the interview afterwards, :I became some- what disillusioned. I realized that I had opened.a can of worms, and ‘that my head. was swimming with questions. During my interview with Lynn Ruschinsky, she suggested that I refer to some of the readings she had assigned to her ‘class. In particular, Orientalism by Edward Said, and Soft- Soaping Empire: Commodity Racism and Intperial Advertising by Anne McClintoch. I did. I read these articles and found them to be quite radical, and not wholly relevant in answering my : -question. They were critical analysis of how. western society has. manipulated and devalued other cul- tures, including certain groups within our own culture. There was an assumption made that the reader had a clear understand- ing of what “culture” was. I had not found the pot of gold I sought. Similar to climbing the mountain of wisdom, only to find that the wise old Buddha you sought had left for lunch. From Orientalism, one gets the impression that Edward: Said felt it was wrong to contrast our own culture against that of another, i.e.- Europeans contrasting themselves against Orientals. I disagree; I believe that one avoids being stereotypical in an evaluation of a group or culture (be it there own or otherwise) by comparing it against others in a process of elimination. This comparison process is used in order to gain a clearer image of the culture one seeks to define. Said’s oppo- _Sition to comparison reminded me of a reading that had been assigned to me in my own “Methodologies” class. The reading was taken from the introduction to Black Critics and Kings, written by Andrew Apter, and briefly, it cited three ways that One thing I’ve always hated about life (besides not being born into a rich family, or having breasts)... Or, what is it, and where can | get some? anthropologists recorded information about any given group of people. One method used by ethnographers is the contrast- to our own culture. One example involves the length of an average workday in each Comparison is a good way to assess or fast food), comparison, (i.e.-read- in order to gain a clearer understand- at it comes down to is not so much is acceptable to compare, but to keep in mind sparing that one must not generalize. When talking arbara De Mott (my professor for “Methodologies”), I member her mentioning that one of the (hopeful) outcomes of the class was that the student would leave the class as a crit- ical thinker. Another thing to remember is that an average is just that, an average; it might not represent anybody at all. I believe that in trying to assess our own culture, we should think of it as if trying to define “normal”; you can’t, it’s so much eas- ier to define what isn’t normal. It was with the hope that I would become a critical thinker that I enrolled in the class. ‘O.K. that’s a blatant lie, I already consider myself somewhat open-minded, but I needed the class to graduate and thought that I might as well get it over with as fast as pos- sible. It’s the same reasoning behind hearing the bad news before the good news when somebody tells you “I’ve got good _ news and I’ve got bad news.” Actually, ’ the class wasn’t too’ bad, (especially those Indian dancers. Wow, those What does cultu re mean To eyes!) There were the usual ref- erences ‘to: the Mayans, and the Navajos (already heavily scruti- nized), as well as some. interesting - information about other cultures such as Buddhism. No, it wasn’t any of these cultures that grabbed my attention. It was the cultures that didn’t even exist; those created by students in the class for the final assign- ment, that to’me, and most others, was the highlight of the semester. They were cultures with which we could compare our own. In the process, I: learned-a lot‘about my own culture, or at least my interest was piqued, and questions were raised. It was a great opportunity to play ‘God’, to create a culture, report to the class on it, and create an artifact from that culture. Do you remember back in grade school when you were talking at the same time as the teacher? He/she would usually scream something like this at you; “Hey! Stop talking! If you think that you can teach this class better than me, come up and teach it! Otherwise, shut up!” Well, this was THE chance that you had been waiting all those years for! And this time you got marked for it! (Which could be a good thing or a bad thing.) ‘One thing I’ve always hated about life (besides not being born into a rich family or having breasts,) is the fact that I'll never get to see so many things that have been created by students here. What am I missing? Is it possible that there’s a gal over in printmaking that is producing the coolest print imaginable, and that I’m just never going to see it? Probably. This saddens me, I’m the type of person that wants to get a taste of everything, and I’m sure that there are others out there that feel the same way. So here they are, uncut (save for space), and ready to please. to define than you think. influx: Magazine February 1999 7 - you? Think about it, it’s harder i o 1n Clancy can mean diferent things to diferent peo- i's what makes yogurt so special. To the pedi- improving one’s self by mental taining (L aren't practiced is what sport, or language, that has been seen often enough in any ‘given geographic area that it no longer rises any eyebrows. “Maybe its anything that no longer shocks the previous gener~ ation, something thar they can identify with. set out to find some answers. Ie was as if had a ‘word on the ip of my tongue; Thad a feeling that I new what culture was, I just had trouble articulating a definition. T contacted Lynn Ruschinsky, a professor here at Emily Carr (and UB.C), regarding this question. I was in ‘eed of more information, and since Lynn teaches a clas ted “Taues and Methodologies in Non-Western Ar”, figured she would have some informative insights. T approached her for @ “quick two-minute interview.” which turned out being a half ‘hour long, in-depth conversation regarding the difficulties one faces in ying to examine another group of people: When Iwas ‘reviewing the tape ofthe interview afterwards, became some~ ‘what dislusioned. realized that Thad opened a ean of worms, tnd that my head was swimming with questions. ‘During my interview with Lynn Ruschinsky, she suggested that I refer to some of the readings she had assigned to her ass. In particular, Oriemalism by Edward Said, and Sof- ‘Soaping Empire: Commodity Racin and Inperial Advertsing by ‘Anne McClintoch. I did. I read these articles and found them to be quite radial, and not wholly relevant in answering ey ‘Question. They were eitical ‘of how western society has. manipulated ‘and devalued other cul- tures, including certain {r0ups within our own, culture. There wat an assumption made that the reader hada clea understand- ing of what “culture” was. I had not found the pot of gold I sought. Similar to climbing the ‘mountain of wisdom, only to find thatthe wise old ‘Buddha you sought had left for lunch ‘From Oriental, one gets the impression that Edward Said fle it was wrong fo contrast our own culture against that of another, ie~ Europeans contrasting themselves against Orientals. I disagree; I belive that one avoids being ‘Stereotypical in an evaluation ofa group or culture (be it there ‘own oF otherwise) by comparing it against others in a process ‘of limination. This comparison process is used in order to gain clearer image ofthe culture one seeks to define. Sai's oppo- ‘Sion to comparison reminded me ofa reading that had been ‘assigned to’me in my own “Methodologies” clas."The reading twas taken from the introduction to Black Grics and King, ‘writen by Andrew Apter, and brely, i ited theee ways that One thing I've always hated about life (besides not being born into a rich family, or having breasts). Or, what is it, and where can | get some? ndoplogiss eee infriton sbout ey gen ou of people. ‘One method used by ethnographers isthe contrast- ing ofthe society or culture under observation or study against work. As a result, certain aspects ofthat cul> to our own culture. One example involves the lenguh of an average workday in each oF fastfood), comparison, (-e-read- in order to gain a clearer understand {eal thinker. Another thing to remember is that an average is just chat an average; it might not represent anybody at all. believe that in trying to assess our own culture, we should think ‘off asiftrying to define “normal”; ou can'y it's 30 much e ier t define what isn’ normal. Ic was with the hope that I ‘would become a critical thinker that I enrolled in the cass. ‘OK. that's blatant lie, I already consider mysel€ ‘somewhat open-minded, but I needed the class to graduate tnd thoughe that I might as well gt it over with as fast a pos- sible. It5 the same reasoning behind hearing the bad news before the good news when somebody tells you “I've got good news and I've got bad news.” Actually, the class wasnt too bad, (especially those Indian dancers: Wow, those eyes) There were the usual ref- ferences to the Mayans, and the [Navajos (already heavily seruti- nized), a5 wel as some interesting {information about other cultures such as ‘Buddhism. No it wasn't any ofthese cultures ‘that grabbed my attention. Tt was the culture that didn't even, ‘exist those created by students inthe las forthe final assign ‘ment, that to-me, and most others, was the highlight of the semester They were cultures with which we could compare our ‘wn, inthe process I learned a lot about my own culture, oF at least my interest was piqued, and questions were raise. Te vas a great opportunity to play ‘God’, to create a culture, eport tothe class on it, and create an arifct from that culture. Do you remember back in grade school when you were talking atthe same time as the teacher? Helshe would ‘usually seream something ike this at you; "Hey! Stop talking! Ifyou thnk tha you can teach tis class better than me, come ‘up and teach it! Otherwise, shut up!” Well, this was THE chance that you had been waiting all those years for! And this time you got marked for it! (Which could be a good thing ora bad thing.) ‘One thing I've always hated about life (besides not ‘being born into a rch family oF having breasts, isthe fac that Ti never get 1 see so many things that have been created by students here. What am I missing? Is t posible that there's a fal over in printmaking that is producing the coolest print imaginable, and that I'm just never going to see it? Probably. ‘This saddens me, Y'm the type of person that wants to get a ste of everything, and I'm sue that there are others out there that fel the same way. So here they are, uncut Gave for space), and ready to please influx Magazine February 1999 7 What does culture mean to you? Think about it, it’s harder to define than you think.