The American Dreamboat

I enjoyed reading this article, partly because the previous few readings had been on a more serious tone,  but for the most part this article is light hearted and relatable to most. Globalization not only narrows the gap between continents but it also builds bridges connecting the oceans. Interaction of people from different countries and cultures have created more businesses and also more mixed babies.

In the midst of this complicated web of influences, it is difficult for one to not be confused with their own identity. I admire the authors ability to find a balance between her roots and her current life. She managed to retain her heritage as a Vietnamese at the same time she was being Americanized.

I always believe that a marriage of two lovers is never a mere celebration of love for each other but rather a marriage of two families. Like any romantically involved couple, conflicts are inevitable especially when both the families have different values and background.

Will the author be happily married after all or will her marriage be tormented by clashes on cultural differences? It is hard to tell but i think the only way to resolve a culture conflict is tolerance. This does not apply only to marriage but also to everyday social events because as we are a member of this integrated community of globalization, we should be understanding and tolerant to differences of others as from their point of view, we are different to them too.

The Obligation to Endure

When I was done reading this article,I had no idea what response to give. Was I too lazy? Or was it a case of brain lock of some sort? But as we talked about the article in class, I suddenly realized it was my ignorance that kept me from writing a witty,mind-blowing, thought-provoking entry.

Global warming is a huge issue but people seem to care no more about it than choosing toast or bun to go with their steak. Same goes to the contamination of environment, thinning of the ozone layer and anything that screws up the whole ecosystem. Despite environmentalists’ efforts to make a difference and change the masses’ attitude towards our dying mother earth, oil companies are still digging deeper and deeper for oil so they can keep our cars running, releasing carbon dioxide, the main culprit that causes global warming.

I know this article is talking about pesticides and how it harms the rest of the world but it actually brings out a bigger picture.At least that’s how i feel. Since the Industrial Revolution, factories began to bloom and the world has never looked back. People started to rely more and more on manufactured goods, be it the cars we drive or the food we it. These goods bring convenience to our lives and as we get more comfortable with it, we strive to create more convenience and comfort to ‘improve’ our living condition further. Thus the release of faster cars with a jet plane engine that emits higher amount of harmful gases, lattes in a container filled with non-biodegradable components, air conditioning system and refrigerators that contributes to the big hole in the ozone layer. Are we to blame for the sicknesses of mother earth because our ancestors taught us to live comfortably the way we do even it is doing harm to the earth? Pathetic as it might sound but this is just the way we are and if we have to change our ways to be more environmental friendly, there is a very large ground to cover.

I do believe that nuclear bombs can equate with earth pollutants. Just think of nuclear bombs as a deadly acute disease and the earth pollutants works like a slow spreading cancer, they both could end with death but the only difference with cancer is there is a chance of stopping it with chemotherapy. And the option is in our hands to stop this slow painful cancer that is killing our only home—earth.

Fear not

20 minutes after the hijacked aircraft hit the World Trade Center, I was gazillion miles away watching the whole incident replays on CNN.

2 weeks later, the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur was wholly evacuated for an alleged bomb threat. Later it was confirmed a false alarm but it was enough to stir the hearts of everyone working in a tall building or having to be around one.

Since the 9/11 attack, “terrorism” became a familiar word and the mention of Osama bin Laden causes goosebumps.  Even though people would stand a better chance in finding a 100 dollar note lying on the sidewalk than actually encountering him. People were bombarded with news of the attacked on newspaper and news channel with the latest update of the death counts. Even until today, rumors of a subsequent terrorist attack is circulated. Clearly, it is hopeless for people to sleep soundly or roam the street in leisure anytime soon.

Again the media comes into place. Would it be easier for the people if the media reports less of these violence since ignorance is bliss? Or people are content when they are more informed so that they can take precautions that according to the article can lessen their fear when they feel they have more control of the situation? I don’t have the answer to these questions but i believe that fear only exists when a person is faced with uncertainty. if we feel more secure to know that we at least have a minimal amount of control over uncertainties, maybe that could lower the panic level.

Short note: it’s funny how the media likes to refer the mastermind behind 9/11 bin Laden since his name is Osama, Laden is his father’s name and bin basically means the son of___. Just a thought;)

AIDS in Africa

AIDS is a global pandemic but AIDS in Africa has always been a more popular topic that the masses like to argue about. Why? Because according to the article, “95 percent of infections are in developing countries; and more than 70 percent re in sub-Saharan Africa where 80 percent of the deaths have occurred.” Apparently, having unprotected sex with anyone here would generate a higher percentage for one to be infected with HIV than sleeping around in Africa. Only one would stand a higher survival chance than those living in poverty stricken Africa. This is an example that clearly points out the correlation between the standard of living and survival rate, AIDS or no AIDS. I totally agree to where the author is leading to. Before the articles, we were asked “Do efforts to educate people about public health issues depend on the assumption that individuals have the freedom to choose their behavior and to change their environment?” My answer to the question is YES, definitely! In Africa where most people have their lives hanging by a thin thread, struggling to feed themselves and find refuge from the ever continuing unstable political situation, there isn’t much free time left for them to worry about getting infected with AIDS or not. Same goes to any other diseases. Even if they do worry, with poor sanitation and limited health care, there aren’t many options they can turn to. I like what the author said about ‘removing the obstacles to self determination is the task to be accomplished’. To solve this problem, I believe that rather than donating millions of dollars each year to get them food and medication, creating a fair trade for these nations and giving them the opportunity to build lives for themselves would be a better bet because like they always say, prevention is better than cure and I couldn’t agree more.

Life on the global assembly line

Was in total shocked when i was done reading the article for the number of times Malaysia was mentioned in the article, having it related to ‘third world countries’ and cheap labors.Then I read the introduction of the authors and found out the article was written in the early eighties.

As far as I know, Malaysia has a rather healthy factory working condition and most definitely is nowhere near the condition of the countries we now labeled ‘third world’. Malaysia is politically stable, has a steady growth in economy and a relatively well distribution of wealth that most neighboring countries like Thailand and Vietnam envy. We have a former tallest building in the world, one of the top ranking airports in the world and free, accesible(but sometimes, distorted) education system.

Growing up as a child in Malaysia for me was no different(sometimes better) than most people my age here in the United States. I had full pleasure in dolling up my Barbie when i was younger, watching cartoons on Disney Channel and having Happy Meals on frequent occasion. My fortunate childhood, I have our former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad to thank.

Tun Dr Mahathir, or Dr M, as we like to call him when he was in position of Prime Minister, had pro-foreign investments policy during his 20 some years of ‘reign’. During his time as PM, he encouraged foreign corporations investing in the Malaysian soil and set forth a bloom in the industrial business as well as economic growth in Malaysia. For all that is worth, we managed to emancipate oursleves from what the article had described, a cheap-labor-exploiting third world country, to what we are reffered to now, a developing country.

The town where i lived in ( for the last 18 years of my life) has an industrial ‘park’ nearby. There is a huge Western Digital factory next to the highway. During peak hours, the buses hired by the factory to ship factory workers to and from their work place would jam up the whole intersection and cause a massive jam. Factory workers in uniform, mostly women and mostly young, can be seen walking in masses to the low cost apartment nearby. Most of these workers are from poorer parts of the country seeking a higher income in the city, some for a husband. I personally know a few in the similar situation and the higher wage they acquire from this job fulfills not only neccesities but also brings luxuries to their family living in the poorer areas.        

What I’m trying to say is that however critical the authors of this article are on huge corporation from the ‘first world countries’ setting up factories and taking advantage of the lower wage level of the ‘third word countries’, it is up to the leaders of these countries to oversee the potential in these ‘foreign investements’ and turn them into their advantage. Yes, the corporations are guilty for reaping riches out from the poor but if this opportunity is well spent it could be beneficial for these supposed ‘third world contries’.