One page per question.
Question #1: Culture and Mythologies
Each culture has its repertoire of mythologies. They even borrow from each other a little in creating mythologies, such as the story of George Washington admitted chopping down a cherry tree, “Honest Abe” (Lincoln) walked ten miles (or one mile, or three miles, give or take) to return one penny (or three pennies, give or take) to a customer, etc. Yet each culture makes some extraordinary claims about how their culture is exceptional and superior to other cultures.
So, the question is: How do folktales, legends, and mythologies help a culture to “teach” its members? How do you think about “American Exceptionalism”? Some commentators think it is a mythology, yet our President and political leaders keep citing it to justify our foreign policy. To what degree do you agree with “American Exceptionalism” and to what degree should we caution about it?
Question #2: Negotiating identity through communication
Okay, enough has been said about the positive side of identity thing. Now, let’s face the negative side of identity thing. Again, how we communicate and how our communication is received by others can be shaped by (1) our sense of “who we are,” (2) our sense of “who they are,” and (3) their sense of “who we are.” (“I am not what you think I am. I am not what I think I am. I am what I think you think I am.”) Therefore, we need to constantly negotiate our identity with others and with ourselves through communication. Because of this identity thing, we could get confused, frustrated, and even neurotic. In a multicultural society, identity carry the baggage of racism, bigotry, prejudice, and stereotypes. It could dis empower us. Sometimes I feel some people expect me to behave like a specific type of human being. But I don’t want to fulfill their definition of who I am, I can enter some awkward situation.Tell me your story of negotiating your identity with others through communication.
Guidelines for response:
*answer the questions head-on rather beating around the bush.
*completely answer the questions raised in the prompt rather than partially answer the question
*argue logically, i.e. points driving points with strong evidence to support the claim.
*fresh idea and independent-thinking, not platitude and parroting.
*write with style: good diction, compelling rhetoric, and concision.
*being conscious of grammar, punctuation, and citation.