This past Tuesday SMU hosted, in its series of diversity talks, a discussion on “Asian being the new White.” Being someone who gravitates toward controversy, I felt that this talk might have had the potential to become heated. At that point, I pretty much had to go.
I really had no idea what to expect, but when I arrived I was pleasantly surprised. The talk itself wound up being a “round table” discussion composed of a diverse group of students, all of who were open and very receptive to what each other had to say.
A lot was said in the short time there was available to talk, and I personally gained insight into a very overreaching and impacted identity. A few of the attendees, myself included, approached the talk with curious intent as to who all is included by the words “Asian” and “White.” Many different cultures and nationalities fit under those two words, and this led me to think about something I find myself thinking about frequently- words.
In the specific case of the diversity talk, are words able to capture the essence of what it is to be a broad identity like Asian or White and effectively communicate that to someone who is not?
I really want to answer an emphatic yes to this question because I believe in the power of communication, but I am not able to do that. I personally believe that there is something to the being of each and every ethnicity, nationality, etc. that is not communicable. Each modifier to identity adds a different hue to perspective and understanding that I do not believe words are capable of fully capturing.
Crudely, what I am attempting to get at is kind of like an inside joke; even if you are able to use words to explain it to someone who doesn’t understand, nine times out of 10 the response is- “you just had to be there.”
Ultimately, something is lost in the communication. I am not trying purposefully to mash on anyone’s toes, but being isn’t something so easily contextualized and communicated.
Not to sound like a sap, but what everyone is is so much more than words are able to convey. And my decades of experience with words has taught me they are slippery, tricky ever-changing terms that have the propensity to, if not used in a precise way, cause a considerable amount of damage despite all that nonsense about sticks and stones.
Communication is no better; there are a number of different elements that come into play that can, and usually do have an effect on it; some of which are relative to the respective other or others.
And that is of course, if you have their attention.
Hare is a junior majoring in human rights.
