Was it worth it?

Welcome to our generation. We are a generation that's grown up using technology. We've been exposed to the world with just a click of a mouse. Born with a laptop in one hand and an Ipod in the other, and Bluetooth in my right ear. This is our generation. To me, it seems that technology has allowed for us to be exposed to so much more than previous generations. It is no longer necessary to pay for a telegram to be sent to your friends in Europe. We're able to send a message to loved ones anywhere around the world and recieve a response in just a few seconds. However, we've lost so much in this. The art of using elbow grease to fix that brake pad on your car is no longer necessary, so we have to go down the street to the mechanic. Ironically, we've lost ground through our creations in ways. We created cars to eliminate the methane put out from horses, but now we've just created a bigger problem. We created helmets for football, but now football players have more serious back problems as there is no "risk" in playing in such a fashion now. We created Ritalin for those who have ADD, but it's not uncommon to hear of intellectuals using them to "boost their mental capacity". In the end, however, they suffer major mental problems. This just goes to show that sometimes advancement isn't always advancement. In designing new products, we have to question what harm it can bring and what good it will bring. Sometimes, it may not be worth it.

7 Weeks Later.

So here I am after 7 weeks of being in a relatively foreign country and I've come to one realization: that I am neither American nor Chinese. Culture and backgrounds are things that interest me. After seeing how culturally different the people from Mainland China are really like, I've come to realize that I am not Chinese. Certain things are just so basic such as seeing life as a collective group rather than as a single This collective mentality is lost upon me and my American upbringing. However, to overlook the fact that I have also been raised and lived in Asian societies for more than a third of my life would be to say that I am American. Then again, I am not Asian-American because I'm just so vastly different from all my culturally Asian-American friends (Obviously, I am an Asian that holds an American passport). I am at the crossroads between two cultures, attempting to determine which route I belong on. So I've come to conclude that I am what I define as a cosmopolitan: a person that is associated with many cultures, but is not rooted in one.

Although this I believe does define me, it isn't a bad thing. I have experienced so much culturally and seen so much. I have encountered so much more than most people see in their lifetimes. I have been able to experience the East and the West. I am able to see the differences between their backgrounds and the way they think. In this way, it is a great experience to be exposed to so much. However, it leaves me with questions. Who am I? What defines me?