r3think Rethinking Sustainability, Marketing, Lifestyle, and Other Stuff

Several years ago, I went to Japan with family for our Christmas vacation. After landing, we waited in a line before the custom. In front of me was a black man. Bored, I started a conversation with him. Naturally the first thing I asked was where he came from.

Sri Lanka, he replied.
Mind you this happened when I totally sucked at politics and geography. I asked where it was.
It’s an island beside India, he said.
Still puzzled and frantically trying to form a mental map of India, I asked, is it part of India?

* * *

Last year I was in Europe for my exchange program. I visited cities in different countries, and what never change were the souvenir stores. Store owners or employees always approached me, eagerly tried to start a conversation. My experience can be broken down to 4 scenarios:

1. Shout out konichiwa

2. Ask me where I came from.
   Taiwan
   Ohhh… Tailand…
3. Ask me where I came from.
   Taiwan
   Ohhh… that’s China right?
4. Ask me where I came from.
   Taiwan
   Ohhh… (awkward silence, presumably confused)

* * *

It turned out the dude from Sri Lanka was a cool guy. He simply said no, and told me a little bit about what was happening there. On the other hand, I almost always get offended somehow when others mistaken my identity.

Come to think of it now, it’s quite unreasonable to expect everyone to understand my cultural background. After all, lack of knowledge is hardly an offense. We don’t grow up to be cultural experts. And yes, to some people Asians all look alike, the same way I thought Caucasians all look alike when I first came to Canada.

Nowadays everyone can get offended by anything. I can’t help but wonder if ignorance is stigmatized in our open and tolerant society. I might unintentionally offend someone for something I don’t know about, so the safest thing to do is to shut up and stay away. This is not the model for foster mutual understanding.

What I am trying to say is that we shouldn’t take offenses so easily, myself included. It’s a different story if someone is being a racist. For other innocent misunderstandings or words of ignorance, take it easy and teach them something. Or just pity the fool!