TWINKIE

This is a re-post from my other blog
https://amakore.wordpress.com/
which deals with my research and thoughts on Adoption.

"The biggest question I’ve had to answer in my life has been “am I Korean or am I American”?

The pursuit for IDENTITY is one of the big life challenges for most.  The big question “Who am I?” requires a lifetime for most people to answer.

This is a question that begs a question: What is an “I”?  From here we get into a whole spectrum of thinking from A to Z.  Without beginning a reprint of the Encyclopedia or Wikipedia, we have to come to accept or at least agree to certain constructs.

The “I” represents the various forms of I-dentification, of establishing a presence in the three planes of accepted existence – body, mind, and spirit.  The three aspects encompass the totality of human existence with a nod to some others who claim the extrasensory aspects of human knowledge.

Pascal stated, “cogito ergo sum”.    “I think, therefore, I am”.  There are many others who debate and philosophize on this question, but that is not my intent here to be a summary of the philosophies.  Instead, I just state that we ARE, we EXIST on several levels, and therefore, we LIVE on several levels and planes.

Distilling these thoughts and feelings and senses into a sum and whole results in a person who senses, reacts, thinks, believes, accepts a set or sets of values, cogitates on these factors, and ultimately speaks and acts according to their synthesis.

Then, “Am I an American or am I a Korean?” becomes a much broader question.  My difficulty stems from the fact that I obviously look like a Korean, not a European descendant who looks “American”.  This physicality is the key.  Regardless of how much I may believe, act, and speak, think and behave American, most people in nearly every part of this great land will still look at me and ask “Where are you from?”, meaning, you are not from “here” and you look very different.

A great summary of where I am now is the “Twinkie”  or “Banana” – yellow on the outside, white on the inside.  Twinkies are sweet, filled with good tasting filling, a banana is a wonderful fruit that has become a vital part of the world culture.  Similarly, Asians can and do add to the great mix that is now all part of “Globalization”.  In more cosmopolitan areas where there has been a lot of mixing and stirring of races, ethnicities, and cultures there is rarely a dust up or clash over race or ethnicity.  Places such as New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and a few more where there has been this integration and assimilation race and ethnicity is not a big, overt barrier.  The Twinkies have become accepted and assimilated.  Recently the Pew Research Center published  a clear statement of the rise of the Asian minority:

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2012/06/19/the-rise-of-asian-americans/

You’ll find some very interesting facts and statistics in this report.

In summary, for today’s thoughts, is that I am a Twinkie that floats between two worlds – Americans and Koreans.  I am not 100% in either camp neither by acceptance or choice.  And, now, after nearly 60 years of struggle, challenges, and hardships, it’s OK!  I am at peace being an “AmaKore” – an American/Korean!"

July 6, 2017

What a neat time we live in today.  All the various factors of mankind and humankind are in such turmoil, chaos, change, and uproar.  In nearly every area of interest to anyone there is something for everyone.  
Politics - the ultimate war game.  
Winners prosper, losers wither.  Around the world there seems to be a see-saw battle between the left and right with no real clear victors anywhere.  
There is a very strong vertical battle too.  This is the battle of the mind through religion, theologies, and spiritualities.  Many of the current conflicts, chaos, and changes are due to the battle of the theologies and religions.  Religious Imperialism has replaced politics and economics for the right to cause human misery.  How ironic that the solution to human suffering is causing the most suffering and displacement of refugees.

Sports is such a huge part of life.  
The ultimate entertainment and titillation and voyeuristic pastime.  Millions of people living vicariously through their sports teams and idols.  Sports is a replacement for direct human conflicts and wars because, well, wars are so costly and damaging.  People seem to be able to get much of the same sense of vicarious "winning" adrenaline rush from their sports teams and individual sports heroes and heroines.  

Entertainment and Lifestyles
Films, TV, music, Broadway and stage, dance, opera, bands and groups and individuals - it all seems to be melting toward so much commonality despite the incredible varieties of genres and forms. Celebrities in all forms - from Royalties who are followed like movie stars, movie and music and media stars who are treated as royalty, and self made ones who may get their "15 minutes of fame" all feed into the FAME model of achievements.  

Technology /Computers/Information/Data
New developments in chips and processors, new quantum computing and mega computers merging into super computers.  All seem to be combining to replicate the human brain, ultimately leading to Artificial Intelligence AI and Artificial Sentient Awareness and Being.  
Could there be Cybernet and Cyberdyne, could we see "Robots of Dawn", could this be the next great step in freeing humans from drudgery and labor or a step toward the enslavement of all of humankind.  The next few decades will definitely show a pattern and path.  Great thinkers like Stephen Hawking and many, many more are sounding the warning bell on unrestricted and unmanaged technology explosion.  

Technology in Life Sciences, particularly DNA and Bioscience.
These could lead to solutions and answers to humanity's ills and problems, or, unleash a Pandora's Box of human affliction and subjugation.  Again full of promise and potential problems.  We could see the "perfect" humans very soon - with superior intelligences, physical capacities and capabilities, without any genetic limitations as we know them today.  But, will that be a good thing?

Financial/Money 
- the ultimate human invention, the great quantifier and identifier of human greed, avarice, and caste based on accumulation and hoarding.  Again Money can be our liberator or our master enslaver.  The present dichotomy of have/have nots, rich and poor, wealth and money inequalities... all point to greater human stratification.  There could even be a split in the species into sub species with work and capacity delineation, a "colonization" effect of workers and rulers, poor and affluent as there were in the past, but with much greater structures, limitations and bondage.

There are many alternatives and possibilities.  
The left/socialist/communist/egalitarians see a world of equals and unity.  
The Right sees a diversification and vertical categorization, a "Darwinian" view of Life.  Survival of the "fittest and luckiest".

Humanity swings from the the extremes and thus the impetus and energy for changes, adaptations and evolution.  
Each one of us no matter where or whom we are born to come into this life with the programming and natural pre-dispositions in our DNA that combine with our home and cultural programmings.  What we believe, value, hold true and fight for and willing to die for are all inside our brains.  

In the end, all reality is in our heads, in that magic 3 pounds of minerals and elements, water and viscous fluids.  What we perceive, hold true, accept as absolute values, believe and follow and act on - all come from the brain's billions and billions of neurons acting together to form our reality.  

What is your reality?  
What do you believe?  
What do you value?  
There are so many ways to measure, quantify and classify the myriad variables that form you as a being.  Are you liberal, conservative, libertarian, egalitarian, existentialist, realist, dreamer, imaginer, hoper, doer, thinker, lover, fighter, negotiator, decider, handler, keeper, giver, sharer, hoarder, helper, taker, whatever you er, you are you and you are unique.  Except that most likely there are at least several thousand person just like you.  

Where does all this come from and who decides where we are to go?  
I propose that it's all up to - YOU!  

April 18 2016

Good morning,
It's a Monday morning.  A new start and a new adventure.  For the first time in nearly 60 years I have no more "have to" do lists, work, or other requirements. 
I am retired!!!
Retired from the demands and stresses of a "job".  Retired from the many ridiculous situations and circumstances, the unfairnesses of life, the prejudice of employers and bosses, the discrimination of societies and cultures.  
I am finally FREE!  
Free to do, think, say, write, worship, not worship, seek and accept, feel and be happy, ultimately be myself in any given moment.

Oh man it's been a long, often painful and sometimes devastating journey.  In between there have been moments of happiness and joy, of exhilaration and incandescent bursts of total being, and moments of great humility and humiliation.

Now, onward and to infinity and beyond!

The big secret nobody wants to tell | Bruce Muzik | TEDxSinCity

When?

Is it racial or cultural?  
Is it prejudice or discrimination?
Is it hate or fear?
Is it just bad behavior or ignorance?

Why does it have to be politically correct?
What the heck is politically correct?
Who says so?
What is the difference between being sensitive and just plain truthful?

There seems to be a lot of hate, fear, prejudice, outright discrimination, and just bad behavior these days.  It isn't just stupid people doing stupid things, it is all kinds of people at all levels doing dumb, stupid and just plain evil and hurtful things.  

Really, why can't we just get along?  
What's wrong with that?
What ever happened to the basic rules of human decency?  Respect, kindness, courtesy, tolerance, self control, responsibility, duty, honor, self respect, and even a little bit of love?

Are we progressing or regressing?  
Are we evolving or devolving? 
Are we adapting or extincting?

So much of today's strifes and major issues such as wars and conflicts seem to result from the great differences in beliefs and values and truths.  
When did we have to be right?  When did there have to be just one truth? When did we humans stop being human?

"May I help you" reads like a nice phrase, but what if the same gentle phrase is said in a tone that says "what the f&*k are you doing here?"  Then what do you say?  
What if this is the third time this same person says it the same way to you?  For no other apparent reason than what seems to be the fact that she can't stand the sight of you, that you are anathema and the most logical conclusion is that she is a damn racist?
What do you say to that?

Time changes all things

A BLOG is - many things to many peoples!  
For me this is more of a journal of my journey.  I have not kept up with it for awhile; but, how wonderful that good ole Google has such a powerful web service!

I noticed that nearly two, 2!, whole years have passed since my last entry.  A lot, a whole lot of life happens in two years.  
Let's see, I'm still estranged from my "ex", found new meaning and purpose, found out I have that wonderful gift of Cancer! (Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma!), went back to teaching for a year, and well, had a bunch of neat adventures. 

I'm getting past the "salmon's call" to return to Korea, taught at a nice school for a year, and still looking forward to more teaching experience if the Lord allows.
I follow the various Korean Adoptee groups like KAAN, KAD, KAW, and more.  The same songs keep popping up and the themes seem the same.  Then again, why not?  The basics of life and the life paths are the same.  
Several of the older adoptees that I had connected through the internet seem to be near the same place, with various levels of self fulfillment and actualization. 
So the Adoption things is slowly settling down.

A lot of family issues now surfacing.  Guess the divorce isn't going to happen for awhile.  May have to force the issue as soon as I can.  
Children are in various stages of their lives.  Both boys seem to finally be on their way in their careers.  
Daughter is having some major issues.  May God bless her and guide her.

So, where are we?  The Big 5: God, Family, Friends, Money, Time -
1.  Still seem to be on good terms with God, through the good Grace and Love channeled by Jesus Christ my Savior and the Holy Spirit.
2. Family is in disarray, but surviving.  Hopefully some solution sets are coming.
3. Friends - well, not too much of a concern since I don't do much of the Friends things.
4.  Money and Time: have enough money for things, running out of time, trying to maximize both.

OK, I hope I'll be able to come back soon and talk about some big items still on my agenda - Education in all its many topics, personal growth, social issues such as adoption v non adoption, economic issues and topics like equality v inequality, nature and genetics, chance and probability,  sex and society, and many more.  

I wish you each well and hope life is good for each of you.