The other day, I had the privilege of attending the first Table Talk of this semester. Here, we were presented with the opportunity to discuss a variety of issues and perspectives in a respectful, comfortable environment. Discussing several topics from political disputes between Hong Kong and mainland China to the influence of Japanese culture in California, every member of the group was able to share their opinion.
As we primarily conversed about countries thousands of miles away, it made me pause and reflect on how little I personally know. I would like to think that I hold some awareness of the world; I listen to global news, I have visited several countries, I speak French. However, the truth is that I am probably more oblivious to global issues. Part of this, I feel, is a result of the American culture under which I raised under. Americans, I feel, live in bubble, albeit a very large bubble. Whether this due to the sheer distance between the US and other countries, its vast size, or large population, Americans, I feel, are distinctly ignorant to the ongoing world. Maybe it’s because we have enough issues of our own, and therefore we don’t concern ourselves with external issues. I honestly don’t know. I don’t believe this is intentional, nor do I believe that our ignorance is a reflection of selfishness. It’s just how it is currently.
Regardless of this disheartening reflection, I enjoyed my time at the Table Talk and I look forward to attending other Rose House events.
If, at this point, you are still confused by the title, my friend Lisa who also attended this event concluded the session by informing Tom that during the duration of the discussion, a fly had visited his hot dog several times. She advised him to not eat it.
This was a really great reflection on the talk. I definitely thought it was a valuable discussion, but I also left it feeling very aware of the gaps in my knowledge of the world. Hearing about everyone else’s experiences and Tom’s time abroad really motivated me to travel to new places — even those that seem so different from the U.S.
Also, the title of your post is excellent.
I think your point on American awareness of news is generally pretty true. I have a close friend from Hong Kong, and from the beginning of our friendship, it was pretty apparent that there was an imbalance of information. She knew a fair amount about US politics and foreign affairs, while I knew next to nothing about Hong Kong’s politics and it’s relationship with the mainland. I’m very grateful that’s she’s shared some of what she knows with me throughout our conversations, especially now that the tension with the mainland is coming to a head.
In any case, it sounds like the Table Talk was engaging and informative (if not entirely satisfactory in the area of hot dog sanitation).