Kraidy (2005) depicted the manifold hybridities in diverse historical, cultural and social backgrounds. After reading his article, I was wondering a question: is it possible that under certain circumstances, different cultures co-exist but are stratified into different layers like a cocktail?
I know it is impossible when we think about hybridity in biological sense. How can a black dad and a white mom give birth to a baby who is literally half white and half black? The only outcome of race mixture is fusion, totally fusion in terms of the color of the baby, as well as the cultural identity.
But the hybridity we are talking about is not restricted to biological miscegenation. The notion of hybridity is rhetorically used to indicate the mixture of cultures in an era of globalization. However, is it possible that the mixture of cultures doesn’t function in the same way as the fusion of different race, but distribute in different layers separately?
For example, “the Singaporeans learnt their English, but in no deep sense learnt English habits of thought or culture; even the most casual visitor will discern a lack of ‘inwardness’ with the language. What did transpire, however, was an estrangement from Chinese culture. […] While English was conducive to purposes of business and technology, Chinese was the transmitter of ‘traditional values’, ‘Asian values’, obedience, thrift, diligence, self-discipline, respect for family, and so on.”(Lynn Pan, Sons of the Yellow Emperor: A History of the Chinese Diaspora (1990)) In other words, Singaporeans learn English to estrange from China and use Chinese to maintain virtuous Asian traditions.
It is true that language is indispensible from culture. However, is it possible that people use different language to stratify different dimensions of culture? Based on my own experience, I think it is hard but possible. Although I am getting more and more proficient in English in studying and at work, I still regard Chinese words as a tool to express my inner most values and feelings. Many Canadian Chinese still value humbleness and close family ties while eating hamburgers and speaking English everyday. However, I admit the fact that the second generation will behave in more westernized way.
To investigate this question one step further, is it possible to produce a society that would be modern and traditional at the same time? Is modernization without westernization possible?
Great post Stella! I think you bring up a lot of great information and elicit some great questions. First, I really like your comparison of hybridity to layers of a cocktail. I think because there are so many races, cultures, ethnicities etc., that a fusion of so many different things cannot simply combine into one. I think it is important to recognize that although cultures are maintained, not all are employed equally.
ReplyDeleteI also wanted to respond to your question "Is modernization without westernization possible?" I never thought about this before, but I think those two words seems to go hand-in-hand. There seems to be such a negative connotation associated with the word "westernization" (or anything Western-related). I also think the word "modernization" seems to have a negative connotation at times as well. Moving forward and becoming more modern seems to be associated with losing tradition, which I don't think should necessarily be the case, but I find it is commonly viewed this way. I think because the words are used interchangeably, their meanings keep changing, so in response to your question, I do not think modernization without westernization is possible since both terms seem to go hand in hand at this point in time.
I like the way you describe hybridization as a cocktail rather than as a form of homogenization. The mixing of cultures is not always uniform, nor does it form one solid identity. Rather I think many identities are still visible within the hybrid. While they may be "watered down" they come together to form something new. Language is the perfect example of this. While languages such as English are always developing and changing in use, you can see the various elements that come from new aspects of culture and from the hybridization of many languages. I think this is especially true for people who speak more than one language. Often they can combine phrases, ways of speaking, phrases or expressions that are different between languages.
ReplyDeleteI think the question you posed at the very end is especially pertinent to our discussion of hybridize. Like Erin, I do not think this is something I every really considered before. "Is it possible to be modern and traditional at the same time?" This poses some unique challenges to thinking about hybridity, homogenization, and westernization. I'm not sure if I can answer this (being Canadian and not coming from a traditional culture) but I feel it is something that should be explored. I think the more people move forward (in terms of technology, and/or westernization) the more they cling to the past, and to their traditions. Something about this process makes people very aware of what they have had and what they have lost or stand to lose. But whether or not this maintains a cultural heritage or tradition is hard to say without closer study.