Globalization and Identity

One thing that distinguishes American Education from the European system is that it is less focused on a particular field until a very advanced level, when specialization finally happens. The fact is, that I've been noticing lately, all around me, that we require that people be "well rounded" in everything that we do. Americans need to know about all kinds of literature, history, philosophy, music, television programs, movies, art... And then, once they find areas of specialization, need to know every author/ historian/ philosopher/ actor/ composer/ producer/ artist who ever dealt with the subject. If I tell someone that I play the drums, they begin to list all of their favorite drummers of all time by name, and ask me what i think of them. This person, mind you, doesn't even play the drums-- he is in family law. But it doesn't matter. People take up subjects of interest with such glee and enthusiasm. And the same people can talk about the philosophy of Kant and Descartes, and about Robert Frost's poems, and Robin Williams' movies.

What has this mentality done for us? It has created a world that is very colorful-- and each of us wants to fulfill our potential in so many areas, so we run from dance class to poetry club to meditation group to the movies and at the end of the day, we say wow! What an exciting life I lead! I am so multi-talented, and so worldly. I am the renaissance woman, par excellence.
This piece leads to some basic questions:

Do we specialize as well in our fields? Does the philosopher with economics on his mind and tongue philosophize better? Worse? What effect does the globalization of interest have on our points of emphasis? Do we end up doing justice to any of the areas that we dabble in? In the way R. Soloveitchik describes the difference between the way a chemist and a mathematician view the world-- how do our mind end up shaped? is there more lost or gained? Are the Rabbis of the Talmud correct when they said, tafasta meruba lo tafasta, tafasta muat tafasta (Yoma 80)-- which mean if you bite off more than you can chew, you're worse off than focusing on one thing and catching it completely--? How are our identities affected by the flooding of ideas from every perspective and angle? If a person only has friends from his community (a difficult feat, in the modern world, but sometimes achieved), that is seen as myopic and overly insular. A person like that has nothing to say about people. The studies of anthropology and comparative religions thrive on the ability, or assumed ability to gain from a broader understanding of many cultures. What does this study do for my identity as a Jewish person? Am I a richer Jew because I know about the Eucharist and Whirling dervishes? I would tend to think so, since i am so involved in the culture, and in the process of collecting more knowledge. But I wonder if these things are retracting from what was once the simple tamim-pure Jew? Is my love for G-d greater because I can meditate with the Buddhists?

I don't know the answers to these questions, i don't even know if there are answers. I'm just wondering about it. This culture is all around us, and while we become the Renaissance people that we are becoming, let us allow ourselves to step back and take inventory of what we're doing and how it is affecting us.

Priorities and Objective Truth

I came to school late today, and one particularly zealous woman in the program asked me why I was late. I told her, "I took the morning off," and she responded, "I don't like what's happening. It's very important that you get the most out of this program, and that means coming on time. Especially when you're getting paid!" I agreed with her, and she walked away. A similar conversation happened with my teacher a couple of weeks ago, who'd noticed that I was coming late. He said to me, "it's very important that you come everyday, on time. This time is kodesh kodashim (the Holy of Holys) to me." I agreed to try harder to come on time, and parted from the meeting.
I understand that I have an obligation to be on time for a job that I'm being paid for. I don't think that that was actually the issue, in either of these conversations. I don't think so, anyway. If it were a matter of my stipend, there could be a threat of some kind to withhold the stipend, which, I would honestly feel fine with, since I probably don't deserve the money that's set aside for me.
But it wasn't about the money. It was about the way I spend my time. About my value system and priorities. It reminds me of the time that I was in eighth grade on my junior high school basketball team. My coach told us, "This team is your priority. No matter what, if you have your cousin's wedding, if you have doctor's appointment-- this team comes first. Unless your sick in the hospital, you should be here for practice." I heard this, as a 13 year old, and I thought, "oh no! I can't do that for a basketball team!" But then, I laughed to myself, thinking that it was a crazy standard to set for a basketball team. It occurred to me, at that stage in my life, that I would always have different people telling me that they knew on what I should focus my attention. My mom would tell me one thing, my dance teacher another, my friends another, and now the basketball coach. Fine. I need to make my own decisions. That's what I learned in 8th grade. But I find that grown adults, for some reason, still make the assumption, that if they tell me that my priority should be x, that I will accept whatever they say without questioning.
I sound like a brat, kvetching about people telling me what to do. But I am shouting out to people, everywhere: "You are not the only person in the universe! Your community isn't even the only one in the universe! Every single person you know will have a different set of values and priorities when making a decision! Get used to it."
The same goes when people can't understand how a person doesn't like chocolate or something. How is it that we can't understand that different people have different taste buds than we have? Or different interests and Career plans?
I suppose that I am writing this post is, in itself, a sign that I am also guilty of this kind of myopia. So let me just say that this is a part of our humanity that we should acknowledge. We have to balance values, and one needn't listen to the person who is the most emphatic when he says "This is REALLY important." You are the one who gets to decide that for yourself. And that's OK.
This is kind of reminding me of the song from the end of "Into the Woods," No one is Alone:
Cinderella:Mother cannot guide you. Now you're on your own. Only me beside you. Still, you're not alone. No one is alone. Truly. No one is alone. Sometimes people leave you. Halfway through the wood. Others may deceive you. You decide whats good. You decide alone. But no one is alone.
LRRH:I wish..
Cinderella:I know. Mother isn't here now
Baker:Wrong things, right things
Cinderella:Who knows what she'd say?
Baker:Who can say what's true?
Cinderella:Nothings quite so clear now.
Baker:Do things, fight things,
Cinderella:Feel you've lost your way?
Baker:You decide, but
Both:You are not alone
Cinderella:Believe me, No one is alone
Baker:No one is alone. Believe me.
Cinderella:Truly
Both:You move just a finger, Say the slightest word, Somethings bound to linger Be heard
Baker:No acts alone. Careful. No one is alone.
Both:People make mistakes.
Baker:Fathers,
Cinderella:Mothers,
Both:People make mistakes, Holding to their own, Thinking their alone.
Cinderella:Honor their mistakes
Cinderella: Everybody makes
Baker:Fight for their mistakes
Both:One another's terrible mistakes. Witches can be right, Giants can be good. You decide what's right you decide what's good
Cinderella: Just remember:
Baker:[Echo] Just remember:
Both:Someone is on your side
Jack, LRRH:OUR side
Baker, Cinderella:Our side--Someone else is not. While we're seeing our side
Jack, LRRH:Our side..
Baker, Cinderella:Our side--
All:Maybe we forgot: they are not alone. No one is alone.
Cinderella:Hard to see the light now.
Baker:Just don't let it go
Both:Things will come out right now.
We can make it so.
Someone is on your side-- [interrupted]
[Thanks to chittycbangb@attbi.com for lyrics]
Wow. What a comfort. If anyone reading this has not seen this play, she must go and see it. period. Have a great day.