Name: Lara, Paul Jerick B. Student. No: 2015-01931Section: T- 6R
Date: August 19, 2015
Think Piece 1
The sense of an Asian unity is the contemporary idea of Asia but
as historians would put it, point of views about Asian unity from
different walks of life vary from context to context. In fact, the
idea of an Asian unity would be more of a fictitious thought than a
vivid one. The idea of Asia is simply a free-floating signifier
without a specific signification [1]. It might be considerable to
say that the regions in Asia are not actually united, thus, the
absences of any real agreement on the credentials of an Asian
identity disorient the Asians who have been the subject of matter
for this discourse. The variety of perceptions among the religion,
history, tradition, language and much more within Asia makes it
relatively perplex to classify it as One Asia.
To what extent should we really see ourselves as part of a
cultural entity? Asians are inherent of their culture in as much as
they gain experiences from within their culture. Belonging to a
cultural entity, in which they form factions, may include share
ties of their religious belief, perceptions in life and other means
of involving culture. Together they shape their personalities and
their view of the world with respect to the cultural society.
Furthermore, learning to appreciate ones culture develops tolerance
against social problems such as being racist, sexist, homophobic,
transphobic, abhorrent, etc. We can justify the human rights weve
been promoting if and only if we have regarded cultural entity as
the basis for Asian unity.
If we could depict that cultural entity makes up Asian unity,
how can it be specifically related to the saying Asia is one? As
said by Okakura Tenshin (1862-1913), the idea Asia is one mainly
points out the diverse culture of Asia being brought together and
spread it to other regions. However, some regions like Japan did
not allow such interference or cultural bonds among other regions
in Asia because they want to separate themselves and form a
manifestation of European identity. It turned out to be that Asia
is not united as a whole because it cannot establish a firm
connection between its regions.
What is the real substance of an Asian unity? From my
understanding, Asian unity should be more than just relating Asians
to their culture rather involve them through strong ties and
develop regions in Asia by teaching them to handle their economic
sphere, resolve environmental problems and create a system to unite
Asia regions. Thus, implementation of such ideological thinking
proves that Asia is not united for they can not manipulate
themselves without the aid of the European colonial powers. Despite
shared values and beliefs, we have harnessed the elements of
governance through them and link regions in Asia together as one. I
have regarded European notion as the key concept of Asia because
only then, when the Europeans took over us, did we become
united.
References
(1) Milner, Anthony and Johnson, Deborah, The Idea of Asia,
(https://digitalcollections.anu.edu.au/bitstream/1885/41891/1/idea.html#fn1)
p.1., accessed 16 August 2015.
(2) Hui, Wang, Reclaiming Asia from the West: Rethinking Global
History, (http://www.japanfocus.org/-Wang-Hui/1781/article.html)
p.2., accessed 17 August 2015.
