The very inception of my candid statements, via which I will strive to shed a light upon the current political,social and cultural issues,remarkably concerns itself with the solid conception of cultural antagonism that pravails among the communities in the world.Since the very early stages of human history,inevitable confrontations and skirmishes have come to emergence ,which paved the way for the mass annihilations of individuals.Unlike the previous eras when the function and utilization antagonism were copiously moulded by violence and physical obliteration,the contemporary one ,a more insidious and hard-to-deal,sneaks into the stage in terms of cutural alienation.
Stemming from the observable lack of socio-cultural interaction,the xenophic predispositions of cults versus one onother are bound to bring about an unfair prejudice ,hence hampering stability in mutual realtions between communities.Albeit the efforts to alleviate the clashes of nations,I am of the very opinion that there still occurs an inadaquency of recognition and a tangible sense of an “adamant bias “at the outlook of people towars others or better to say to the “outlandish”
Actually,what really stimulated me to jot down an article elaborating on the contemporary alienation and the image of otherness is my concecutive visits to usa,spain and other western countries,where I attained the change of rendering asessments as to how the western mind perceives and allays the cultural,sociological and religious merits pertaining not only to Turkey but also to the whole islamic world.Also my present accomodation in usa for my MA degree has exerted a profound impact on me to sustain such an article that makes a” sad but true” delineation of how each side reacts to other.
And the truth be told that from the first moments of my involment in usa,I have been exposed to baseless and ridiculous questions which have nothing to do with any cultural and religious aspect of Turkey.The staple reason behind this is the lenght of cultural bridge between turkey and usa.Despite the salient numbers of turks residing in usa ,the attempts to abrogate the adamant bias against islamic and turkic precepts are insufficient.
To illustrate the topic,I wish to refer to my 4-month of cultural exchange program experience in south carolina,usa,whose demographic structure is composed of various races ,afro-americans forming the majority.The instant I commenced to caress the diversity and the multi-cultutal sprit of american dream,the nebulosity and anxiety in my mind vanished into the thin air,leaving its place to a sense of mental operation with sentimental cooperation as I formed the basis of new friendships and mutual interaction.It was just like a speck on the horizon and a distinction between reality and opiumed mind.It was not the reflections of missisipi river and tom sawyer of mark twain nor the naturalistic experimentations of hemingway.This time,I was living the american dream to the core,acting like a protaganist in an american novel.They were the moments that gave me sensous delight,making my dreams come true.
Employed in a resort,I faced up to my liability to be aware of the american better and to gain a sophisticatd insight into knowing others.The staff were multicultural and what really nonplussed me was the absence of atrocity and a perpetual tendency to callobrate and perform in harmoy.As once uttered y David thorue the language of friendship is not words but meanings and to me the meanings were hearts and humanistic buds bloosoming in minds.
At this respect,the mutual notifications regarding the tenets of our cultures and religions verily led to an amelioration in our judgements of each other.And this is ,in my view,of pramount significance in that each indivdual should feel the burden to introduce its culture ,thus providing purification from hatred and the adamant bias.In brief,the rudimental point is to be receptive and respectable to be received and respected.
By means of socializing,we can root out the misconceptions about Turkey and islam,which are irrelevantly identified with primitivism and terrorizm.In the same way.The image of america,notorious for belligerent and truculent predilections in iraq and elsewhere shouldnt invervene our judgement of its folk. Sharp distinction is supposed to be drawn up between govermental policies and humanism as it would vehemently be wrong to put the blame at the gate of a nation or a group.Once this point is fully understood and digested,the needless arguments and conflicts will come to an end.
My fundamental offer to mitigate the intensity of this rigid bias is to augment the dimensions and amount of the cultural interaction,which is best probable by direct involment and interfacing.To do so,more and more turkish people should be present in usa and vice versa.Also turkey must be represented more professionally in the states.
Nowdays im on the verge of conducting my MA degree in American literature and culture at south carolina state university.While tackling with the american issues,my other turkish friends an I are in a constant pursuit of representing and introducing Turkey.I am of the opinion that plausible and artistic juxtaposition of cultural issues with literature will enable us to obtain a more matured and prudent appraise of other cultures.This cultural amicability will, with no doubt, be quite pertinent and lucrative for the both side as we have a lot to retain from and instill into the western culture whilst the chariots of globalisation are galloping faster than ever.
Serkan AYDIN
Research assistant
South Carolina State University/Department of American Studies
Columbia/SC/USA
