September 9, 2016 - 14:17
Two years ago I was shocked when I first tried out US parties. I considered it one of the first culture shocks I received. Pratt’s article gave me a new lens to look at my experience and myself that night: I, was a contact zone.
That night, American culture and Chinese culture clashed inside me. On one hand, my parent, Chinese culture scolded at me: “A person with good character should always be calm and know her etiquette, never be crazy like this.” One the other hand, the friend, American culture invited me: “Dance with us! It’s fun and relaxing! ” The two culture fought aggressively with each other inside me. Without mentioning, my parent Chinese culture outcompeted the new American culture, therefore I was shocked and escaped from the party.
I was a contact zone. As soon as I realized it, I asked myself: “Am I still a contact zone? ” The answer is yes. I am a walking contact zone. I am a product of the most authentic Chinese culture, every step I take every word I say is under the influence of Chinese culture. And here I am, in another culture on the other side of the Earth. Some of my behaviors (like drinking hot water) that I find completely normal may shock some of my fellow local roommates; some of my roommates’ actions (like drinking iced water every day) that they find completely normal may shock me out. As we communicate of shock, however, the contact zone forms. I may start finding iced water enjoyable, just as they may start finding the usefulness of hot water.
I am a walking contact zone. But this does not fit in Pratt’s definition of contact zones. To quote her directly, contact zone is defined as “social spaces where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power, such as colonialism, slavery, or their aftermaths as they are lived out in many parts of the world today (Pratt, 34).” Neither I can be seen as a social space, nor is there highly asymmetrical relations of power between China and US. The truth is, Pratt’s definition in 1991 maybe already outdated.
Take a look at today’s internet. Without going abroad, one can already taste the cultures from another end of the globe. European TV shows, Japanese movies, news in Russian, celebrities from UK…. The internet overcomes every spacial limitation and brings exotic cultures to every corner of the globe. Everywhere now is possible to become a contact zone. The contact zone is no longer a physical space but a state of culture interaction.
Therefore, most of today’s contact zone does not include a highly asymmetrical power relation. With the internet, culture today diffuses to another region of the world through the mass media; instead of forcing the dominant culture on the subordinate region, cultures today merge with each other spontaneously. K-pop fans in the US voluntarily accept Korean’s aesthetic sense. Marvel heroes redefined “heroism” in China. Culture is merging, reforming. It is not changing under violence, but through calm acceptance and respect to other culture.
The Earth itself is now a friendly contact zone, as long as one is willing to contact.