Kim counts Americans' insistence on rights. Even if they encounter some negative experiences, still, this is one of the great places for immigrants to fulfill their dreams."Īmong the vices, or the negative aspects of American life, Dr. Another thing I admire is American openness and friendliness, and probably that's why this country is a nation of immigrants. And this country had tremendous power to release human potential in terms of utilizing human dignity regardless of their disabilities or different abilities. And daring to be oneself, everybody can be themselves without worrying what others think of me. "Another good thing about American culture is seeing everybody as equal. Kim, have to do with American attitudes toward other people. you cannot blame anybody but yourself, because if you try really hard this country gives you the opportunity." We just were born on the wrong date, wrong hour, wrong year, whatever. So if life doesn't go as well as we intended, we can blame our fate. Because in my own country, for example, we believe in a certain amount of fatalism. "This is kind of stressful, to live in such a country. She says the bad side is this virtue has the potential to cause individuals unhappiness. And I think in this country, regardless of who you are people can dream it and accomplish it." "In this country people say all you need is a dream and a dollar. Kim says a primary American virtue is dreaming the impossible. In it, she outlines a list of American virtues - which, according to her yin-yang theory, can become negative if overdone, and American vices – which under some circumstances can be seen as positive characteristics. Recently she published a book, entitled "The Yin and Yang of American Culture: A Paradox". She holds a doctorate in education and human resources from the University of Texas. And also the negative can be seen as positive from one light, and the positive can be seen as negative in another light."Įun Kim was born and raised in South Korea, and immigrated to the United States in the late 1980s. According to the Chinese principle, everything in life has yin, the negative side, and yang, a positive side. Yin and Yang is like good AND bad, it's not either-or, it's just BOTH-AND.
dualism or Western dualism can be good or bad. "The Yin-yang concept is very different from Western dualism. Here's more in this edition of New American Voices.
Eun Kim, drawing on her Asian background, approaches the study of American culture from the perspective of the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang, or complementary opposites.
English Feature #7-35139 Broadcast August 13, 2001Īs the United States increasingly becomes aware of itself as a multicultural nation, some experts are sharpening their focus on the host American culture.