Week 1: Two Cultures

Coming into this course, the idea of "Two Cultures" was a bit foreign to me. Considering how prevalent these two cultures are in our modern society, I had never really considered how harmful this separation could be. At the "A Dangerous Divide" symposium held on the 50th anniversary of Snow's speech, Paula Apsell revealed that there is group of Americans who think science is, "...too difficult, vaguely malevolent...its irrelevant," (Williams). As a science major, that is a terrifying thought. After reading Snow and Vesna's articles as well as watching the YouTube videos, I can now understand how vital bridging these two cultures is. Thinking about my personal life at UCLA, I do face situations where I belong to two cultures, but not in the same academic sense as what Snow describes. My involvements in extracurriculars on campus take on distinct roles and stereotypes that counteract each other at times. For example, as a member of Greek life, I am surrounded by the stereotype that I must be vain, and all I do is drink Starbucks, post Instagrams, and go to parties. 

According to stereotype, sorority girls love to wear dresses and pose at Royce Hall.

On the other hand, I am involved in Campus Events Commission, a group that prides themselves on being edgy and controversial and naturally attracts an alternative, hipster group, usually the side of UCLA who doesn't like Greek life. The stereotype I am confronted with here is that I should be going to obscure concerts, breaking fashion norms, and hating on Greek life. 

CEC staff members breaking fashion convention while wearing a terribly colored shirt, standing next to a YouTube star with purple hair.

I love being a part of CEC and my sorority, and I am constantly trying to fit the mold of whichever group I am with without losing my own sense of identity. Recently I found my "third culture" here at UCLA, and that is through being a campus tour guide. Campus tours recruits students with all different backgrounds in order to create a diverse group of students that can offer many perspectives on life at UCLA. Here I have found a wonderful group of people, some in Greek life, some in CEC, some in neither, but all involved in a variety of organizations who constantly support each other in whatever they are involved in. 

Tour guides having a picnic on Janss steps.

REFERENCES

CEC with Tyler Oakley, UCLA. Personal photography by author. 2014.

Presents Ceremony, UCLA. Personal photography by author. 2015.

Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.

Tours Picnic, UCLA. Personal photography by author. 2015.

Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being in between." Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-125. JSTOR. Web. 3 Apr. 2015.

Williams, Christopher M. "A Dangerous Divide: The Two Cultures in the 21st Century." The New York Academy of Sciences. N.p., 24 July 2009. Web. 2 Apr. 2015.