- Less of a Victim, More of a Lover
- Cho`s Mental State
- The Art of War and Hillary Clintons Presidential Campaign
Dim Sum Articles
Q. Less of a Victim, More of a Lover
Last month a friend came to visit me from a far. I was so much into my own pain about the injustice that he have done to me so I could not see what it was like to be in his shoes. Of course, until I am able to walk through my mental dark valley, I was incapable to see from his perspective. As a rule for us human kind, we always feel sorry for ourselves first. After a time of simmer and indulge in our own sadness and pain, if one is wise enough, then one can start to see from another’s point of view. When we are able to see from other’s point of view then we can realize that no one who is really dear to us ever really meant to hurt us. Everyone has a little sad story. We all need to change our glasses so we can see from other’s point of view. In this way, one can be less of the victim and more of the lover of the world.
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Q. Cho`s Mental State
All experts agreed that, Mr. Cho of the Virginia Tech shooting is mentally sick. Yet no media have looked at the possibility of how his Asian’s up bringing may have played a vital part of his mental development. As an Asian culture expert, Chin-Ning Chu takes a look at how the culture may have played into this tragedy.
There is no concept of child abuse in Asian culture.
For thousands of years; there has been no concept about child abuse within the Asian culture. Even today, the Asian parents are considered physically and mentally abusive towards their children as an expression of discipline, love and “for your own good”. It is the parents’ duty to discipline their children. When Asian children are being abused or have been abused, neither the parents nor the children realize their hurtful actions have ill mental consequences. The parents do not see themselves as abusers and children do not see themselves as abused unless the child was killed or hospitalized from a very brutal injury that hit the news papers. When Asians consider this as child abuse, I consider this as murder. The mental and physical abuse is standard for Asian children’s discipline ritual. Although many children have managed to adjust, others did not and could not. Without knowing Cho’s parents, who were probably in their 40’s, was educated and grew up in Korea; chances are, Cho parents may have been the victim of his grand parents’ abuse. When they became parents they became abusers. This has been the way for thousands of years in Asia. The vicious cycle continues. I am certain Cho was the victim of “standard” child abuse which his parents did not consider they had abused him. His rage was not merely caused by some student rejections in high school and college.
There is a great deal of rage and sadness within the hearts of so many Asian children. Parents have absolute power over their children, and children’s right is a gift by the parents, if they are intelligent enough to grant you. The Asian culture is focused highly on their children’s education and pays no attention to their mental development.
2. Mental illness among Asians is considered as a great shame to the family and has caused the family to lose face
When a member of the family is considered mentally ill, it is a great shame for the whole family and caused the family to lose face among their friends and society. Most Asians considered mental illness as being “crazy”, unless your actions are undeniably “crazy”, you are well. The culture respects only the parents’ right not the child’s. From the above reasons, the Asian community has every reason to disregard the importance of mental wellness and none to acknowledge it. It is an uphill battle for the Asian mental health workers.
3. There was a survey done by the American Mental Health Association that shows Asian teenagers have the highest suicide rate than any other racial groups within the USA.
4. In order to understand Cho’s behavior we have to look at his relationship with his family.
As the only male child in the family, it is hard for him to live up to the expectation of his parents. It is most likely, he was never good enough for his parents. The constant verbal put downs and sometimes the physical punished is expected. I wouldn’t be surprised that the root cause of his mental illness could be his
relationship with his parents.
5. It is time for Asians throughout the world to acknowledge the harm that we have caused to our children by treated them in the “traditional Asian disciplinary ways” and the courage we have to have to face up to the mental heath issues.
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Q. The Art of War and Hillary Clintons Presidential Campaign
As I am looking at Obama and Hillary Clinton running for President on the Democratic Party, these thoughts came to me. Obama is too smooth, too beautiful, he is the perfect child, the perfect student, the perfect everything. He packaged himself so neat and so respectful. He speaks so carefully and none committal. You can see him, yet you can’t see him at the same time. I don’t want such a person to be the President of the United States. I don’t trust him. No one is that perfect. I personally support Hillary Clinton to be the President of United State. If for no other reason other then it is time to let a capable woman run the White House.
“ Know thyself and know thy opponent, hundred battles hundred victories.” This is the essence of Sun Tzu’s Art of War . “It is important for Hillary to know Hillary. How much she knows about her will determine her defeat or victory.
In this brief outline of Hillary’s campaign I am focusing on Hillary herself more than her political agendas. Because campaign agendas is just campaign agendas often has very little reality what one will do when they entered the office.
For Hillary, know thyself including known all of her personal characters, strength and weaknesses. We will examine how Hillary Clinton will affect her own success in running for the Presidency.
I am going to analyze her according to the 5 essential elements for victory of the classical Sun Tzu’s Art of War.
Sun Tzu states, according the five essential elements, Tao, Tien, Di, Jiang, Fa he can determine who will win.
I. Tao----The Righteousness.
Assuming all her political agenda are righteous and in line with Tao, we have to note the followings are working against her.
1. Her independence from her husband is against Tao.
Hillary has to remember, because she is Bill Clinton’s wife, so she is the Senator now. If I were Bill Clinton’s wife, I will be Senator also. Never forget, where were you came from and how American people perceive you. Now she tries to run the President as “Hillary Clinton” but not the wife of Bill Clinton. She is wrong. American people want her as Hillary Clinton as well as wife of “Bill Clinton. If Hillary is not a Clinton rather the wife of John Doe, she will not be who she is today no matter how capable she is. In the past, American chooses their President by looking at the whole family not only the candidate.
2. People like the couple. Presidency it is all about the whole family.
On some rare occasion, she appeared on public television with Bill, they are so polite to each other yet totally lack of genuine warmness and affection. They don’t act like a real family, rather a “try to be” family. In a recent Larry King Show interview with President Bill Clinton, when Larry speaks of Hillary, Bill’s facial expression had just a noticeable uncomfortable ness. Yes, President Clinton stated before he is a good actor, but not good enough. When Bill speaks of their daughter Chelsea, the viewers can felt his soul is so full of love and it expressed on his face.
3. The American people expect the first family to be a happy family, the model for the American families, and set the highest moral standard for the whole Americans.
This is the Tao of White House Residence. Unless American are willing to give up two hundred years of expectation of seeing a happy, loving First Family in the White House, the chance for Hillary move back to White House is slim.
4.Chelsea is not a positive picture as a model American young lady.
Beside Bill and Hillary’s relationship trouble,. She often hit the news for all her questionable behaviors.
II. Tien----Timing
Who ever were elected as the Democratic Party for President, the Question for the American is that “is American more ready for a woman with a broken family or African American man? I think none. If anyone of them who is running against a more liberal Republican candidate who is aginst war and saving in economy, both has no chance. It is very unfortunate.
III. Di---Resources, Strengths and Weaknesses
1. Her strength and weakness: Her obvious strength is she has enough masculine strength to facing any challenges gallantly. Yet, her obvious weakness is that emotionally, she thinks like an ordinary woman. She hurts and it shows. Also she has a long memory like an elephant about those who came across her and hurt her especially her husband.
2. She miss uses her greatest resource:
American people see Bill Clinton and Hillary as a team and this is her greatest her resources. We all remembered the good time during the Clinton Administration. We want to bring them back as a team, instead of Hillary fight the world alone. Bill Clinton is her biggest resource if she knows how to use him right. Otherwise, being Bill Clinton’s wife could be a liability for her. Clinton’ charm, charismatic style mesmerized American people. Because of his charm, American people forgave his extra marital affairs. Beside President John Kennedy can match the charm of Bill Clinton, no past American Presidents could match him.
After Hillary announced her candidacy the first public interview Bill gave on Larry King Show, Bill Clinton had expressed his willingness to support his wife’s campaign in any way that she sees the best way he can serve. This statement is so polite and too uncertain about where he stands in her life and campaign. This answer is politically correct, but without the family closeness and warmness.
IV. Jiang----Leadership: The essential elements of a great leader are: Wise, Compassionate, Trustful, Courageous and Strict.
1. Wise---The President of the United States of American should be Wise enough to utilize all the available talents to do the right jobs, even though they may disagreed with you, or hurt you in the past and may be still rubbing you in the wrong way.
Can Hillary be big enough to use her enemies and forgive those who hurt her?
From the way she handled Bill’s infidelity, she does not exhibits this quality. In ancient China, Emperor Tang Ta Zhong employed his greatest enemy (even once attempted to assassinate him) as the Prime Minister and together, they built the second Golden Era of China.
If Hillary is not wise enough to use Bill to help her create momentum for her campaign then she will not be wise enough to appoint the right people to do the right jobs for her future office in white House. Hillary needs to think how to be a President instead of being a woman.
2. Compassionate ---Another important quality of a great leader is to be compassionate.
Hillary needs to exhibit the quality of a great leader that fit to be the potential President of United States. It seems Hillary at this point of her life she is busy leaking her wounds and being tough while feeling sorry for her all at the same time. At this point of her life, she is lacking the qualities of Wisdom and Compassion. If she is some one can forgive all, except for Bill, then she is wrong, because Bill is the most important strategic asset in her campaign.
Deep down, it is visible that Hillary and Bill are still much in love, yet, she just can’t release the past. She is making Bill pay for his mistakes at the expense of her Presidential campaign.
. The truth is that the higher you go, the more people will hurt you, the more you have to tolerate, forgive, and embraced those who hurt you especially for the good the National interest. This quality should be her second nature.
3. Trustful------ She should not keeps her marriage for the purpose to fool the American people. She either has a marriage for she doesn’t. American people can not be fooled. If she has a marriage, Hillary has to give up this “tough, hurting wife” act. And be a woman that is strong in her, yet soft enough to love her husband, with all of his faults. If she doesn’t have a marriage, she should be honest about that. If she is trying to fool the American people about her marriage now, then what is next?
Fa--- Execution
1. Majority of American voters are morally conservative.
Unless Hillary can melt her family into a true picture of caring, loving (forwards each other) American family, she is standing on a shaky foundation for her President campaign. Even if she can beat Obama, she will have a hard time to beat a more liberal Republican candidate who is against war and pro economic growth.
2. The more she run her champion along the less the dynamic her campaign will.
No one wants to see a woman struggling along on the hardship of Presidential campaign trail. We want to see her supported, loved and nurtured by her beloved Bill. Together they are a winning team. If she can’t pull her family together what hope she has to pull the American people together.
3. People want a dynamic and happy President not a hurting wife.
We want her to bring back her happy, bright, dynamic self when she first helped Bill to run his Presidential campaign.
4. People want to see that she can put her personal interest behind the needs of the nation. During challenge times as the President she is capable making the best decisions.
5. Now, she is her biggest enemy.
Hillary’s and her campaign needs some fine tinning in order to see victory. It is easy and very hard for Hillary to make such an adjustment. The easy part is that she only has to change her. The hard part is that she has to change her.
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