#lifediscovery

I am enamoured with the contents on youtube. Most of the time, i find myself watching useless videos - Nyan Cat humours me, or someone giving me a paper crane origami tutorial.. or... youtube celebrities skits, vlogs or other items.

Kevjumba is one of those Youtube Celebrities. yes, one of those asian american youtube stars, that i watch from time to time... There is a wave of them such as niga higa, wongfu productions, wylie, and so on. Youtube has become a social medium for them (asian americans) to express themselves. it is difficult to be caught in generations and cultures. For myself, having to grow up in South East Asia, the cultures are not as much as Western Vs Eastern. However, due to the colonisation history, it is a very confusing context for many of us growing up in my generation. I know three languages, and could understand multiple dialects, but I am neither proficient in any single one of them..

Anyway, this following video from kevjumba, which i think..the sentiments resonate for me.....  i was listening to it as a i typed out its dialogue. of course, at the same time, i am not kevin, i would not know about the intent of the video. In many ways, it has been shot beautifully, the narration is.. very close to heart. 

 This is home, they say you can make your home wherever you feel.….. AROUND EVERY TURN IS A LIFE OUTSIDE OF MINE, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PLACE.. ALL YOU WANT IS BEING A PART OF ITS FUTURE.. I DON’T FEEL LIKE ANYTHING AT ALL, APART FROM TO SEE AND TO EXPERIENCE MORE…. THE CITY IS SO FULL OF LIFE,  YOU SOMETIMES DON’T KNOW WHERE YOU FIT IN. MAYBE THAT’S THE POINT. I REALISE THIS PLACE DOESN’T JUST WANT YOU TO SEE WHAT’S HERE, AND WHAT CAME BEFORE.. IT DOESN’T ASK YOU TO CHANGE YOUR WAY..OR HOW YOU LOOK AT THE WORLD…THE SIMPLE THING THAT IT WANT YOU TO DISCOVER IS YOU.. TO FIND YOURSELF INSIDE ITS WALLS. AND OUT ON THE STREETS, TO SHOW YOU TO ANSWERS TO ALL THE HESITATIONS, THE QUESTIONS, AND DREAMS, IS RIGHT THERE IN YOUR OWN REFLECTION.. FEW PLACES WILL SHOW YOU THAT.. THAT IS WHY NO MATTER WHAT COMES NEXT.. FOR ME, FOR NOW, THIS IS HOME. 

  My take of the narration: 

Finding home, is about finding yourself. Also, learn from the environment, interact with animated and inaminate object.. it's a self discovery journey. home and self discovery? it's related. 

Most useful thing i find out of the narration, is the message to not just live in your neighbourhood, but to learn from it. Take some time off, absorb the knowledge within it. Be open minded, and observant. 

Many i know borrow views from other people, and call it their own. I think it is okay to loan, but return it the library, and gain your own perspective about your own space. 

I like it mostly because it talks about the city, and what holds within it. That is something that, as a town planner, i can see patterns in many different urban forms, or man made features.. we are a driving agent in landscape changes, whether in a city or rural area..  There is so much to learn from every minor things around us, and i think people neglect it. I learn about my city and neighbourhood everyday, just because i let it teach it me. 

  My ideas are all over the place. but MEH. There's many streams of thoughts right now. 

  Watching this video also reminds me of the article which has been circulated extensively online since its publication (online anyway). 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/wait-but-why/generation-y-unhappy_b_3930620.html 

I agree and disagree. Well, everyone is entitled to an opinion of their own. 

Generation X is doing a lot better than they expect, due to the exponential growth in the world economy during their productive years...

Gen Y grew up, but have lesser chances to be as successful as their parents = sad?

YES. The competitions are tighter, the market is saturated.. yes that is correct. However, the wealth the Gen X has accummulated has also trickled down to, and benefited the Gen Y. Having to come from an asian family, my parents were all about working to provide for us. Dad grew up poor and in a rural area, while mom, albeit have a better off family, walked to school, looked after her younger siblings, and left school when she could to help.

I asked my mother if she ever had a dream? 

I found myself asking a very very very silly question when she replied 'who has the time to dream really?'.

the reasons why I have the time and capability to 'dream' is at the expenses of their dreams and time. 

It was a different era. Gen X are usually from a very large family where food/money is scarce. They have not been exposed to higher level of education usually because the environment doesnt allow them to, or they have not been taught about the reasons for having a higher level of education. Gen X's parents dont usually have anything more than primary education.. Although Gen X does well in life, they have not had time to think or plan, or to dream... they followed the flow, and accidentally gotten more successful than they anticipated. 

My heart sunk. I feel like my parents missed  out a lot because of the era, the generation and the society that they were in.

I dont know why gen Y should feel sad. I dont feel sad being in  generation Y, in fact, i feel fortunate enough to be exposed to a lot of intellectual materials, only made possible because my parents - the GEN X gave up their 'dreams' to give it to us. I have the ability to 'dream' to construct 'goals'.. and most importantly follow a path that I choose... or they helped to choose.. is because they are the enabling parties. 

We are not SAD. the GEN Y is a lucky bunch of people. As much as it is tough out there, considering there is so many of us, we are.. given so much opportunities, so it is up to us to appreciate, remember what the Gen X did for us, and be more organised to 'dream' and 'plan' better.. because we have the luxury to do so.... given only by the wealth / success from Gen X. 

Sometimes what you expect in life isn't what happens

The path you wanted led you left instead of right

You give your heart in hopes to not feel pain

You'll make a right into a wrong

You'll try and fail

Sooo then you have to

Learn to go with the flow

Understand that this path still has no end

Falling in love again is an adventure

Remember that it will all work out

And what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.