コミュニケーション

I am taking Colloquium on Major East Asian Texts this semester, and one of the fundamental themes pervasive throughout the philosophy of Confucianism is that you need two people to essentially be human. I have always full-heartedly and immutably believed this. Being human does not come from walking on two legs or having opposable thumbs -- our humanity comes from our intimate interactions with one another, from having sympathy and love for other human beings.

Thus, communication holds deep meaning for me. I love reading because it enables me to communicate and empathize with other characters who I wouldn't otherwise encounter. I love learning languages, just like Japanese, because it breaks down barriers of "us versus them" and fosters a mutual understanding of the value of fundamental human worth. And, I love drawing manga because I can communicate quintessential human emotions and the human capacity for redemption through art.

I truly believe the purpose of communication is to create community, not divide people. So, through this podcast project, I hope to:

• effectively relay humor without being offensive,
• be clear and speak at a (close to normal) pace, and
• show that I am genuinely interested in learning about Japanese culture

There's so much to gain from this podcast project. わくわくします！