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Will this DS idea make me look like a jerk?
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 5:58 pm
by peterb0y
done and done, thanks for the replies
Re: Will this DS idea make me look like a jerk?
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:00 pm
by arism87
peterb0y wrote:The idea: as a kid, spanish was my first language. However, I looked at my parents, especially my dad, who had a thick accent and struggled with some words, and to some degree was embarrassed by this. My father to this day is hesitant to speak in public. As such, I wanted to distance myself from anything related to my hispanic heritage growing up.
As I grew older, I came to understand that I simply could not do the above, as my entire worldview was based on my heritage. Consequently, I came to embrace my roots, and now many things that I do are products of my background; ie the music i produce, my political views, etc etc... In college I experienced a few prejudiced remarks about my heritage, and instead of being embarrassed, I took the opportunity to educate them about their hurtful remarks.
In short, does this idea make me look like a jerk for being embarrassed growing up by my parents' accents?
All kids are embarrassed by their parents- just be careful how you phrase things. Maybe it will be more helpful to see the PS when it's written. I think it could be a great story.
Re: Will this DS idea make me look like a jerk?
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 6:02 pm
by coug11
If it shows how you changed and became more accepting/learned from it, I think it has great potential.
Re: Will this DS idea make me look like a jerk?
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 9:26 pm
by hawaii
I experienced the exact same thing so I don't think it makes you look like a jerk. Just be careful about how you present the story.
Re: Will this DS idea make me look like a jerk?
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 9:30 pm
by CanadianWolf
In short, yes.
Re: Will this DS idea make me look like a jerk?
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 9:55 pm
by bdubs
The fact that you are worried about sounding like a jerk means that you are approaching it from the wrong mindset.
Try to think more about why you were embarrassed as a kid. It was probably because of your father's own self-consciousness and your fear of being different. I would imagine those are both normal themes in a DS, but I wouldn't dwell on them. They can be stated succinctly in a single paragraph or even a few sentences.
Re: Will this DS idea make me look like a jerk?
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:06 pm
by peterb0y
CanadianWolf wrote:In short, yes.
care to be more specific?
Re: Will this DS idea make me look like a jerk?
Posted: Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:18 pm
by patrickd139
CanadianWolf wrote:In short, yes.
+1. Polarizing DS is polarizing.
The way I read the OP was this: I was embarrassed my parents are different because of their ethnicity/cultural heritage. Only after I realized I can't escape the stigma did I try to make the best of it by embracing the situation. Now I kinda like my heritage.
You probably don't want to approach it from that angle. You have cultural diversity. Point that out. Don't do it in a "life-lesson" context. That's polarizing and uncomfortable and makes the reader feel somehow responsible for perpetuating the stigmatizing stereotypes that made you embarrassed as a youngster.