# Asians, Americans Show Perceptual Divide



## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050822/ap_on_sc/different_views

I wonder if we see things differently in aquascape. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Thanh


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## SnakeIce (May 9, 2005)

That is right along lines of the news note I read months ago that reported another angle on the differences. 

The way the asian and american/european cultures view language and sound is quite different as well. 

Asians hear a cricket and that to them is the essence of what a cricket is. A picture of thier surroundings is identified by the sound. The sound and the source can't be separated in their thinking. The name and written symbal for each thing is also entwined in that.

Westerners hear a noise. They might be able to identify it as a cricket if they think about it.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

> Westerners hear a noise. They might be able to identify it as a cricket if they think about it.


Duh!

That says that Westerners aren't interested in crickets or insect noises. If they were, would they perceive the sound as the essence of the cricket and its surroundings? I think if they were interested, they would. Basically, that says Westerners are too self-involved to pay any attention. Maybe, as a group, they are.

At this time in the fall, in the south, there is a cricket that I think of as the rapid chirper. it has bouts of chirping at the rate of about four chirps a second. To me it sounds aggressive and in an awful hurry. It essence is push-push-push-push as fast as you can go. It makes me tired and a little sad. The lazy days of summer are over. Time to get back in the rat race. I associate the sound not only with the cricket, but also the time of the year when school starts and I have no time of my own any more. Just the opposite associations come with the relaxed phrases of the wood thrush in the spring and early summer. Each phrase is a carefully concocted melody, thought up and then released to spread throughout the woods. There is a thoughtful pause of several seconds, and then the next phrase comes out, sometimes in a different key, always a different chord. The wood thrush slows down time, almost stops it. You have forever. Enjoy.

I don't know if that is Asian or not, but to me, sounds of nature have many associations, from which I imagine an essence, whether it is an accurate representation of the producer of the sound or not.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

Crickets are bait.
The thought process:

Crickets=> bait=> fishing ...................(or rarely aquarium fish food)=> a cold one 

Does not take long to paint that picture no matter what culture or ethinicty you may be.

You might hear noise, I hear bait.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## TNguyen (Mar 20, 2005)

plantbrain said:


> Crickets are bait.
> The thought process:
> 
> Crickets=> bait=> fishing ...................(or rarely aquarium fish food)=> a cold one
> ...


True, True, that was the first thing I think about when the word cricket comes to mind. You beat me to the punch. =D>

Thanh


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

My first thought of crickets were..

Crickets=>chirping=>able to tell rough ambient temperature..

NERD!!


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## SnakeIce (May 9, 2005)

Fun topic, I guess I wasn't as clear as I should have been.

When I said westerners I was thinking global. far east versus west. The mentality out of which arises the sentiment "I'll squash you like a bug" versus the religion in India which sweeps the path to avoid treading on the relative that came back as a flea. Ok so that religion is the extreme in that region, but I make my point.  

Anyway, I'd say we as a group here on APC do tend to appreciate the little things.


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## awrieger (May 20, 2005)

My first thought of crickets were..

Crickets=>chirping=>hot summer nights.

That relating the sound to the surroundings, isn't it?


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## awrieger (May 20, 2005)

From the article



> The key thing in Chinese culture is harmony, Nisbett said, while in the West the key is finding ways to get things done


I guess that sort of explains why a lot of westerners keep asking why Amano doesn't explan in his books what he's doing or why he does it a certain way. I suppose to Amano, those things just aren't as important as getting across the concept of harmony. Maybe?

Edit: PS. Yes, I know Amano is not Chinese, but the same 'harmony' culture applies to Japan probably even more so, imho.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

ranmasatome said:


> My first thought of crickets were..
> 
> Crickets=>chirping=>able to tell rough ambient temperature..
> 
> NERD!!


That is true as I teach students this their first day of class with Crickets(they make a chirp/unit time vs temp).
But not everyone is in school, I think pest that will keep me up at night typically also.

Or chasing them as a kid.......

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

awrieger said:


> From the article
> 
> I guess that sort of explains why a lot of westerners keep asking why Amano doesn't explan in his books what he's doing or why he does it a certain way. I suppose to Amano, those things just aren't as important as getting across the concept of harmony. Maybe?
> 
> Edit: PS. Yes, I know Amano is not Chinese, but the same 'harmony' culture applies to Japan probably even more so, imho.


Japanese and chinese share similar roots.. We are actually very close in our culture and way of living.. even in the spoken language..some words sound similar..so i wouldn't be surprised..

Tom : Yes.. that was my first thought but after that alot more flowed in like what you mentioned.. my favourite was catching them in teh fields as a kid.


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## trckrunrmike (Jan 31, 2005)

awrieger said:


> From the article
> 
> I guess that sort of explains why a lot of westerners keep asking why Amano doesn't explan in his books what he's doing or why he does it a certain way. I suppose to Amano, those things just aren't as important as getting across the concept of harmony. Maybe?
> 
> Edit: PS. Yes, I know Amano is not Chinese, but the same 'harmony' culture applies to Japan probably even more so, imho.


Chinese and Japanese mindsets are very different in every way.


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

trckrunrmike said:


> Chinese and Japanese mindsets are very different in every way.


Really depends how you look at it..


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

Crickets are still bait/in every culture.

If you went to buy one, where would you go?
What would be the most likely reason to catch one/more than one?
If you see or hear bait, what do you think?

For all the supposed difference cultures and people supposedly have and possess, I find people are very similar the world over.

Some see differences, some see similarities. 

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Phil Edwards (Jan 22, 2004)

I would be really interested to see how very experienced aquascapers fit into the equation. I would think that even Westerners would look at the whole of the picture more than just the one colorful area like the "uninitiated".


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