Hero stories appear in almost every culture because they resonate with fundamental human experiences. They are growing up, finding purpose, facing fears, and achieving something meaningful.
When we hear or read about a hero overcoming great odds, it encourages us to face our own challenges with bravery. These stories give us examples of strength, sacrifice, and transformation. For instance, myths about heroes often show them making sacrifices for a greater good, which teaches values of courage, selflessness, and dedication. As a result, hero stories can guide people’s actions and help shape cultural values.
Each culture has its own heroes who embody its values, strengths, and ideals. By telling these stories, cultures pass down important beliefs future generations.
For me, I love the batman story because it is different from the “superhero”. Batman may sometime be weak and he got his dark side stories. However, all hero stories are common because they are a powerful way to build understanding across cultures, reminding us that we all share similar life challenges, hopes, and goals.
As someone deeply immersed in digital art, I’ve always communicated and collaborated with photographers, designers, and other creative minds to bring visions to life. However, diving into the world of AI-generated art has been a whole new challenge. Unlike my usual collaborators, AI doesn’t have emotions or an understanding of the human form in the way we do.
The results? Let’s just say the AI’s interpretations of arms, legs, and other human features have been… interesting. The AI often produces images with strange, twisted limbs that look anything but human. It’s like communicating with a machine that doesn’t quite grasp the essence of anatomy or expression.
While this process has been frustrating, it has also taught me about letting go of control and allowing room for mistakes—mistakes that would be unacceptable in traditional art creation. AI art is unpredictable and sometimes unsettling, but it’s also a unique exploration of what “creativity” can mean when emotion and human intuition are taken out of the equation.
With humans, emotional depth and cultural insights lead to meaningful conflict and growth; with AI, the unpredictability fosters a fresh perspective. This journey redefines my approach to art, blending the beauty of human emotion with the intrigue of machine-generated imagination.
Reflecting on this “failure” experience, I realize that I’m not just creating art; I’m learning to navigate the boundaries between human creativity and machine output, and redefining what I consider to be successful art.
So glad to hear “feedback” and open discussion with people
I find Andrea Olsen’s perspective on touch really fascinating because she expands it beyond just a physical interaction. For her, touch is also an emotional sensation, one that can trigger memories and feelings from the past. This idea resonates with me, as I realized that touch isn’t just about texture—it’s about the memories and emotions it can stir up.
I tried doing the exercise from Day 10 and touched a tree. For me, the experience was a bit uncomfortable; the surface of the tree felt rough, even painful. But that sensation actually triggered a vivid memory from my childhood. I remembered playing ‘seek and find’ with my brother in the park when I was about 10. During one of our games, I ended up crashing into a tree. That memory, which I hadn’t thought about in years, came flooding back as I touched the tree. It reminded me that touch really can reach beyond the surface, connecting us to moments, places, and even emotions that we may not consciously recall.
This exercise made me realize that touch is powerful in its ability to bring back memories and emotions. It’s not just a physical sensation—it’s an access point to our personal histories and feelings. It’s fascinating to think how something as simple as touching a tree can bring us back to moments that shape who we are.
It’s amazing how something as simple as touch can open the door to memories we may have forgotten!
The constant noise of city life—traffic, alarms, construction—can indeed be overwhelming and create stress. Somehow, it may leds to mental health problem. This is precisely why the concept of Quantum Listening can be so powerful. By shifting our attention from noise pollution to intentional, immersive listening experiences, we can foster a sense of peace and connection.
Going to nature, where the sounds are more organic—like birds, rustling leaves, or the wind—aligns perfectly with this. Listening to these environmental sounds can be deeply calming and rejuvenating. The field recordists who record the sounds of trees for meditation videos! Their work is a beautiful example of how sound can connect us to nature, offering a retreat from urban noise and creating space for mindfulness and relaxation.
For me, the sound of the tree is like a magic. I have never thought of it – tree produces sound. This practice of listening to trees or natural sounds also embodies the essence of Quantum Listening. By doing so, it’s not just hearing— experiencing a more profound, grounding connection with the world around us.
After exploring the website and video on feedback. I’ve come to realize just how powerful feedback can be, especially in today’s world where social media is flooded with comments and criticisms. Many of these comments are filled with emotional anger, which often leads to serious issues like bullying and, in extreme cases, even self-harm or suicide. This makes me believe that constructive and positive feedback is more important than ever. If we could all understand the impact of our words and learn how to give feedback thoughtfully, it would make a huge difference. Our world could genuinely be a kinder and more supportive place.
As a director or creator, I’ve experienced how social media comments can often be overwhelmingly negative and, quite frankly, unhelpful. Many comments lack constructive value and are merely expressions of raw emotion. People often judge without context, saying things like, “I hate this movie,” or “I don’t like that actor because they’re ugly or too fat.” Such comments are purely judgmental and provide no meaningful insight or room for improvement.
In my role as a director, I’ve found that this kind of feedback can be disheartening. It doesn’t contribute to growth or offer anything useful to the creative process. By contrast, thoughtful, constructive feedback could help artists like myself to evolve and improve. So, reflecting on this, I truly see the value of learning how to give feedback in a way that uplifts rather than tears down.
I think Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process (CRP) CRP and Marshall Rosenberg ‘s Nonviolent Communication (NVC) should be widely used, not only in the arts. And then, I believe that our would will become more beautiful.
Comments always hurt me even though I have a protective shell.
• Plan: I decided to start a routine of going to the gym for jogging and workouts to manage my weight, reduce stress, and take a break from social media and work/study pressures. Initially, I aimed to go every day, either in the morning or after work.
• Risk: However, maintaining this routine has been challenging. I often feel tired after work, wake up late, and find excuses to skip the gym. As a result, I haven’t been consistent, sometimes managing only once or twice a week, which has affected my fitness and stress levels. I also feel the financial pressure, as I pay a gym membership fee and don’t want to waste that investment.
Lil Push Realisation + Reflection > Intercultural Practice
• Realisation: I’ve realized that I struggle with self-discipline in maintaining a gym routine, especially when I’m feeling lazy or exhausted. The inconsistency has limited my ability to reach my fitness goals and manage stress effectively.
• Reflection: Building a consistent routine is crucial for physical and mental well-being, but it requires accountability and motivation. I think it might help if I have someone, like my boyfriend or friends, to join me at the gym, as this support could make it easier to stay committed.
Intercultural Practices INSIGHT(S)
• Insight: This experience has shown me that routines and discipline play a major role in achieving personal goals, similar to cultural practices that require commitment. Just as cultural rituals are maintained over time, a fitness routine also requires dedication and persistence.
• Conclusion: Maintaining a gym habit is challenging, but small steps and accountability can make it easier to achieve. I need to work on finding motivation and creating a flexible schedule to make the habit sustainable.
• Future Work: I plan to start a more realistic routine by aiming for three times a week, potentially inviting my boyfriend or friends to join for motivation. Setting reminders and preparing gym clothes in advance could also help me stick to my goal.
This past week has been challenging yet rewarding. I finally overcame several technical hurdles, including using Miro, Myblog and Moodle. It may seem like a small step, but it feels like real progress and has boosted my confidence. 🙂 However, I still feel deeply frustrated when I speak in class. I often feel that my words lack meaning because I need extra time to gather my thoughts and respond. I’m not quick to express myself, and this makes me feel that my sharing doesn’t contribute much. Honestly, I wanted to escape every time 🙁
I hope that by the end of this semester, I’ll feel more comfortable and confident in expressing my thoughts. I want to reach a point where I can share my ideas meaningfully, without feeling like I’m struggling to keep up. Additionally, I’m wrestling with choosing a topic for my assignment, feeling lost and confused. I hope that with time, clarity will come, and I’ll see improvement in both my confidence and my ability to express myself.
This is my fourth lesson in the course, and I still feel lost. I genuinely love studying, love Marsha (she is a wonderful person) and I’m passionate about this topic—learning about and discussing culture together is something I truly enjoy. I also really appreciate being part of UAL. However, I sometimes feel like I’m falling behind. My classmates all seem brilliant, and I can’t help but feel like the weakest in the group. Even though I’m doing my best, I still feel like I’m not quite keeping up.
Maybe part of why I feel lost is because I’ve been out of school for so long. After working for years, returning to study feels like a big adjustment. I hope that by the end of this course, when I look back at my blog, I’ll see growth and progress. Right now, though, it’s tough. I do a lot of reading and preparation before each class, which I enjoy, but in class, I get nervous and struggle to speak up. I’m shy and lack confidence in expressing myself, and I’m not entirely sure why.
After reading the Goffman’s article, I began questioning why I feel the need to present myself as brilliant or perfect in this course. I don’t have a clear answer. Perhaps this reflection will help me understand myself more deeply and reduce the pressure I place on myself.
I hope this blog becomes a space for reflection, allowing me to look back on where I am today. In two years, I want to see growth, to know that I’ve changed and evolved from this point. When I revisit this entry, I hope to feel proud of the progress I’ve made, knowing that I’ve become more confident and capable. This journey may be challenging, but I believe it will lead me to a better version of myself.
In a sense, and in so far as this mask represents the conception we have formed of ourselves—the role we are striving to live up to—this mask is our truer self, the self we would like to be.
Goffman, E. (1959). The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life.
when I look back at my blog, I’ll see growth and progress.
I know that It is important to face failure, but at the same time, it is difficult to face failure, because sometimes, it really hurts. However, I’ve realised that doing so is crucial for personal growth and learning. After every class, I will continue to reflect on my failures and assess the lessons I’ve learned. By committing to this exercise regularly, I hope to develop a deeper understanding of myself and enhance my ability to improve through each experience. Failure is not the end, but a starting point for growth.
Lil Push Plan + Risk > Intercultural Practice
Plan: I love Japanese culture and am learning the Japanese language, so I plan to read Japanese articles every morning to improve my language skills and gain a deeper understanding of Japanese culture, social norms, and traditions. For instance, the Japanese term さとやま (Satoyama) symbolises the harmonious relationship between people and nature, where humans coexist with the forest rather than exploit it. This reflects the broader Japanese cultural value of living in balance with the environment, showing respect for nature and future generations. By learning this concept, I realised that Japan’s approach to environmental conservation isn’t just about sustainability but also about maintaining harmony between humans, nature, and future generations, like children.
Risk: Maintaining this habit has been challenging due to my desire to sleep in the morning and lack of consistent motivation, which has interrupted my language learning and cultural immersion. Since I have registered for the N3 Japanese test in December, which requires me to focus on grammar and vocabulary, my failure is putting me behind in my studies.
Lil Push Realisation + Reflection > Intercultural Practice
Realisation: I found it difficult to maintain this habit, especially in the mornings. While I managed to stick to the routine for half a month, my consistency dropped, reducing my reading to three or two times a week. Failing to engage with reading Japanese articles limited my understanding of cultural nuances and learning process.
Reflection: I think building a strong connection with a new culture requires discipline and consistency. This inconsistency has affected my confidence in preparing for the N3 test in December. At that same time, missing opportunities to engage with the language, I lost chances to absorb valuable cultural insights.
Intercultural Practices INSIGHT(S) / CONCLUSION / FUTURE WORK
INSIGHT: Japanese culture is deeply embedded in its language. The nuances of formality and societal roles are reflected in word choice and sentence structures. Regularly reading articles would have improved both my language skills and understanding of these cultural norms. This would also enhance my comprehension when watching Japanese anime, which I’ve been a fan of since childhood.
CONCLUSION: I thinkconsistent engagement with reading Japanese articles is crucial to understanding both the language and the culture. Failing to maintain this consistency hinders both my intercultural learning process and linguistic progress.
FUTURE WORK: I’ll start my mornings with a cup of coffee to help focus and make reading Japanese articles a daily routine and try to establish a more flexible and realistic routine to accommodate my cultural learning. Moreover, I plan to explore shorter, more engaging content, such as entertainment news or art events, to build a sustainable habit.
In The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Goffman’s work helps to see social life as a series of performances, encouraging to reflect on how we present ourselves and understand the behaviours of others in social settings, presenting the idea that individuals manage the impressions they give to others much like actors on a stage.
“We have been using the term ‘performance’ to refer to all the activity of an individual which occurs during a period marked by his continuous presence before a particular set of observers and which has some influence on the observers.”
(Goffman, 1959, p. 22)
“Instead of merely doing his task and giving vent to his feelings, he will express the doing of his task and acceptably convey his feelings. In general, the representation of an activity, especially when this representation is socialized in accordance with interaction standards, will vary in some degree from the activity itself.”
(Goffman, 1959, p. 74)
Self – presentation RecordingMA intercultural practises gives me a window into understanding other people, even when I don’t always agree with
