It is an inevitable stage of every human's existence to ask the fundamental question: “Who am I?” For many, the search for this “identity” is one that aims to achieve a realization and/or acceptance of oneself. However, the idea of the “Self” is, on its own, a highly abstract concept. It is shaped by the person, the people around him or her, and the surroundings that contain them—thus, “identity” is tripled-tiered. Even further, there are the separate (yet, often interchanged) components of “who” and “what” a person is.
Here stands the crux of the problem.
In the case of “gender identity,” for example, we are aware that a transgender's sex has no relation to his or her own identification with gender. As such, it may seem obvious that “what” a person is has only a secondary, if any, impact on the sense of self-identity.
For decades, the protection of copyright and related rights has been executed in the form of a global movement led by an industry of competitive partners with disharmonious interests. In a desperate campaign to strengthen the argumentative base of the provider in its ongoing battle against the consumer, authors, composers, publishers, performers, record companies, producers, and other monopolists hoping to further increase their financial capital via current and prospective remunerative systems have joined forces on a rather contradictory platform: the promotion of human rights.
It is said that the Balinese, among other Indonesians, are famous for their smiles. On the local level, as in many other societies, the gesture commonly expresses cordiality, pleasure, amusement, and camaraderie. Yet, the majority of tourists with their fresh naivete are ignorant to the fact that a smile - in Bali, no less - can and often does convey one of many rather opposite messages.
As outsiders, tourists' association with financial capital by the masses of working class laborers on the island limits their contact with the genuine Balinese smile exchanged among one another in the community.
There is a prevalent genre of conservative (dare I say, fascist) literature in Japan that poses an extreme danger to insight about the human race: that is, Nihonjinron（日本人論）, or “discourses on the Japanese.” The major problem lies in its aim to support ideas of non-existent phenomena about “Japaneseness” in a way that elevates the sense of a group identity, via cultural nationalism, on a pedestal that stands high above — thus, looking down on — the rest of our global society.
The state of disaster in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis
It always seems absurd to state the obvious. Yet, as long as there are those who cannot recognize the blatant facts before them, it feels only proper to go ahead and do it, anyway.
The massive Cyclone Nargis just days ago resulted in an estimated 22,500 deaths and 41,000 missing persons, major destruction of homes and infrastructure, and - once again - international alarm directed toward the secluded state of Myanmar. Today, a handful of humanitarian aid groups are still awaiting permission to enter the country.
In the search for identity of the Self and Other, we are limited in our ability to truly comprehend what composes a person's being by the extent of our exposure to the world. Travel alone cannot provide such a form of education, however—it requires the complete immersion in a new surrounding. We must be consistently shocked by our own ignorances, and adaptable to change. That is the intial step toward globalization, and we cannot pursue the global when we have yet to define the local.
"Oriental” and “Occidental,” “Asian” and “Caucasian”--each of these loosely conceptualized terms have attempted to conveniently categorize the world's peoples into groups, taking no consideration of social, political, economic, or historical disparities and, instead, basing themselves on the imaginary concept of “race.”*
An analysis of social disorder via the ‘community’
There are only a few inherently conceived ideas in this world that have succeeded in the large-scale segregation and - often, destruction - of societies: one is "God," and another is "culture."
The argument that organized religion has presented endless problems for humanity has been quite established. The history of war is shadowed by conflict fought with God at the center of reason. Beyond this macro structure, outcomes that impact every individual, in due time, are produced. As gays trapped in a life formed around - and, by, we are told - the presence of God(s) via the believers (Crusaders, if I may be so blunt), we are, no doubt, at an early stage aware of how people's interpretations of a higher power can directly make our personal lives Hell, ironically, during the process of trying to save us from it (Christianity, et al.).
“While I in no way condone the behavior of the Japanese police you must also look at who are committing crimes in these countries. Much like in Europe as the number of immigrants from Africa increases so too does the crime. Additionally despite being a well-educated society there is also the “fear factor” and the Japanese are fearful that this influx of uneducated, government dependant individuals will be a strain on a very structured society.
“Again, I am not legitimizing the behavior of the police and I know there will be those of you angry at my words however, it would not be tolerated if the general population did not support it. In my option they, the Japanese support it due to the continued behavior of these immigrants and their general inability to manage within the law.”
'WHO' OR 'WHAT'
For decades, the protection of copyright and related rights has been executed in the form of a global movement led by an industry of competitive partners with disharmonious interests. In a desperate campaign to strengthen the argumentative base of the provider in its ongoing battle against the consumer, authors, composers, publishers, performers, record companies, producers, and other monopolists hoping to further increase their financial capital via current and prospective remunerative systems have joined forces on a rather contradictory platform: the promotion of human rights. 
CRISIS IN MYANMAR
THE DANGERS OF 'CULTURE'
RE: IN THE PURSUIT OF JUSTICE
