This is an article I drafted just after watching Inside-Out 2 around Jul. 2024.
What I can’t learnt though my life is Ease that I can’t get rid off from where and how I’ve been raised up.
Ease: an hidden privilege
Was bursting into laugh when I saw the last scene of insideout 2 — The Bay Area High School, where the actress enrolled. For me, it drives the story to opposite direction compared with previous one that represent a general girl facing her problems with emotions, instead, making herself socialized under certain condition.
The process of being socialized always be cultivated by environment, which, clearly, people don’t always share same codes or face same obstacles creating anxiety, would call it sense of unease. I don’t like use the tool of Class analysis to make it more complex and tedious saying unease is not only created by being part of teammate but class struggle, but it can’t be ignored when the Bay Area High School was clearly labeled.
Being ease, naturally, is a hidden privilege especially when facing unfamiliar condition or other people with power. As it indicated by Bourdieu, it’s not only can be a habit at adolenscence though mimic, rewards&punishment. etc, end up with a natural character. But also, as Rivera Lauren found it is a privilege requiring interpersonal apathy and insensitivity, which also could call as , from Shamus Kahn and Annette Lareau’s research on different class family raising their children, a sense of entitlement. Due to elite family got more resources to raise children, which could overweight children’s feeling than matters, encouraging they expressing and acting as themself, we could simply read it as people get a sense they should have something naturally without any effort. On the opposite, it called sense of constraint, which are more sensitive to read the air given the limitation of resources or power provided through growing milieu.
That’s why I feel so funny when see all those struggle Riley has between being part of those new elite gang and old country bros. Because I recall myself and realize that unease to facing those moments is still hard to get rid of.
Party: beyond the stage
Now let’s talk something adult, of course 🔞, just kidding.
There is always chance to learn how to be ease while it won’t be that as natural as a character after you grown up, and it’s not only cased by class. While, being ease now (as an adult) is not only make yourself like that naturally, but also make other ease. This is not only reflected in the formal, but more important in the informal occasions where the real social relationship could develop.
Though Rivera’s the research on career interviewer, fit and polish are two key characters of interviewee they are searching for. Think about all those jobs you applied for, they always asking you something about “your interests” or “your fav sports”, etc. There is no relationship with your excellence on the work itself, but assume if you are the one who in charge of that, do you want to work under the same roof with a partner who never goes to the bar with you or don't fit same interests? Or, looks like unpolished new ass showing bad in the face of authority or an presence of being unapproachable with others consuming energy during relationship?
Probably not.
As it said and I’ve been through, the character is not unchangeable because it’s all depends on the relationship and condition. But the problem is, it’s not same condition when you want to get the valuable attributes, status, or positions, etc. — or we could say, social mobility. To show your sense of ease or other character you have to play in those informal relationship is more important than GPA to make other’s believe you are the chosen one.
Just like the party, which I’m always not capable with. I always want to find my spot when thousands lights crossing different ones.
Culture: asian identity
As it said it’s not only about class, I noticed that culture also played it’s role in these game after I saw my housemate’s husband - an American of Japanese ancestry.
He got semi asian look, as I could easily tell not only from the appearance but also the way he act. If there is a work could properly describe my impression on Japanese - self-discplined, one word heard when talking with local Malaysia that I can’t forget.
He is exactly like that, even he born in California, but totally not in that way. Sorry, but from my limited experience, I do feel it is quite opposite character between Japanese and Califonian on self-dicsplined topic.
As he said he got same experience as most children raised up in a “classical” asian family, you have to read air, don’t bother others, self-driven, endurance, etc. — somehow show a sense of obedience to powerful one in relationship.
The differences in power here I want to demonstrate is not only created by social class, but also by distinction - a driven by collectivisim in asian culture. It’s not be appreciated in asian culture to jump out of square while if there is anything different from social routine, then something wrong.
That’s why it’s really hard being myself easily because there is no echo of applause in my memory telling me “you are right”.