Swagger
May 9th, 2007I went to see a Chinese play years back, translated in English of course, or else the play would have gone bankrupt. I loved it. It had a strong storyline, good dialog, and a few bits and pieces of humor laced in - all the necessary ingredients for a good play.
Of course, being Chinese, the play had its theatrics, like ghosts and two-way dialog with dead ancestors. I love to read about (or in this case see) cultural differences.
The play had a neat twist. It featured an American in China in the 1920s (a bad time for China). The American was a Protestant missionary, and with him, not only did he bring his Bible, but also his American culture. Foremost what struck the Chinese characters was his swagger.
I do not claim to be the resident expert in Chinese culture. I probably know a little bit more than the average Joe, but that’s about it. So what I’m about to say, I’m basing on this play and this play alone.
The Chinese are humble people. Even the rich. This play centered around the rich, and their servants served only as background characters. The rich Chinese at first were taken aback by the American’s swagger, for it clashed with their humbleness. As the play moved on, the Chinese dreamed of having American swagger - standing tall and proud, and being able to boast of accomplishments. Swagger became infectious, and soon the rich Chinese characters stood tall, looked their friends and loved ones in the eyes, and spoke with pride. I loved how this was pulled off, for at first it was offensive, then it was something new and neat, then it was something everyone wanted to do.
This is also why I’m always making fun of Western European “males.” They’re offended by swagger. They use the word as an insult, like standing tall and being proud of yourself is something to be ashamed of. It isn’t.
You should be proud of yourself. I say try a lot of things, find what you’re good at, then keep building that aspect about yourself until you’re better than everyone else at it. I like swagger. The way I see it, men with swagger are cool to be around and women with swagger are sexy. Politics aside, Ann Couture has swagger. Molly Ivins had swagger. Queen Latifah has swagger, and so does Camille Paglia. I like them, even when I 100% disagree with them on an issue. What I can’t stand are perpetual victims.
I used to coach football and assistant coach baseball. When you first meet your kids, you don’t know their abilities. So I’d ask. Immediately, you see the kids of Europhile parents downplaying their abilities, and the kids of real Americans boast. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who will be the better ballplayers. It also doesn’t take a genius to figure out who will go farther in life.
Great post like usual. You are right about swagger though. I have never been to a play yet. We have our Weidner Center and I have never been to one since we have been here. Thinking about it soon though. Sounds like an interesting play though.
hhmm…..i think swagger needs to be divided into at least two camps.
if i just take the folks you listed that you admire i’m going to focus on ann coulter and queen latifah to illustrate my point. yes, both have swagger. the good is queen latifah. i think he swagger exudes an attitude that says, ‘i may have a lot of things you count as strikes agasint me in the hope to achieve….woman, black, big, coming from whatever background. but i am not going to let your smallmindedness define me. i’m going to succeed anyway. furthermore, i’m going to do it with style and grace.’ good swagger.
ann coulter’s swagger is quite repulsive to me because she comes off as saying, ‘i’m right, you’re wrong and if you disagree with me it is because you are stupid and small therefore unworthy of my consideration. if that bothers you, it is further confirmation of your lesser status.’ totally lacking in any class. bad swagger.
that being said…there are points at which i disagree with QL and points at which i agree with AC in their respective positions. However, QL i respect. AC i find odious.
if you’re going to swagger, swagger with class instead of crass.
Tweety - I love seeing plays, especially college plays. You see these people putting their heart into something and not making a penny for it. I have to admire that.
Lime - Well, both are highly intelligent women. We agree on QL. The thing that annoys me about AC is she’s always defensive of Bush, and keeps harping on Clinton’s sex life. However, a lot of her crass is tongue-in-cheek, and often in response to an even sillier politically correct event, and sometimes, I bust up reading her editorials. Ivins was the same way, except on the opposite end of the political spectrum.
Also, AC is a fellow gun nut, and there’s nothing I find sexier than a babe with guns.
A swigger of swagger please?
Good post Zombie.
I’m alright with boasting if it’s backed up by action. Too often, it’s not. Sure, Ann Coulter’s got swagger to spare - but she’s a tard at least half the time. If she and other swaggerers put as much effort into educating themselves as they do perfecting their swaggers, then I’d be impressed.
We have The Lion King here in the Weidner Center and I would love to take the girls but money is the issue here. LOL… I am not complaining just seems everytime there is something I think they would like we dont have the cash. I am hoping to see how much his check is today and then see how much it is to get in to see The Lion King.
I certainly would not put myself out there as an expert on Chinese culture either, but I have to say that I disagree with the idea that the Chinese are a humble people. My dealings with China have been mostly limited to business and a few casual evenings in the Guangzhou area and Hong Kong. But from what I have seen the Chinese culture is characterized by anything but humility. Among the men there is this overwhelming sense of machismo like they have to prove something. And often the women will whine and pout until they get what they want. If you want to see this in action, watch some Chinese tv where they are dramatizing their own culture. The female characters will actually sit down, turn their lips up, and pout like little kids. I certainly don’t mean this to be a negative rubber stamp on the Chinese culture. Like all cultures, there is a broad spectrum of wonderful people and not-so-wonderful people.
I think the issue is not humility vs. ’swagger’, as much as it is what Geert Hofstede calls ‘power distance’. In China there is an expectation there is a different relationship between people and their peers and those in authority over them. And therefore people carry themselves differently. People do not expect their opinions to be taken into consideration when decisions are made, they do not consider themselves the equals of their superiors, etc. Likewise, superiors think differently of those below them.
The upshot is, I think that the reason Americans carry themselves differently has more to do with a belief that we are all equal rather than an air of superiority. We are just dumb enough to treat the slave and the master alike, with human dignity. If you want to see the opposite, have a conversation with a Taiwanese person about the Chinese. Especially a factory owner.
For what it is worth, I think ’swagger’ in as much as it is that machismo thing says more that you don’t really know yourself and that you are insecure and have something to prove. To me the ideal is to be very capable, to be humble without straying into false humility and self-deprecation, and to have that kind of solid confidence that doesn’t need to advertise itself. Maybe I have too much Yankee and German farmer blood, but when I see swagger, I see instability.
Oh… an example of good ’swagger’.
A friend of mine has the surname ‘Einstein’. His great uncle was in an elevator in NYC some years ago when Albert Einstein stepped in as well. The uncle introduced himself, “Mr. Einstein, I am Max Einstein.” When Albert asked him if they were any relation, the uncle replied that no, they weren’t related. Albert’s response? “I won’t tell anyone if you won’t.”
I guess that would be positive swagger.
Zombie - I think you have the wrong definition of swagger, buddy. You might want to look it up.
Moni - Thanks.
SME - I’ll have to do a separate post on Ann. Half the time she’s right on, half the time she’s a huge moron.
Tweety - Good luck in seeing it. I love seeing plays. Hope your money situation works out.
Yonder - Heh. Had no idea you had that much experience with the Chinese.
The play dealt with the Chinese of the 20s. I’m sure a lot has changed, as much has changed about our culture. I think Americans back then were a hell of a lot tougher and self-sufficient.
JJ - I’m writing Swagger - Part 2 now. I’ll post it tonight. I realized I had the definition wrong with what Yonder wrote. Whoops.
Confidence, the thought that says you have ability and intelligence is good.
Cockiness, the thought that you are better than other people is bad.
The difference is one is you thinking about yourself positively, and the other is you thinking about others negatively.
People *should* have confidence. Confidence is the start of gaining ability. A person who does not have confidence in their self is not going to try and be better. People *should* believe in what they say like Coulter. I actually have only heard her speak once and have no opinion on what she says but if you don’t have confidence in what you are saying, then you don’t really believe what you’re saying. And people who don’t even believe their own BS really aren’t worth listening to.
I always believe my BS.
Scott - See my latest post. I misunderstood the definition of swagger and corrected my mistake with my latest post.
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