Malaysia hits the 'tweens

Those of us that work in middle schools deal with and observe a sad ritual every year. Students hit those tender ‘tween years and before our eyes go through identity crises. They try to mimic the most popular stars, girls striving to be razor thin and boys adopting mannerism or speech and fashion that makes them cooler. I still remember my brother buying a pair of overalls back in the late ‘80s when it was cool to wear them with one side unhooked. I’m sure it was something I succumbed to as well although in my tainted memory I was the kid who refused to buy a letter jacket and a class ring…oh, I did have a Mo Betta shirt. Guilty as charged!

What makes this a difficult transition to watch is when you see a wonderful and unique student changing to find acceptance within a certain group of peers. Language, fashion and attitudes are all victims of their attempts to find acceptance and prestige. Those of us who have walked through the fire look back through the flames with sadness, as what is unique and wonderful is burnt and mangled and usually replaced with cheap mimicry and the mundane. Students sacrifice their identity for popularity and coolness.

Often as I leave my work world and walk into the world of my personal life, I am struck with the fact that I see Malaysia in the throes of this same transition. In the last few weeks the local newspapers have crowed as Gordon Ramsey made a visit to Malaysia and cooked for the Prime Minister. Martha Stewart flew in during the same time frame and filmed a few episodes of her show in KL and Sabah. Malaysia also won a gold medal at the Chelsea Garden Show.

These accomplishments are all well and good and I applaud them but let us look a bit closer at them. Gordon Ramsey came to Malaysia. He graced Malaysia for a few days and made the PM a vegetarian meal on Wesak Day. Yipee! Doesn’t this sound a little too much like an interchange in the halls of a middle school? “Susan had a party over the weekend and I got INVITED! I got to go and all the popular kids were there. I even talked to a few and got to pick a couple of songs for the dance. I’m so lucky”. Really? You were a hanger on at a party where no one will remember your name or what songs you picked. All they will remember is that Susan had a party and that Susan has a great house with a pool.

Malaysia, Gordon Ramsey cooks for lots of famous people. Martha Stewart films hundreds of shows. Chelsea puts on a whole flower show. Malaysia will have arrived when the USA goes nuts for Eric Leong or Britain celebrates the arrival of Chef Wan or Chelsea crows about winning a gold medal at the KL garden show. You cannot achieved greatness by the simple fact that greatness came in close proximity to you.

The bad thing about all this is that Malaysia is a wonderful and unique place. It is full of beauty and wonder, sights, sounds and tastes that don’t exist anywhere else on earth. You are wonderful and beautiful but are in danger of trying to impress the cool kids to the point where you sacrifice your own identity. Look to your south, at the island of Singapore. They aped the West and now they have to import everything, including food hawkers to try to give it a little Asian flavor. Those giant durian-shaped buildings might as well be considered gravestones of a once vibrant culture.

Will Malaysia become sad imitation of the West like Singapore? Or will it find its own identity and bloom in its own unique and wonderful way? Only time will tell what will happen to this nation in its ‘tweens.