Food, Music & Art

hey there! its Carmen. And this is post no. 2=)

I was watching a korean drama series the other day, when I came across this line, that for some reason, just struck a cord with me. It goes something like this, ' There are three things in life, that speak a universal language - food, music, and art '. Is this true then? I thought to myself. That they can transcend cultures, break the barriers between different classes in society or even bring together people of different nationalities? If so, then thats just truly amazing.

But, how? How does it improve human interaction? I think, that with the immense advancement in today's technology, all things can be made possible! Well, maybe not all, but most. This is my first guess. Technology here refers to, indisputably, the internet. Lets take music as the example. There are so many music related websites on the internet. And within these websites, there are many many sites dedicated to just chatting, commenting and sharing opinions on music with other people. For example, internet forums, message boards or online discussion sites. Hence, people participating in these web applications can build bonds with each other, and interest groups will be easily formed around a discussion topic. It is their interest for the same kind of music that brings them together. And the internet, is nothing more that a medium (is that right?), that facilitates this entire process of communication. Whereas, music is what links them together. Even for people of different nationalities. Two people can be on the opposite ends of the earth, yet they can communicate through the internet based on their mutual interest.

Next, food. Everybody loves to eat. It is often said that, some people eat to live, but some, live to eat. Theres no denying that. Malaysians already serve as living proofs. With so much good food around us, what's not to love? Food can really bind ties between one another. Alright, for example, my relatives from overseas, such as, my cousin from Canada. He was completely brought up there, as his family migrated there when he was just a kid. So, the last time he came back for a visit, he brought along his girlfriend who is a Canadian. So, what I did was, strike up a conversation with her by talking about food! Malaysian food, Western food, how did you like your curry laksa? Too spicy or is it just nice? What's your favourite local dish so far? Really, it was a life saver. And from that topic, it led on to other subjects. I have to admit, that sadly, I am not a witty person. And far from someone with high communication skills. But, I am trying to improve myself continuously. So, this was how the subject of food brought me and someone else closer together.

Thirdly, art. There are many forms of art, but right now, when I think of art, I think of fashion. I wouldn't say all, but I dare say that most girls love fashion. Or, wait, scratch that, shopping. Yeap, I think thats more precise. Most girls love shopping. Although there are one or two who find it a bore. Anyways, its like a hobby. And you'll love talking about it. You'll talk about your past shopping experiences, where the best bargains in town are, or how you got ripped off at a store, etc. It can go on forever. Especially if you find someone else who shares the same opinions as you. I know of this friend, we don't really have much in common, except the fact that we both enjoy shopping. Thus, our conversations mostly revolve around fashion.

So, I guess it does make sense, that food, music, and art improves human communication. As it becomes the subject of conversation, and will lead on to other subjects as well. So, when running out of topics to talk about, you can always fall back on the topic of food, music, and art. It can help you become closer to people, like it did with me.