Re: meeting of minds

diana slattery wrote:
-----<snip>-----
>what's really interesting to me is how come several (or many?) feel
>this way, have voiced this (though not really believing it, more a
>comment about how one is being seen by others who do not indulge).
>what is it that is worrisome about this activity?  seriously?  and
>where and how do these worlds get formed?  and how does one get in
>touch with them?  and why would "others" who are imagined to think
>those who indulge are "mental" fear such explorations?
>Guess this is a hot topic for me!
Well, perhaps - and I could be wrong - the main reason I indulge in
this activity is because I have what several call: "Identity
Crisis". That is, I do not have any sense of national patriotism at
all. NONE WHATSOEVER!! I'm essentially a product of at least two
cultures. My mother is a Filipina and my father is a Dane. I have
never been raised "locally". Never been educated "locally". I went
to International Schools in Southeast Asia where the culture may be
described as Pseudo-american. I was brought up in a very close
circle - the International Community in various Southeast Asian
countries. Many Int'l School alumnis call this circle "The Ivory
Tower" in that we belonged to an affluent circle who were never
really a part of the respective local societies. Some students had
never set foot on their parents home country. As a result, there are
many international school alumnis who have this "identity crisis" in
that they were never "raised locally". To some, its a serious
emotional problem.

So perhaps creating a fictional nation is my way of searching for or
creating an identity. I think my case of identity crisis is severe.
I find it extremely difficult to mingle with people who have not
been exposed to an environment where people of countless cultures do
things together without the fuss and bigotry that "local" people
tend to have. In a way I'm fortunate to have had this form of
upbringing. It has certianly enriched my understanding of the world
from a very early age. But I'd really like to belong somewhere. I
envy people who can say with certainty, "I'm Danish" or "I'm
Filipino" or "I'm American" - I simply can't say this. But I CAN
say, "I'm Boreanesian"!

The issue about "Identity Crisis" in general is seen by others as a
problem. Perhaps, this is also the reason why I think people would
see my indulgement as a problem. But I can't help it. I either have
no identity or I'm Boreanesian. I'd much rather say the latter than
the former at the top of my voice: "I AM BOREANESIAN - GET IT!!!"

%^<


Of course, a minor reason why I conlang could be due to my
role-playing indulgement in the past. But I think that's a very very
minor reason. I even wrote a term paper on the art of city-designing
in AD&D realms/worlds for my International Baccalaureate Art class.
But that's another story... 8-)

Regards,
-Kristian- 8-)