Hi all. Firstly, I just want to apologise for the silence last week. I’ve been crazily busy. Those of you who tuned into the BBC Asian Network interview will know that I’m having to juggle a full-time job (where I’m having to create a web database that does everything but cook you dinner), promoting my first book, writing my second book, salvaging a social life and planning a wedding! It’s enough to make me go all Girl, Interrupted, but I’m managing ok.
Anyway, I like to write blog entries under the pretence that they actually mean something so this week, the topic in question is the title of my book. Many have asked me what the word “Assimilation” means within the context of my title. Well, actually, I have also been asked what the word “Assimilation” means on its own (by those who follow the “Ask a question and you’re a fool for a minute. Don’t ask a question and you’re a fool forever” philosophy). So I’m taking a second out to explain myself.
Assimilation (when it’s at home) means the absorption of an element into something bigger than itself (i.e. grouping). Dictionary.com gives one definition as “The process whereby a minority group gradually adopts the customs and attitudes of the prevailing culture” – so the minority group is being assimilated into the majority group.
Assimilation with regards to my title is a tiny bit different. To be totally honest, it actually comes from Star Trek. There is this species who do not allow their members to have any individuality (fellow geeks will recognise this species as the Borg). Members of this species are stripped of their personality and thoughts and forcibly assimilated into the collective. I feel like this is similar to what happens to young Asian men and women.
Parents expect us to follow the traditional path through life; study, marriage, children etc without much regard to what we, as individuals, want. Hence, the title of my books refers to life, love and how we are denied our rights to individuality. If you look at the cover, you will see that the letters in the words “Life” and “Love” have an individual image attached to them whereas the letters of the words “Assimilation” have no individuality. Clever stuff, eh?
Anyway, I should probably stop before I descend further into depths of geekdom. I’ll be back… soon. If only to avoid doing “real” stuff in the “real” world.