Unit 1: Two Cultures

Two Cultures

C.P. Snow in Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution describes two cultures as two opposing sides with one made up of scientists and the other one consisting of extreme artists. The idea of two opposing cultures also applies in my life situation. I was born and raised in China and came to the United States with my family after my middle school. I am currently taking material engineering. Having spent part of my life in America and China I have been exposed to two very different cultures. I have an extensive knowledge of both English and Chinese and these has made it possible for me to understand other people’s culture and even make new friends. Another interesting fact to note is that I have to switch between speaking English when am with my friends in college and to speaking Chinese when am home with my family.

Chinese and American Flag Symbols

http://globerove.com/china/chinese-american-culture/1787

 At UCLA campus, the notion of two opposing cultures is quite noticeable when talking about the North and South campuses. One can either chose to major in sciences or arts.  The North campus mainly has students who take art and humanities courses while the South campus hosts science classes. Students from both the campuses continuously joke about each other. Those from the South Campus joke about the North campus as having lighter workload and those from the North campus joking about the seriousness of the South campus students.

The UCLA logo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ucla_logo.png

 It is, however, important to note that several differences exist between the Arts and Sciences. These differences create the rift that exists between the two.  Subsequently there is a noticeable rift between North and South campuses.  For instance, the Bachelor of Arts degrees are less specialized compared to Bachelor of Science degrees. Arts degrees are usually awarded in majors such as literature, languages, and humanities. The Bachelor of Science degrees, on the other hand, involve technical fields and are usually awarded in majors such as the biological and physical sciences.

The North Campus Student Centre Terrace

http://maps.ucla.edu/campus/?locid=65186

Snow’s argument about the differences between scientists and artists holds a lot of truth. This inspired me to make a deeper research and I was able to find out that art and sciences are only different superficially but at a deeper level, they are closely related. It is not hard to come across scientists who incorporate art into their work and artists who use science to come up with artistic pieces. According to professor Vesna, this group creates a third culture that shows little differences exist between arts and sciences. 

 Court of Sciences in South Campus

http://today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/court-of-sciences-student-center-229365.aspx

Works Cited 

CalPoly. BA/BS, Difference between Degrees.  2013. N.p. Web. 3 October 2013 <http://www.academicprograms.calpoly.edu/content/academicpolicies/policies-undergrad/ba-bs-difference.>

Jrlewis. Is There a Distinction between Art and Science? 2009. N.p. Web. 3 October 2013.   <http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/4833>

Quantum Diaries. Art and Science: Both or Neither. 2012. N.p. Web. 3 October 2013 <http://www.quantumdiaries.org/2012/06/13/23031/>               

Snow, Percy, C. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. Cambri. 1959. Web. 3 October 2013. <https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/32590/wiki/unit-1-resources?module_item_id=355675>

Vesna, Victoria. Towards a Third Culture or Working in Between. 2013. N.p. Web. 3 October 2013 <http://vv.arts.ucla.edu/publications/publications/00-01/ThirdCulture/ThirdCulture.htm>