Only Two Cultures?

October 5, 2007 at 8:33 am · Filed under Benjamin Li

While roaming around the campus of UCLA, I’ve found that people into the arts can mingle very well with people who are into math and science, although there is a often fine line between the two. Since I am currently a MechE major and still play in the UCLA philharmonia, I actually somewhat mingle with both sides of campus. Also, when people come together into an organization that accepts the most diverse crowds, people from science and people from the arts meet and converse. What my conversations with english or communications majors go somewhat like this:

“Hey! I’m Ben. Whats your name?”

… and then “So what are you majoring in?”

Somehow the major always gets into the topic. Whether it’s because its a great way to meet people or just something to say since I can’t think of anything else to say sometimes, a person with a similar major as mine receives a “Oh wow! I’m an engineer too!” while someone who majors in the arts responds in somewhat a jokingly but negative manner. This works both ways: for the people I meet and for those who meet me.

Even in this subconscious level of what we do, I’ve come to realize that birds of a feather do flock together. Hence, those who are into the arts gladly welcome those who are also in the arts, and there is a parallel with those into science and math. I’m not saying that people don’t get along. I’m simply stating that there is a slight division in what people do, so as a result those who have similar interests tend to do things together more often than those with dissimilar interests.

So what happens to those whose majors are undecided? They’re response to the “major” question is typically along the lines of “Oh, I’m undecided right now, but… ” and they’ll list a major that fits into one of the two categories. However, these people are still undecided and typically don’t respond with an opinionated tone as do those with set majors. So I guess I actually see a minimum of THREE different cultures on campus: the arts, the sciences, and those in the middle that don’t necessarily mediate between the other two, but are not yet part of the two “rivaling” cultures.

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