Growing Up Asian in Australia

Developing a sense of values and interests based on our personality, is ones approach in establishing who they are. For any human to belong to a group, part of their identity will be lost due to variance in character and interest. People were created as individuals with differing ideas and beliefs to one another. Nature and nurture is one aspect of developing that sense of self, based on race and culture. The concept of nature incorporates what an individual has control over and chooses, being friends, music or fashion. On the other hand, the notion of nurture is defined through qualities that one has no control over involving race and culture. By conforming to a group where part of oneself is denied including behaviour and appearance may become different depending on what group a person may comply with. These multiple identities are divergent facades.

Every individual will develop their identity based on their own interests and character. It is both ones interests and character that sets a person apart from other humans. These interests may consist of music genres, sports, and social groups. Once a person associates themselves with another group, part of there individuality is lost. These groups may be sports, friendships, religious or culture based. To be individual, is to have these interests that will be different from someone else even of the same group. Encountering the same interest to another of the same group is to become ordinary, hence losing a sense of individuality. To be individual is to be different. This is evident through, a person of a different decent than Australian, conforming to a group of people that only consists of Australians. Conforming to a group with difference in character and interests, may be driven by feeling alienated from the majority of people who are viewed as ‘outsiders’. ‘To the beat of a different drum’, Simon Tong faces these hardships of losing part of himself, in order to belong. Part of his character changed from