Blog #6 - My Identity Kit

In James Paul Gee's "Literacy and Linguistics," Gee quotes Mack, defining mushfake as "a term from prison culture, as making 'do with something less when the real thing is not available. So, when prison inmates make hats from underwear to protect their hair from lice, the hats are mushfake. Elaborate craft items made from used wooden match sticks are another example of mushfake.'" Gee then labels Mushfake Discourse as "partial acquisition coupled with meta-knowledge and strategies to 'make do.'" To simplify mushfaking even further, I believe mushfaking is another word for improvising, and mushfaking is a type of skill that everyone at some point in their lives is required to do in order to fit with the current social norms.

One of the most valuable life lessons that was taught in a drama class back in high school was that the audience does not know what kind of performance they are expecting. Actors and actresses use this to their advantage and will improvise, whether it be with themselves or with each other on the stage. However, improvising is an extremely hard skill to perfect, as it requires an individual to think very quickly and maintain a confident physical appearance.

One particular new discourse that I experienced difficulty adapting to was culture, specifically Japanese.

When I traveled to Japan for the first time for vacation In 2011, it felt awkward because the Japanese culture differed greatly in contrast to American culture. One of the most socially uncomfortable activities I partook in was the mineral bath. The mineral baths had water supplied by the local geysers, so it was very hot, soothing, and refreshing. However, the process prior to the actual bath is what would probably drive most tourists away. In public baths, it is normal and socially required for everyone to be 100% naked, because you are not allowed to bathe in the geyser water if you are "dirty" or have clothes on (swimsuits are considered dirty). Prior to bathing in the geyser water, people must shower and scrub their bodies with soap and water in public shower stations, where privacy is not a luxury. I didn't want to appear to be a foreigner and create an awkward scene. Taking what I learned about improvisation, I chose to adapt to the Japanese culture and its norms and proceeded to cleanse myself in the public showers naked. Don't get me wrong, I felt very awkward the entire time, largely in part because this sort of activity is never socially acceptable in America. Mushfaking in this particular scenario required me to figuratively paste a mask of a Japanese local in attempt to "blend in," as well as fit in with the majority group.