You’re right it is about making the entire Asian Community happy. I’m not sure what issues you’re implying come with the “American” name in it. The only real difference I’ve ever noticed with having the “American” part in a name/label are the issues – some be in America, others being elsewhere. Or in a specific case of personal experience with the shortened term “Fil-Am” which is typically used to describe the Filipino American youth who aren’t quite so connected with their “roots” or don’t know their language. This particular name creates a value system on which people are rating their “Filipino-ness”. This is an idea that I cannot stand at all.

If you’d rather this discussion continue off this thread – you can e-mail me about it. I’d really like to hear more. Or maybe we’ll just do it in the next Teleconference too – It kind of relates to what I had mentioned in some of the e-mails.

Byron,

I thought about that as a possibility for Mr. Chin. I figured it made the most
sense to see it as a conversation between you and him – and not a conversation between him and the world. [Of course, I'd love to be scolded by him - as so many others would too - by having him post and telling me I'm all wrong. lol]

And my only real advice is to stick with the name you’ve made a reputation for.
Really, I think Thymos should.

One you build that reputation strong enough, people will turn their heads at the name and know what its about – I believe you’ll be able to reach that point.

A greek word can eventually become as disconnected from Greek as Chinese food [ ie. Wok / Teriyaki ] has become increasingly Americanized. Hell even worse here there is a “Lumpia Teriyaki Express” talk about money making device in a name. No offense but it really makes this pop in my head “white people flock to it” but I guess by that I mean everyone – more like the white culture not the skin color.

I believe as time goes on you can claim it as your own. Using a living language can allow us to do amazing things linguistically. We can adopt words and make them our own. Hell, in the Philippines plenty of words are made up of English and Spanish words – Japan borrows words from just about anything and makes them their own. Who says we cannot do so here?

And if you don’t know I hate that “Ain’t ain’t a word if it ain’t in the dictionary crap” I always joked to make my own addendum to the Webster’s Dictionary so I could claim things as words in the dictionary.
Hell even better…
Urban Dictionary

Right now, I don’t think there is a better name than Thymos.
Hearing it now, [and not before] it says everything I need to know right there.

Good points! You see what we went through in finding a name…

Akrypti:

I think the argument would be that Buddhism originated in India but no longer exists there in any substantive form. Chess also came from India, though it’s now primarily a European game. So if Kasparov went to India, his Journey to the East would still be European.

In Thymos’s defense, I don’t think any Greeks took the name Thymos for any Greek org.

Based on Chin’s mentality, we should segregate ourselves by race, culture, ethnic background. If there isn’t a solid documented origin from the country and culture we want to identify ourselves as part of, then we ought to reject it.

Tomorrow, instead of going to work in a skirt suit and pumps, I should put on han fu zuang. Is that what we’re saying here?

This is why I think the 44s is a pretty good name because it means something to all Asians.

Perhaps creating a word from multiple Asian languages? (or find one that’s pronounced similarly across Asian languages).

Thanks for coming to my site! You’re the first person with an avatar, including myself…I’m going to have to learn a thing or two from you!

He’s saying that there’s a major cultural difference between East Asian American and South Asian American. I agree with him that there’s a big difference. Although I guess Kartika has writers from both cultures…

Ooops. Looks like I forgot to respond to one of your particular comments.

When Frank Chin was here, he actually told a Japanese story. He believes in telling the other ones too. But I think his primary expertise is his knowledge of the Chinese stories.

We need to have a secret handshake. That would definitely promote community.

Jin,

I agree with Frank on the stories. It’s cool because all these “representations” are already there if we look for them. I think my main question is how they integrate with Asian American life. That would be an interesting question, and there are probably enough people who know the stories and live in the U.S. for us to find out.