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Writing Workshop #7: The Muskmelon Equation



In class, we discussed customs right here on Earth that were so strange that they defined the logic of American culture. Point in case, the Japanese muskmelon, a fruit that is artistically cultivated to be the perfect melon in size, shape, juiciness, and texture. It runs for about $130 per melon! But to the Japanese (in general), the aesthetic of food is worth paying for. They would rather have a wonderful, artistic experience each time they bite into a melon rather than having a cheap and forgettable experience. They would argue it's better to live to eat, rather than merely eating to live.  

So...

Writing Workshop #7: The Muskmelon Equation

Write from the perspective of an alien doing a scouting mission, or a time traveler from the past, who is trying to understand one of our strangest customs. Write about something all of us take for granted and understand completely, but which is very strange if you take a step back and really examine it. How would an outsider interpret it?

Example: we ask questions and don’t care about the response: “how’s it going? what’s up?” You can’t give an honest response—no one expects that.  

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