In this post, I’m going to focus on Americans and Asians/Chinese.
I taught in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural school district for thirty years (1975-2005). In fact, Nogales High School in La Puente California had a student population that was about 70% Latino, 8% black, 8% white, 8% Asian and 6% other.
Most of my Asian students did the homework and earned mostly A’s. One Asian girl earned an A minus on a quarter-report card and came after school to find out what she’d done wrong and how to fix it. She was in tears.
My wife and daughter are Chinese and I’ve seen them worry about the occasional A minus too. Why? Because an A- is too close to a B+. Doing exceptional in school is an important cornerstone in most Chinese families. Did you notice that I added “most”? There are always exceptions.
In one class I taught, a Latino student said that the Asians were smarter than the rest of the ethnic groups. That particular class had no Asians in it.
Everyone in the room agreed but me. I replied, “You’re wrong. Asians aren’t smarter than the other races. The difference is that Asian culture values learning more. Most Asian parents are more dedicated and involved with their children’s educations.”
In this YouTube video, a female Chinese teen talks about the common Chinese stereotype that “all” Chinese eat rice, avoid the sun, are good at math and are Kung Fu experts.
This spoof shows Americans as stupid and violent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbZ9zJ22WfQ
This video is a Feel-Good rant from a Chinese teen who doesn’t want to be seen as an uncool, unpopular nerd who only eats fried rice and dumplings. Kevin says there are three main Asian stereotypes that he has to deal with.
1. Others think he is cheap
2. That he is a nerd
3. And has no social life…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtxr0LD4uEk
This one was shot by a teen who points out that Americans are rebellious and meddling.
Another Chinese teen talks about Asians and school. She says that in a Chinese family everything the child is “NOT allowed to do” is linked to success in school.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1aRzoXRPuA
Australians think of Americans as being fat, arrogant, and obnoxious.
What do you think about other cultures and races? Do you stereotype others?
See the Failure of Multiculturalism in the United States or Education and Cultures Collide in the US
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Lloyd Lofthouse is the award-winning author of the concubine saga, My Splendid Concubine & Our Hart. When you love a Chinese woman, you marry her family and culture too.
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