RubySoho
Winston
Exploring Racism: Asians As The 'Model Minority'
March 3rd 2009 10:17
It is a fallacy to think that racism is limited to the belief that a certain race or races are inferior to others. Likewise it is incorrect to assert that all racism is necessarily overtly hostile in its character. In the West, racial minorities often feel the detrimental effects of other, more subtle types of racism. At some point or another I am sure that we (or most of us), are guilty of attributing characteristics to races based only on minor observations or stereotypes. Do any of these sound familiar?
Jews are good with money.
Asians are very smart.
Blacks run fast.
Of course, in some instances these generalisations may appear to ring true. In our personal experiences we may have come across one or more Jewish people who are wise when it comes to money matters, just as we may have encountered intelligent Asians and athletic Africans. So we assume that these traits are racial, as opposed to general human characteristics. And we use them to draw distinctions between people of different races. But, we would never call ourselves racist for doing so. After all, these are not necessarily negative stereotypes, so really they are harmless right?
Wrong. One example of this type of racist thought which serves to generalise about racial groups is known as the 'Model Minority'.
According to Wikipedia, The term Model Minority:
refers to a minority ethnic, racial, or religious group whose members achieve a higher degree of success than the population average. It is most commonly used to label one ethnic minority higher achieving than another ethnic minority. This success is typically measured in income, education, and related factors such as low crime rate and high family stability.
The term was coined in the 1960s in reference to Asian Americans. It was originally intended to be complimentary as Asian Americans were held up as an ideal example for other minorities to follow. In a nutshell, the theory proposes that despite the racism that many Asians experienced in America, they were able to 'just get on with it' and succeed in family, academia and business. They were held up as a model, for other minorities to emulate.
However:
In other words, there are lies, damned lies and statistics. Because some Asian Americans do so well, it only serves to hide the fact that so many others do not. But because the aggregate is still high, those on the lower end of the scale are ignored.
And the truth is, that many Asian Americans are becoming tired of the label. From asian-nation.org:
Human beings are complex creatures. The way we behave is determined by many factors including our environment, our socio-economic status, our ethnic background, our family and our peers. To say that the only, or even the primary determining factor is race is to deny that racial minority their very humanity. When we make gross generalisations about different races, even those we deem to be complimentary, the effect is often negative as it serves to dehumanise them, by reducing them to one dimensional caricatures. We assign certain attributes to minorities which then implies that they are lacking in other, broader human qualities. According to Gordon H. Chang:
In other words, such terms are the ultimate back-handed compliment. We expect certain races to behave in certain ways and in doing so we limit their input in society. Of course the case is different for Asian Australians where the myth Asians as the model minority is not as strong. But the essence of this type of racism remains the same. You may claim you are complimenting Asian Australians by saying you like them because they have cute babies, cook yummy food and have nice looking shops. But all you are really doing is perpetuating the myth that Asian-Australians are not good for anything but making cute babies, cooking yummy food and running nice looking shops. You cannot expect all Asians or any other race to conform to your narrow view of them. To do so makes you racist.
Wikipedia:Model Minority
AsianNation.org: Model Minority Image
Jews are good with money.
Asians are very smart.
Blacks run fast.
Of course, in some instances these generalisations may appear to ring true. In our personal experiences we may have come across one or more Jewish people who are wise when it comes to money matters, just as we may have encountered intelligent Asians and athletic Africans. So we assume that these traits are racial, as opposed to general human characteristics. And we use them to draw distinctions between people of different races. But, we would never call ourselves racist for doing so. After all, these are not necessarily negative stereotypes, so really they are harmless right?
Wrong. One example of this type of racist thought which serves to generalise about racial groups is known as the 'Model Minority'.
According to Wikipedia, The term Model Minority:
refers to a minority ethnic, racial, or religious group whose members achieve a higher degree of success than the population average. It is most commonly used to label one ethnic minority higher achieving than another ethnic minority. This success is typically measured in income, education, and related factors such as low crime rate and high family stability.
The term was coined in the 1960s in reference to Asian Americans. It was originally intended to be complimentary as Asian Americans were held up as an ideal example for other minorities to follow. In a nutshell, the theory proposes that despite the racism that many Asians experienced in America, they were able to 'just get on with it' and succeed in family, academia and business. They were held up as a model, for other minorities to emulate.
However:
While some Asian Americans hold pride in the model minority image, the consensus in academia and the field of Asian American studies is that the Model Minority Myth is detrimental to the Asian Pacific American community, used to justify the exclusion of needy APA communities in the distribution of assistance programs, public and private, and understate or slight the achievements of APA individuals. Communities that are especially affected are South East Asian communities, e.g. Cambodian-American, and the Pacific Islander community, e.g. persons with origins in Guam and Micronesia; these communities have much lower education rates and higher poverty rates. Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Indian Americans are over twice as likely to attend college than other types of Asians. The Model Minority myth relies on the aggregation of success indicators, hiding the plight of recent first-generation immigrants under the high success rate of more established Asian communities.
In other words, there are lies, damned lies and statistics. Because some Asian Americans do so well, it only serves to hide the fact that so many others do not. But because the aggregate is still high, those on the lower end of the scale are ignored.
And the truth is, that many Asian Americans are becoming tired of the label. From asian-nation.org:
Many people...argue that since Asian Americans are doing so well, we no longer experience any discrimination and that Asian Americans no longer need public services such as bilingual education, government documents in multiple languages, and welfare. Further, using the first stereotype of Asian Americans, many just assume that all Asian Americans are successful and that none of us are struggling.
On the surface, it may sound rather benign and even flattering to be described in those terms. However, we need to take a much closer look at these numbers. As we will see, many other statistics show that Asian Americans are still the targets of racial inequality and institutional discrimination and that the model minority image is a myth.
Again, we need to remember that not all Asian Americans are the same. For every Chinese American or South Asian who has a college degree, the same number of Southeast Asians are still struggling to adapt to their lives in the U.S. For example...Vietnamese Americans only have a college degree attainment rate of 20%, less than half the rate for other Asian American ethnic groups.
(I)n California, almost 40% of all Vietnamese refugees are on public assistance...Another example is that of many Korean immigrants who come to the U.S. with very high levels of education. But for various reasons (i.e., not being fluent in English), many are not able to get decent jobs that pay well. Therefore, they are forced to to work as janitors, waiters, busboys, or go into business for themselves to survive. The only reason why many Korean small business owners are able to make a small profit is that they have no paid employees and work 20 hours a day.
The point is that just because many Asian Americans have "made it," it does not mean that all Asian Americans have made it. In many ways, Asian Americans are still the targets of much prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination. For instance, the persistent belief that "all Asians are smart" puts a tremendous amount of pressure on many Asian Americans. Many, particularly Southeast Asians, are not able to conform to this unrealistic expectation and in fact, have the highest high school dropout rates in the country.
Ultimately, the process of achieving socioeconomic success among Asian Americans is very complex. There are many examples of affluence and prosperity within the Asian American population but in many ways, we still face the same types of racism, social inequality, and institutional discrimination that other groups of color face. Therefore, the image that the entire Asian American community is the "model minority" is a myth.
On the surface, it may sound rather benign and even flattering to be described in those terms. However, we need to take a much closer look at these numbers. As we will see, many other statistics show that Asian Americans are still the targets of racial inequality and institutional discrimination and that the model minority image is a myth.
Again, we need to remember that not all Asian Americans are the same. For every Chinese American or South Asian who has a college degree, the same number of Southeast Asians are still struggling to adapt to their lives in the U.S. For example...Vietnamese Americans only have a college degree attainment rate of 20%, less than half the rate for other Asian American ethnic groups.
(I)n California, almost 40% of all Vietnamese refugees are on public assistance...Another example is that of many Korean immigrants who come to the U.S. with very high levels of education. But for various reasons (i.e., not being fluent in English), many are not able to get decent jobs that pay well. Therefore, they are forced to to work as janitors, waiters, busboys, or go into business for themselves to survive. The only reason why many Korean small business owners are able to make a small profit is that they have no paid employees and work 20 hours a day.
The point is that just because many Asian Americans have "made it," it does not mean that all Asian Americans have made it. In many ways, Asian Americans are still the targets of much prejudice, stereotypes, and discrimination. For instance, the persistent belief that "all Asians are smart" puts a tremendous amount of pressure on many Asian Americans. Many, particularly Southeast Asians, are not able to conform to this unrealistic expectation and in fact, have the highest high school dropout rates in the country.
Ultimately, the process of achieving socioeconomic success among Asian Americans is very complex. There are many examples of affluence and prosperity within the Asian American population but in many ways, we still face the same types of racism, social inequality, and institutional discrimination that other groups of color face. Therefore, the image that the entire Asian American community is the "model minority" is a myth.
Human beings are complex creatures. The way we behave is determined by many factors including our environment, our socio-economic status, our ethnic background, our family and our peers. To say that the only, or even the primary determining factor is race is to deny that racial minority their very humanity. When we make gross generalisations about different races, even those we deem to be complimentary, the effect is often negative as it serves to dehumanise them, by reducing them to one dimensional caricatures. We assign certain attributes to minorities which then implies that they are lacking in other, broader human qualities. According to Gordon H. Chang:
The reference to Asian Americans as model minorities has to do with the work ethic, respect for elders, and high valuation of family and elders present in their culture. Despite the fact that this concept seems to valorize Asian Americans, it comes with an underlying notion of their apoliticality. Moreover, such a label one-dimensionalizes Asian Americans as having those traits and no other human qualities, such as vocal leadership, negative emotions, or intolerance towards oppression. Asian Americans are labeled as model minorities because they have not been as much of a "threat" to the U.S. political establishment as blacks, due to a smaller population and less political advocacy. This label seeks to suppress potential political activism through euphemistic compliments
.In other words, such terms are the ultimate back-handed compliment. We expect certain races to behave in certain ways and in doing so we limit their input in society. Of course the case is different for Asian Australians where the myth Asians as the model minority is not as strong. But the essence of this type of racism remains the same. You may claim you are complimenting Asian Australians by saying you like them because they have cute babies, cook yummy food and have nice looking shops. But all you are really doing is perpetuating the myth that Asian-Australians are not good for anything but making cute babies, cooking yummy food and running nice looking shops. You cannot expect all Asians or any other race to conform to your narrow view of them. To do so makes you racist.
Wikipedia:Model Minority
AsianNation.org: Model Minority Image
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Comment by Anonymous
I really loved this article, it even made me think about some of the things I have said before... fuck, I'm a racist hehe
I'm going to justify it though, as when I have made these horrendously misguided comments it's usually been in private- I just love racial slurs in the shower... "OMG are all black dude's as hung as you?"
Anyway, can we draw a line in the sand though, and say that we're going to finally put an end to racial prejudices... and just be mean to those who adhere to crazy religions hehe
Honestly though, why is skin colour such an issue for people? We're all people, so can I just get a little RESPECT!
Now, if you'll excuse me, my extended family are all huddled into this one bedroom flat, and waiting for me to whip up a stir fry in my wok.
Comment by Postmodern Critic
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I don't have much else to say tonight, apart from well done... I'll be back.
Comment by Ahmed
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Comment by Queenie
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A case in point: One of my friends has blonde hair and blue eyes and is of Irish descent but no one ever asks him where he comes from.
So my definition of racist/racism is judging and behaving differently towards someone based on their skin colour.
Comment by Johnny Come Lately
Jack's Back
I have to say an absolute hoorah to Queenie. Why do people find it OK to push the question when they ask where you are from and you say Queensland. It's always "no I mean what country?" and you say "Australia" and they keep going? I'm an Aussie and my parents are Aussies but my grandparents aren't. They think they are not being racist but they are. It's harmless but annoying as hell.
Comment by Brenton
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Comment by RubySoho
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Thanks Pomo,
Hi Ahmed, maybe she is Eurasian? But yes, I get the irony.
Thanks Chris.
Hi Queenie and JCL. I understand just what you mean.When I insist I am from Australia,I keep getting back "but we are you really from?" I'm really from Australia.
Hi Brenton. Do you mean you were asked where you were from in Japan? That's fair enough. But if you replied 'Australia" and they said "no, really, where are you from?", would you not find that annoying? Fact is, I am asked this question frequently, even after the person asking the question has listened to me speak for long enough to hear my distinct Australian accent.
Comment by Brenton
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Comment by alt_ed
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I kinda disagree on being offended by this question though, but that's probably because I'm worried about the number of people who have been offended by me asking it
Although, actually I think I generally phrase it as "what's your heritage?"
I can see though how annoying it would be to keep fielding questions on the subject, as though your answers are unsatisfactory... I mean, if someone keeps asking the question, they obviously have an answer in mind and will not let up until you have satisfied them -sigh-
Anyway, racism sucks, so let's just get on with the bigger picture- Fat people!
Comment by Johnny Come Lately
Jack's Back
I was accused of not really being Asian, being someone else and I think in some sort of communist plot, accused of being a plant and had all of my comments promptly deleted. I'm not sure if that was racist towards me as an Australian with an Asian background or insulting to me as an individual.
Alt-ed, I'm not sure that I get offended by people asking me over and over where I'm from after I say Australia just more frustrated. I like when people are interested in my heritage but frustrated that they don't consider me Australian when I was born here.
Comment by Ahmed
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Indian person: 'Are you Indian?'
Me: No
*Indian Person Walks Off*
Comment by Queenie
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Join the club!
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Comment by alt_ed
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Comment by Brenton
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I'm not saying it's an appropriate way to phrase the question, or trying to say it's not frustrating to deal with, I'm just saying, there's probably nothing more harmful in the questions than curiosity and bad wording.
Comment by RubySoho
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And Johnny, I have seen the way your comments kept getting deleted. I think it must be because you are not conforming to the writers idea of what Asians are. A real Asian does not get offended. They just 'get on with it'. But you got offended, ergo, you cannot be a real Asian.
Hi Peter Yang. I love your new profile pic.
Ahmed, the same thing happens to me with Israelis. Always. Sometimes they say hi and ask me if I am from Israel. But usually they just come up and say something in Hebrew. As soon as I reply in English or just give them a dumb uncomprehending look, they walk off. Not so much as a 'how's your father?' Oh well.
Comment by Ahmed
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Would it matter if I was? Even though I'm not.
Comment by Postmodern Critic
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I've had this happen to me quite a few times too, because I look European-ish but I sound like a North American, and I found it offensive that I wasn't automatically accepted as unproblematically Australian. But then, I wouldn't want to be accepted by those people anyway - they're not the group of Australians I want to be part of. I have my own open-minded circles of friends.
Ahmed - Alt_ed was referring to the animosity between Pakistanis and Indians.
Comment by RubySoho
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Comment by Janet Collins
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Can I just add one thing though. Sometimes very general questions can be intended as being courteous or interested but can be interpreted as "racist" like where are you from.
Sometimes delicate questions can go to other areas that are not necessarily on heritage but work. Like, what do you do? Almost as if what your profession is sums you up somehow.
I think ths can sometimes be far more delving into stereotypes than race sometimes, but sometimes they both go together. If someone happens to be an Asian and is a lawyer, it's somehow OK. If someone is an Asian and a cleaner, well, different story.
Comment by alt_ed
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Comment by Anonymous
My experience shows (please say if you agree) that when this word us used, it actually implies Southern European. But the speaker usually makes a careless generalisation and just uses the word "European".
That's why I get totally weirded out by comments like, "She's so blonde -- hard to believe she's European."
I mean, what the hell?? All of northern and central Europe is full of blond, very white people. In fact, Scandinavia has the blondest, whitest people in the world (more so than Great Britain). Not to mention places like Holland, Germany and northern Eastern Europe.
In fact, you could 100% correctly say that Europe is the place where blond, blue-eyed people originate from.
The darker-looking people tend to come from Southern Europe, not Europe in general. I hate it when this crucial geographic distinction is not made.
I must be different from everyone else, because when someone says something like "European tourists", I automatically imagine a bunch of pale, freckle-covered Germans. But maybe that's just me.
-E
Comment by Postmodern Critic
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I haven't heard people make such a generalisation myself, but I imagine that this is due to Italians and Greeks representing a very large number of European immigrants to Australia... but wow, how ignorant would you have to be - I think if I heard someone say that I would laugh!
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Comment by Morgan Bell
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it does undermine the achievements of individual asian people if you dont "count" them, or treat them like its unremarkable or expected when they excel academically
that sort of statement also comes with the connotation that there is an uneven playing field where asian people are cheating or taking advantage with their stellar nerd genes
perpetuating the stereotype generates animosity with caucasians (or other races depending on the particular country) who feel they are biologically unable to compete
that can be a dangerous scenario, a group of people with a sense of entitlement who feel if another group of people didnt exist then they would have a fair chance at a uni place, a job, a house, better healthcare, or increased wealth etc
Comment by Jeff Musall
Secular Humanity
Comment by Thoraiya Dyer
Demented World
Generalisations about culture? I think yes.
"Jews are good with money"
If translated to mean, "Jews are genetically superior in ability to work in the financial sector," this is wrong.
If translated to mean, "Jewish culture emphasises the importance of education - and also emphasises the importance of respecting your elders, so your parents make you into an economist whether you want to be one or not" - then I think it can be correct.
"Asians are smart" - again, there's no innate higher intellect, but some Asian cultures have a greater emphasis on education. Some Asian cultures promote the idea of not wanting to lose face, which makes them unadventurous with their verbal skills while excelling in reading and writing.
Take the Asians out of Asian cultures, though, and unless the parents deliberately maintain the culture of their country of orgin, then the stereotypes do in fact become meaningless.
The only really race-related (as opposed to culture-related) comment you have listed is the one about black people being able to run faster, and on average this observation should be borne out because the physical characteristics of those of African descent - dark skin (protection from sunburn), denser muscle (greater strength and endurance) and a slimmer body shape (increased surface to weight ratio, which improves heat loss) - actually DO help you to run faster.
I like to ask people about their heritage because it opens the doorway to talk about things we may have in common.
I remember asking a school friend with non-English-speaking Asian parents where she was from, and received the rolled eyes and "Australia" answer for my efforts.
What I really wanted to know was: Do your parents sometimes give you weird vegetables for lunch? Do you know any words in another language? What's it like in the country that your parents came from? Have you ever been there? Why did they migrate? Do you still have loads of family over there? Do you get extra holidays? Does your grandmother tell cool stories about ghosts in her village or riding a donkey to her wedding or hiding from soldiers in a cupboard?
All was encapsulated in that question, and all was rebuffed.
Comment by Queenie
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In that case, ask these specific questions. What I find from talking to my friends who come from non-Anglo Saxon backgrounds is how annoyed they get from being asked "Where do you come from?" over and over again. It's particularly annoying when it's the first question that comes out of people's mouths. I feel the questioner is trying to pigeonhole me and at the end of the day, why does it matter where I come from? At the end of the day, I'm a human being and want to be treated like everyone else.
Comment by Thoraiya Dyer
Demented World
Perhaps, instead of getting shirty about people's innocent curiosity, you could speak to the part of them that is genuinely interested in an experience that is different to theirs.
eg.
"I'm Australian but my mother is Singapore Chinese; she makes the best noodles, and when she took me to Singapore to see her family, there was an awesome zoo there where the animals are let out at night and you can walk around between them. Have you ever been to Singapore?"
or perhaps,
"I'm Australian but my father is Italian. He's a bit obsessed with soccer, and he's always giving away buckets of tomatoes to my friends. You don't happen to need a bucket of tomatoes, do you?"
Maybe even,
"I'm Australian but my Grandparents came over from Korea. It was a good opportunity for them and they were able to send money back to their parents. But be careful if they ever offer you any pickled cabbage. That stuff can burn your mouth off! Have you ever tried Korean food?"
It's a real sign of confidence and maturity if you can put a positive spin on these encounters, which are opportunities to share another culture in an authentic and positive way.
Why is it that the descendents of countries like Malta, Lebanon, Greece and former Yugoslav states always answer proudly that they're Maltese, Lebanese, etc? Even if they've never been there a day in their lives?
Why is it that someone that's 1/16th Aborigine will still identify as Aboriginal, even though they are more "Anglo" than anything else?
Think. Think again...
Comment by Postmodern Critic
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I think a better question would be:
Can I ask you about your cultural heritage?
The phrase 'Where are you from' has negative connotations for a lot of people, so it's best to avoid it. People may think you're xenophobic even if you're not.
You raise some fine points, however I take offense to your 'weird vegetables' comment. There's nothing weird about food from another country, it's just not what you're used to. If you really want to respect other cultures, you should be prepared to appreciate that just because something doesn't originate from your culture, doesn't mean it's strange. The world is big, and no one person will ever become familiar with all the produce of every country, so try to enjoy the previously unencountered. You will have more fun, and so will the people you share your values with.
Comment by Brenton
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Comment by RubySoho
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I agree with you about the distinction between culture and race. It is a very real and important difference. However, you would agree that often, cultural peculiarities are sometimes incorrectly attributed to race? So that what you know to be a cultural trait others may think is an intrinsic racial ability. Would you deny that many people think that Asians are simply born smart? And that that could have a detrimental effect on many who do not fit that stereotype?
Comment by Morgan Bell
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i understand what you are saying Thoraiya, but perhaps some of the cultures you are referring to are specifically the Japanese or the upper class Chinese
asian people that may be second-generation Australian are not necessarily Japanese or Chinese, they may be from a country with limited education or wealth, and the expectation that everyone with an asian appearance must be a great academic places false expectations on them
with regards to people of African descent, it is not uncommon for African Americans to be obese and suffer from diabetes etc and not be "athletic" at all . . . maybe a person born into a tribe in Africa would exhibit some of the physical traits you describe, but second, third, forth, fifth generation Africans who reside in America, or Australia, or England may not be as "athletic" . . . the stereotype sets them up for a fall if they are not the model of toned physicality
i think some traits are more to do with the nation you grow up in, and not so much your ancestory
Comment by Thoraiya Dyer
Demented World
You are right about that particular phrasing, and now that I'm older I certainly don't use it any more in that context.
But the question is not going to stop being asked. It is the most natural method of phrasing for someone who hasn't had much to do with migrants (or any non-white Australians); it is also the question most frequently addressed to women in ANY social situation (the most popular for men being "what do you do?"...should everyone stop asking this question just because some unemployed people might get offended?)
But that's not really what this thread is about, and although I appreciate your defence of "weird" vegetables, I think "weird" just means "strange" - and anything you haven't eaten before is by definition "strange" to you.
Eating pigweed that your Dad has pulled up out of the council roadworks, or being sent to school with, not peanut butter sandwiches, but shredded oregano and olive oil sandwiches, was very weird in the eyes of my Anglo friends, and I didn't care that they thought so. Nobody likes to be boring.
Although lots of people here are saying things like "I just want to be like everybody else," I don't actually see much evidence of conformity here on Orble!
Brenton: It's the very special colour that makes it so fun
Ruby: Yes, sorry again about straying from your original point, which is that some people attribute cultural differences to genetic racial differences.
I agree that in big, multicultural cities, many people think that Asians are born smart, when in fact it is their impressive work ethic leading to well-deserved rewards.
Unfortunately, in Country NSW where I am now, the stereotypes are much less generous (Asians can't drive and they're stealing all the jobs).
Back to the "smart" stereotype, there's nothing to stop anyone else, regardless of race, achieving good results if they put their nose to the grindstone, and Asians are certainly no less deserving of government assistance than other minority groups.
For every child of Indian doctors there is also a child of Tibetan refugees and each household should be judged on its individual merits.
Which is also your point, Morgan, and I do agree with you. There are many more Indonesians than Japanese coming through these days, and ESL classes which were once full of Chinese students now are more likely to house Russians or the Sudanese.
As for the American diet and way of life making African fitness moot, it's true that there are fat black people as well as fat white people, but in a large and statistically significant sample with all other factors taken into account, results should still reflect the physiological advantage of African descent.
Cheers,
Thoraiya