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Differences within the Asian American minority
Differences within the Asian American minority
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Unless you are identical twins, no two people are alike, not even Asians. Ever since the beginning of immigration to our nation, we have far more noticed the similarities of ethnic groups of people more so than the differences. Typically, when we see people of Asian descent we think that they all look alike. The truth of the matter though is that there are many differences between the appearances of Asians depending on their country of origin. First, it is important to note the differences in facial features and hair in predominant Asian ethnic groups in the United States. A major facial difference in Chinese people is that they are more likely to have bushy eyebrows and a thicker head of hair than people of both Korean and Japanese ethnicity. …show more content…
When considering their appearance in everyday life, modern day Japanese men and women typically prefer subtle hues, often with short shorts and skirts for women and tight pants for men. Also, they’re known for their kawaii, cute, culture even in fashion, which is one way that you can tell a Japanese person from other Asians. Koreans on the other hand are known to choose brighter colors more often than the Japanese do. However they both still bring in a similar element of the pop Asian fashion that’s popular across all three of countries. The Korean culture puts more emphasis on glamorous dressing and brand name items. In China the fashion varies greatly depending whether you are in a rural or urban setting. Overall the Chinese take a more Western approach to their clothing and accessories. They typically just wear t-shirt and jeans, which is something the Japanese and Koreans do not typically …show more content…
It is easy to tell whether someone was raised in Japan versus China, and sometimes Korea as well. Bowing is one aspect of each culture that most assume is the same, but in fact, it has evolved in each country over the years. In Japan a slight bow when greeting each other and a deeper bow in more formal situations is still considered appropriate. This is also the same for Koreans. However, in China, the handshake has actually become a common greeting, with only a slight head nod rather than the traditional bow. Another mannerism is the volume and tone of their speaking. Japanese and Koreans typically remain silent and even keep their laughter to a minimum. They are very introverted people. Chinese, on the other hand, don’t have the cultural custom of quietness in public spaces and share publicly. This is why people in Hong Kong typically laugh and raise their voices, which is a contrast to Japan and
The article by Min Zhou titled "Are Asian Americans becoming "white"? was relatively interesting as it provides a look at a different perspective of Asian Americans regarding immigration. I found it particularly interesting to learn that Asian Americans are considered to be white in equal opportunity programs; however, the race is still seen as different from Americans of European ancestry. Furthermore, I was not shocked to read that Zhou described the Asian American race as the "model minority." When first looking at the reading, I was shocked by the title because I thought it was a little exaggerated. I believe the author could have chosen a more suitable phrase rather than "Asian Americans are becoming white"; however, it does provide significant
One theme that I found to be very interesting is the struggles that Asian Americans have faced in the past and the present. I never knew about the struggles that have been happening in places like China and Laos. I never realized how many families come from poverty and violence. I have only learned very little about historical events such as Vietnam. I am only now becoming more aware about the human rights problem in China. I am so used to seeing places like Tokyo, Japan in movies and television. Everything seems so clean and the city is lit up with bright lights and amazing buildings at night. Before this course, I thought that most Asians live this kind of life. I never knew that these events had even occurred and I was amazed at some of the things Asians have had to go through over the years.
Chinks, bad drivers, math and science nerds, F.O.Bs and ect. There are so many stereotypes and misconception for one specific ethnic group: Asian. But perhaps the most popular image of Asian Americans presented in society is being the “model minority.” If you were to ask any random person to pick a specific minority group that was more academically, economically and socially successful compared to the others, chances are 90% of them would answer: Asians. “Asians makes more money than any other race.” “Asians have the highest grades compared to other races, especially in math and science subjects.” But contrary to these popular stereotypes, the misrepresentation of Asian Americans as the model minority are false and simply just a myth. Furthermore, this misleading comparison may actually lead to harmful consequences in Asian American students.
Keep in mind that this is a very general overview. There are many different cultures within Asia and they are all different. Asian students are very culturally diverse, and an effort should be made to learn about their individual characteristics and cultural background.
skin color, etc. DNA differs in all people except for identical twins. All cellular matter
In 1970, the term “model minority” was popularized by journalists, social commentators and some academics to refer to Asian Americans. The stereotype suggests that Asian Americans are more academically, economically and socially successful than any other racial minority groups, and it was achieved by overcoming disadvantages through hard work, thrift, strong family ties, and emphasizing children’s education. Contrary to this popular belief by Americans, the exaggerated praising of Asian Americans as the model minority is false. This positive image of Asian Americans as a model minority has a sinister core of believe about Asian Americans and other racial minorities in America: a view of Asian American as foreign. Since most studies on Asian children centered on their success stories and the realization of the invisible crisis that many Asian American children face is fairly recent, few studies have addressed the diverse and complex experiences of Asian American children, especially those who do not fit the model minority stereotype. This paper revisits the model minority myth and examines the impact of model minority myth on underachieving student who are failing schools. I will first present a contextualized understanding of the “model minority myth,” what is it and what does it mean to be model minority. Secondly, I will demonstrate that the myth has been inaccurate and invalid representation for many Asian American students. Then, I discuss the impact of the model minority stereotype on underachieving Asian American student schooling. I argue that the stereotype has pose a threat to the students’ advancement on school and society. In order to illustrate the impact of the model minority stereotypes on individual experiences, I r...
Whether you have experienced a lot of traveling to other countries and continents or perhaps you have never left the East coast, it can be assumed; whether through school or a work environment, you have had at least one experience dealing with different nationalities and cultures. The realization is that we may come from different places and have different backgrounds but most people, cultures included, have more in common then we could imagine.
People who have distinctive physical and cultural characteristics are a racial ethnic group. This refers to people who identify with a common national origin or cultural heritage. But remember that race refers to the physical characteristics with which we are born. Whereas ethnicity describes cultural characteristics that we learn.
Asians value fair skin have to do with social status. In history, peasant women spent the day working on farming, while noble women spent their time indoor and had the extra time to take care of their skin. As time pass, the value fair skinned continues. “As Asian Americans girls, we are supposed to be short, lightweight, petite, soft-spoken, and light skinned, with long straight jet-black hair…The stereotype that Asians were supposed to be thin made me feel like I was a freak of nature.” (Julie Wong)
The air would always be humid and stuffy while riding the bus to school, and the slightest bump in the road would result in tossing up the kids like salad. The backseat would provide carriage for all the popular and tough kids shouting out at pedestrians on the street or flipping off a middle finger to the bus driver that would shout for them to calm down. I despised those kids in the back. They were the same people that made my life a living hell, while growing up and attending an American school.
A person 's beginnings do not completely define a person, but it does serve as a permanent foundation from which their identity is built around. As children, we absorb every sight and experience like porous sponges. Family, religion, environment, culture -- all of these aspects slowly form the background of one 's identity. As an Asian American, this identity is very different from that of a native Chinese woman 's, for I have parts of both cultures within me. It is a unique identity which I believes acts as a double edged sword. Being born into two cultures is a wonderful in that one can be a part of two cultures, but it is also a very confusing to be "divided" between two very different cultures.
Since the country’s beginning, race, gender, and class have been very important factors in a person’s experience in the United States of America. The meaning of race, gender differences, and the separation of class have changed over United States history. For many Americans, their perceptions of class and race and the degree to which gender affect people’s lives, often depends on what their race, gender, and class are, too. There are differences between the reality of America, what is represented as American reality in media, and the perceived reality of America. Americans as well as those looking at America from an outside perspective may have questions and confusions regarding what the real connections are to race, class, and gender are in America. The paper tries to clarify and explore how these issues connect and play out in real life.
Omi and Winant (1986) stated that Racial categories often consolidate its meaning by the particular social relations and history context(p.19). Bonilla-Silva(2003) purported that the early colonizer from the Europe named the people in the land which they invaded as “negro” and “Indian” to distinguish them from the noble European (p.34) In the early stages of United State, the race introduced as the tool for the slaveholder and other white class to legitimized the practice of slavery and disenfranchised the natural rights of African Americans. Even the other white immigrants were considered as an individual race when they first migrate to the United State. Thus the meaning of race are constantly shifting within the change of social relation and political background. For example, in the article written by M.Lee, the 1900 census has only five race categories comparing to the 1990 census which has more than ten race option, which means the conception of race are continuously shifting(p.4). Beside the social relations, we also discern race through the preemptive notion of what each racial groups looks like. The African American are generally portrayed as the people who have thick lips and black skin. An Asian American usually have small eyes and feeble physique. Those stereotypes about the people 's physical appearance forge the content of race and become the common way which we utilize to confirm one 's race
I chose to compare and contrast the United States culture with the culture of Japan. There are a few similarities between the two, such as a love of the arts, fashion and baseball. However, they are culturally different than similar in very major aspects. Japan is a very homogenous society made up of about 98% ethnic Japanese. They tend to put a lot of emphasis on family and communities, and value the group more than the individual (Aliasis, 2013).
To many South Koreans ethnicity is considered a cultural phenomenon with strong roots in their distinct language and history; therefore they consider themselves racially diverse from Chinese, Japanese and all other Asian cultures. When Japan attempted to assimilate Koreans this conception became even more important. The Japanese