Summary Of The Model Minority Thesis

The model minority thesis is shown to be one of the main connections between American social policy and Asian Pacific Americans. The model minority thesis came to be around 1965 and this was during the time of the Civil Rights Movement where people tried to stop and take out institutional racial discrimination that was taking place in the United States. During the period of the 1960s-1907s, ethnic groups were feeling that they were being racially discriminated such as African Americans, Latinos, etc. Asian Americans were also part of the groups being discriminated but they were making it out successful during this time of discrimination. People who didn’t really care about racism saw that America’s economic and political institutions were fair used the model minority thesis to help support their claims.

The model minority thesis essentially claims that even though Asian Pacific Americans were racially discriminated, they overcame those barriers of prejudice and found success in American society.

They succeeded because they worked hard, were well educated, and took the initiative while not complaining that they were mistreated by white Americans. They also didn’t seek for affirmative action programs, welfare, or assistance for finding jobs but, were pushing themselves to succeed on their own. Asian Pacific Americans were succeeding without any type of uprising of militancy, so white Americans through the support of this thesis believed that other ethnic groups could do the same and find success like the Asian Pacific Americans. White Americans even took into account how Asian Pacific Americans were pushovers and obedient in the workplace and how they were great in math. Through this belief, the American economic and political system sought out the belief of a “color-blind” system that if specific groups couldn’t achieve political equality or rise in the socioeconomic ladder, they were to only blame

themselves.
Although these remarks of the model minority thesis are positive in the success of Asian Americans during times of the discrimination, many third and fourth generation Asian Pacific Americans saw that “the model minority” image to be stereotypical and offensive. It overshadowed that since Asian Americans got past through discrimination without any resources then they don’t need any help from the government at all such as food stamps and affirmative action programs. If one accepts this theory, they overlook the institutionalized racism that Asian Pacific Americans and other ethnic groups went through as they will perceive that no matter what situation, any one person can succeed if they just work hard and persevere through discrimination. Not every Asian American follows this model minority thesis because the thesis tries to put everyone into a certain category and give them the same experiences and traits.
Certain examples of how Asian Americans can go against the model minority thesis is that numerous Asian Pacific Americans living in the United States receive and continue to receive government assistance in order to live day to day. Not all Asian Americans can be successful in school and that even includes being successful in mathematics. Numerous Asian Pacific Americans fought against the government by participating in a political protest. Some Asian Americans also prefer playing sports than just sitting inside and facing a computer screen. A great example of this is Jeremy Lin who goes against the model minority and is a famous NBA star. People need to see that the model minority thesis is a barrier that can stop an individual from being whom they want to be because they believe that the thesis is what society expects them to be. The model minority thesis holds certain groups such as Asian Americans to a certain standard but it is up to the individuals in society to break these labels and create a name for themselves and accept who they are as individuals even if it doesn’t align with the model minority thesis.