ADVANTAGES OF BEING ASIAN AMERICAN

or some the only downer to being Asian American is being lumped with all the whiners.
     The problems that afflict us? No different from those faced by all Americans, they argue. Vincent Chin? Won a barroom fight and was ambushed in the parking lot by a pair of drunken sore losers with a baseball bat. Happens to white guys too. Media stereotypes? Would you rather be cast as a beer-guzzling milquetoast with a spare tire and a perpetual sunburn? Not to mention being unable to jump, dance or multiply.
     Weigh the trivial irritations against the big advantages, exhort the upsiders. Like being raised in two-parent families that provide emotional stability, a solid educational foundation, a multi-cultural perspective and healthy eating habits. Like being seen as innately more intelligent, diligent and honest. Like having a full head of hair past 30 and never having to shave your back. Sure, the new immigrants have a rough time, they concede, but compare apples to apples. The Census Bureau stats show that U.S.-born Asians do as well as any group and better than most.
     So what's your take? Are we getting a raw deal or are we just too busy complaining to appreciate our many advantages?

(Updated )

Amy Tan gives me the s***s,

What you describe is called "high art" in the proper circle. High Art requires a base of very wealthy people who will appreciate what they collectively admire as high art. Hence, you will need a lot of richie rich asians to support an asian "high art" artist. The only asian artist I know off hand in "high art" is Yo Yo Ma and Maya Lin

There are many asians who are in philosophy as Westerners. Anti-Confusius philosopher as Lao-zhi, Zhun-Zhi, even Chairman Mao's little red book was extremely influencial.

Have you been to museums in Asia. There are people doing what you are suggesting. It is whether or not the American audience wish to see such pieces of work.
AC Dropout
   Wednesday, May 01, 2002 at 09:09:13 (PDT)
Amy Tan gives me the s***s,

It's good that you brought that tag and you mentioned about having more artists and intellectuals in our community, because it seems that the few "intellectuals" we feel shame of our background and bash our heritage (e.g Amy "I wish I was blond" Tan).
It's kinda funny how non-asian writers have different views and often positive of our culture (e.g "Daughter of the Fortune" by Isabel Allende)
kc
   Tuesday, April 30, 2002 at 13:03:33 (PDT)
talent.....
I worked myself through college too, but I also know that if it wasn't for my 18 years of preparation as a child/teenager, I would never have the aspiration/goal/determination to get through the final four years of college. Your parental support came through in the least recognized fashion and the most unrewarding, hard work, hard demands for children to suceed, and hard demeanors that parents put forth in their collective attempts to steer their children in the right direction.

You, my dear Talent, will never understand their gift to you until you have a child or two of your own...and then you will see the sweet loving honesty in their efforts as you fight exhaustion to stay up all the nights, feeding and calming a howling hungry infant, and continuously following behind the pattering footsteps of a toddler, hoping he won't fall and bump his head on something sharp, but knowing full well that it takes several falls before he can become competent in his efforts. You will also see the sacrifices that they made...new shoes for you or new shoes for Mom? Should they pay for Dad's life insurance or should they pay for orthodontic braces for you?

Emotional support...what are you talking about? Did they fight you tooth and claw from going to college? Did they insist that you had to not go to school and work for the mechanic down the street to bring in a few extra dollars and pay for your share of the expenses accumulated from all these years? Asian parents have a funny way of showing their love and caring. It's different from the Caucasian parents, but on the whole, it works just as well, if not better. You need to work up some serious appreciation for the unconditional love that's been dumped on your ungracious little head all these years and stop blaming them for not being like White parents, who guide their children in a different (not better, just different) manner so that you are now a full-grown Asian (man/woman) with full capabilities to take care of yourself and not dependent on welfare or rotting away in some jail corner getting b@ttf@@ked! I think they did their job splendidly, if I may say so myself without stepping on their toes.
MLK
   Tuesday, April 30, 2002 at 10:53:52 (PDT)

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