Leading Bi-Cultural Lives | Asian American Poll

LEADING BI-CULTURAL LIVES
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:24:38 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Is it possible to embrace both American and Asian cultures and find social acceptance with both Americanized and non-Americanized groups of friends?
Yes | 77%
No | 23%

Which of the following factors is most important in facilitating a successful bi-cultural life?
Familitarity with both cultures | 32%
Family upbringing | 28%
Fluency in both languages | 16%
Security in one's identity | 24%

Which of the following factors most discourages bi-cultural lives for U.S.-raised Asian Americans?
Inability to speak Asian languages | 28%
Outmarriage to non-Asians | 14%
Fear of seeming too Asian | 30%
Concern for kids' image with peers | 28%

Which segment of the Asian American population currently has the greatest positive impact on American society?
American-Born | 56%
Foreign-born, American-educated | 44%

This poll is closed to new input.
Comments posted during the past year remain available for browsing.

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WHAT YOU SAY

[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]

just asking,

Huh? What are you talking about? Have you been reading too many books on asia written by white authors.

Asia culture promote humbleness, not cowardice. You kick the crap out of a white person, but you just don't go bragging about it if you want to understand bi-culturalism in your narrowly defined world.

Also you can adjust yourself to the audience to show your understanding of different culture. With a more Americanized audience you act more outgoing and open. With a more Asian audience you try to promote others around you more in conversation.

Being Bi Cultural is hard,

I think the key to bi-cultural living is to be perfectly fluent and knowledgeable in both your native tongue and English. This way you won't be so easily categorized by either groups, with no questions asked.

AC dropout Monday, February 18, 2002 at 11:32:51 (PST)

how can we lead bi cultural lives if we were taught to be passive in our asian traditions and then taught to be aggressive in a western society? You either a bold person or a coward. I don't think you can be both!
just asking

I am a Chinese American who think most Cantonese Speaking CAs cannot simply just lead a bi cultural life. It's not easy and often times impossible. I don't know what is like to be a Japanese American or a Korean American or some other AA or even a Mandarin speaking CA. But from my experiences being with the Cantonese speaking people, they are not very receptive of the American society or Westerners and most of them will denigrate CAs who appear to be "white" in behavior. In that community you either a FOB or an outsider. No questions asked!

Being Bi Cultural is hard

The question posed to this web site has been, "Can we live bi-cultural lives?" - To that I would answer, "Yes, I would certainly hope so."

Consider an Asian Male co-worker friend of mine. Firstly, there is the way he wears his hair - it's long and tied with a rubber band-like tie at the base of his head. This hairstyle matches what is seen in the more realistic depictions of Chinese history. It also occurred in the recent movie "Shanghai Noon." For those who saw the movie, remember how Jackie Chan's character said, "don't touch my queue!" Obviously a source of pride, and presumably so for my friend, too. Good for him!

Secondly, he has from time to time brought in rice and broccoli in the morning, presumably for breakfast. It may be different than my typical breakfast, but I would guess than pouring milk over cereal might seem as strange to some as his breakfast at first did to me. Upon further reflection, eating rice and vegetables in the morning is, in fact, a lot healthier than a lot of typical American breakfasts. Indeed, maybe we should follow his example.

And at the same time he is distinctly American, in his speech, mannerisms, attitudes, and ways of thinking. He says he grew up in New York City, and I'll be damned if I ask him where he is from originally. It's not important - we have a job to do together.

He is a good friend, and has the talent and interest to do his job. To me, at least, he has the ability and aptitude to advance - and I am trying to get him to do so.

What bothers me is when my friend has to suffer what appears to be some form of prejudice. Recently, in one of our "Dilbert"-like meetings, he had the guts to challenge some "gray-heads" when they were clearly living in the past. The result was that my friend was ignored.

I have seen far too many instances of closed minds - too many cases of "my way or the highway."

Let's take the idea of closed minds one step further: What happens when we ignore those who look different? What happens when we ignore those who have different traditions that those we grew up with? We all lose.

Perhaps time will heal these things. Remember that it doesn't matter what ocean our ancestors crossed.

Indeed, there are many cultural traditions brought to America that weren't part of Colonial ways. Christmas Trees, for example. Even Christianity itself is not native to Europe.

So, let's bring on our new traditions. Add to what we got. In that way, the traditions we bring may become not necessarily bi-cultural ones but American ones.

The journey toward the Promised Land may indeed be a long one. We need the stamina to run like horses.

Just consider what could we make and what could we become, if we ran like stallions, all-different, and all in the same herd?

So let's start the Lunar New Year, Ren-Wu, off right. Run like horses.

east coast observer dpeters408@msn.com

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