Leading Bi-Cultural Lives | Asian American Poll

LEADING BI-CULTURAL LIVES
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:24:37 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.]

Being Bi Cultural is hard,

Tell me about it!
I have Chinese, Malaysian, American (esp. now that I'm on the mainland), Hawaiian, and Hapa culture to deal with.

People are always mislabeling me!
It's a big pain in the rear end!
Jay... being hapa is even harder Tuesday, February 26, 2002 at 22:41:48 (PST)

just asking,

When you are being too direct as older generation call it. They are usually commenting on your ability of not perserving face of the person you are being too direct with. Unless you give me specifics, I will not be able to give you more detailed advise on how "less direct" when dealing with more traditional asians.

Cantonese is not my primary Chinese dialect but I understand HK culture enough to understand what you are gettting at.

Hallow bamboo/twinkie/bananna.

When I was younger I would be as brash as the next normal american male. It wasn't really a problem being that way with other AA or Americans.

Boy did I wake up for a culture shock when I started doing business in asia or deal with older asians in the Americas. But I adjusted my demeanor when I dealt with them. I took time to learn the Chinese language to allude to my desires while preserving face to all parties. I took time to understand what the older generation or more traditional asian valued in life. Basically I set the goal of if I could take business away from a white guy without causing any verbal conflicts in English. I would also increase my Chinese skills so that I could do the same thing in Asia without a translator.

I'm just saying money was one the factors that forced me to improve my chinese and understand my asian self, and how other various asian perceived me. But if you have other "demons," like being called a Jook Sing, driving you to learn Chinese and being more bicultural, then harness it.

My view of bicultural is that if I'm thrown into a group of Chinese people, they will never know I was raised in the USA. If I'm thrown into a group of American, they will never know I was born abroad. To an extent I have suceeded and I am getting better at it day by day.
AC dropout Tuesday, February 26, 2002 at 14:25:38 (PST)

just wondering,

just go up to them and say hi. talk to them how u would talk to any other guy.

Mr. Hann Monday, February 25, 2002 at 22:34:03 (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,

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.

Since ur this Cantonese speaking individual who flood the forums with ur BS, u ever heard of the term JOOK SING? Have u ever been criticized by your parents or ppl in the Asian community for being too straightforward and direct? Well, it's common for Asian parents to criticize their children for acting too "white".
Now how the hell can we live a bi-cultural life? U tell me?

No one is talking about kicking a white dude's ass!

just asking Monday, February 25, 2002 at 20:51:51 (PST)

Just wondering:

To answer your question would require a knowledge of whether the guy was born in America or not. I'm an ABA or ABC, however people see it, (American born chinese) and I've never had trouble being approached by non-Asians. I think it's actually my fellow Asians who have trouble approaching me sometimes. I'm usually quiet, but I can be surprisingly outgoing when the occasion calls for it. Sometimes people, Asian or non-Asians, don't like me for whatever reason. It doesn't concern me (unless I was in some sort of physical danger). I will respect all who would do the same for me. So whoever this guy is, it's probably a good bet he's not from the USA. My advice is to be subtle. Good luck.

On the subject of bi-culturalism... It's a difficult one. I would definitely like to meet more Asians for social things, but we don't seem to relate to each other well (I speak a smaller dialect of Chinese). It isn't for my lack of trying though. Some have met me halfway and we are friendly with each other. Other than that, most all of my friends are White, Hispanic, or some other ethnicity. Maybe it's just my locale...
Tigerspirit Tigerspirit007@yahoo.com Sunday, February 24, 2002 at 20:44:24 (PST)

Just curious. If a non-Asian female is attracted to an Asian male, how should the non-Asian female approach the Asian male? Asian males seem to be distant and hard to reach sometimes. This of course is my assumption as a non-Asian.
Just wondering martina@satx.net Saturday, February 23, 2002 at 18:19:04 (PST)

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