Asian American Attitudes toward Wealth | Asian American Poll

AA ATTITUDE TOWARD WEALTH
(Updated Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:07:07 PM to reflect the 100 most recent valid responses.)

Assuming you are an Asian American, how important is wealth in your assessment of a person's attractiveness?
It's one of the most important. | 19%
It's just one of many factors. | 36%
It's less important than other qualities. | 29%
I don't care about a person's wealth. | 16%

Assuming you are an Asian American, which best matches your feelings toward your own wealth?
I'd give up weekends to double my income. | 20%
I'd work longer hours for 50% more income. | 39%
I'm happy with my current income. | 24%
I'd give up some income for more free time. | 17%

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WHAT YOU SAY

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

I'm 24 right now, and I'm really have to agree that Chinese parents do put so many expectations on their children that it can drives them nuts. Chinese parents expect their children to be top of their class, grow up successful, and are always comparing their kids to someone elses kids they knew. It is as if they they get all their esteem from bragging about their children or something.

I always hear my mother comparing me to "my cousins" who are really smart and does well in school. It really makes me feel bad inside when my mom does that. She may think that she is motivating me by doing this, but I end up hating her inside for making me feel like nothing that I do is ever good enough for her. I don't even know why I feel like I have to live up to her expectations. In a sense, I know I don't, but this is still something very difficult to escape.

Sometimes my mom would tell me as if she was hinting something, "So and so's kid is doing this, and he has a job at SUN microsystems." Now, what is that suppose to mean?

For once, I would prefer to hear her tell me all the bad things about someone's kids instead, "So and so's kid went to jail. He made a bomb in his garage and blew 20 people to Kingdom Come. I'm glad my kid doesn't do anything like that." It makes me wonder why my mom never tells me of anything bad with someone else's kid, but only tells me all the good stuff. I wish they would stop pretending like everyone else's kids were PERFECT when they talk about all the things that they think I did wrong.

Sometimes it really pisses me off when my mom tries to talk me out from doing what I wanted to do. At one time, my mom kept trying to convince me to get a "regular job" like everyone else, instead of quitting college to start my own business. She used the whole "money" argument as to why I should just find a job with some big company. She went on comparing how at big companies you get benefits, and how it is more stable. She really did not know what she was talking about, because jobs with big companies are definitely not stable and graduating from college does not always guarantee success. She was trying to convince me to quite running my new business eventhough I knew that I would be happier being self-employed. In my mind, my mom didn't really care much about what I wanted, she seemed to care more about what her co-workers, friends, relatives, and other peers might think about me having no college degree and just running my own business.

If I were to listen to my mom, and follow her advice, I would not be where I am today. My business grew at a rapid rate, and I currently make 3 to 4 times more than my highest paid friend who is a computer programming engineer. In another year, that gap would grow to be 6-8 times.

I read everything that was posted on this discussion forum, and I have to agree to everything that was said about "money" and "parents." The pressure of makeing mucho money can make you HARD.

Money isn't the answer. It's funny, because I thought that the moment, I became successful, my mom would stop buggin me about "money" and what I buy and would stop comparing me to everyone else she knows. She still does that, and is still comparing me to everyone else.
chineseboy415 chris417@hotmail.com Saturday, August 04, 2001 at 06:24:15 (PDT)

I love wealth, if you don't, then u r just lying to urself!!!
Mr.ShallowIam sak@hotmail.com Wednesday, August 01, 2001 at 12:04:09 (PDT)

I don't think money should be so important when you weigh in other qualities as well. What ever happened to falling in love with somebody and they just had a bus pass?
Azngurlie Saturday, July 28, 2001 at 01:54:24 (PDT)

Sometimes, Asians are too preoccupied with money and success, that they forego their personal lives. I mean, my 50-something uncle is rich and everything. But, he is not married, no kids and never dated in his life. This, while so many Japanese-American gals his age are busy dating and marrying white men. What he need the money for now?
Harry Saturday, July 21, 2001 at 23:03:36 (PDT)

First, it's not COMMENTS ON ASIAN AMERICANS AND HEIGHT:, it's wealth. Second, the reason most Asian Americans are so concerned with money is because the reason their parents or ancestors or themselves immigrated to America was escape from poverty. In other words, we are here for money.
But eventually, we'll be lazy like the rest of America.
Thomas Sunday, June 24, 2001 at 16:30:27 (PDT)

Chinese Cdn girl
Life is tough sometimes, isn't it? No matter how little money you have, there are many things you can do to make yourself feel better. First, a person who feels good about herself can just about cope with anything. If you're still in school, excell! Outstanding (not just good) grades, papers, etc. will do wonders for your self esteem. Be kind and helpful to your family no matter how unreasonable they are because you love them. They may eventually soften and reciprocate in kind. Kill em with kindness. Live life so you can be proud of your everyday deeds. Take care of the physical self as well as the inner. Go running or something. Exercise will definitely release those feel good chemicals in your brain. You will start to like your body and face and feel invincible and confident. Trust me. Do the above often enough, your personality will shine and become vibrant. People are attracted to that. Find a mentor. Once you get a good job, the money will come and your parents will be happy and proud of you. Last two things. Looks aren't everything. As for money, it may make you very comfortable but not necessarily very happy. It may appear to take a long time to accomplish any of the above, but time passes very quickly. Be patient and get moving, girl. Love ya from another asian.
Another Asian Girl Wednesday, June 13, 2001 at 10:44:25 (PDT)

[Thanks for pointing out the error. --Ed]

     to chinese cdn girl:
     Don't say things like that. Bad Karma! Existence doesn't end with death, and so wishing it will only bring another round of life...something that you are trying to avoid, right? OK, this is what you do. Give all your money away.
     So now that you have none, it's hard to get upset over how little you have. Do things (stuff that doesn't require money) that give you joy. How about donating your time in a poor country, helping out the sick who need care, or teaching the uneducated who would love to learn some English. You would be fed and housed by the charity organization (no need for money) and if you get lucky, you won't come back here as another baby who has inherited another meaningless life. You could come back as a butterfly! I say that's pretty cool.
MLK

I wish I had a little more money. Not for mansions and big, shiny cars just for security's sake. But I hate what wanting more and more does to a person. It makes them crooked, mean, envious, and crabby. Lately I've felt like kicking the a$$ of some of my in-laws because they've become so mean and grouchy due to their believing they don't have enough money(in reality they have a lot).

     Most Asian people are so much concern with money. I know how you feel it is trouble me that some of our parent do not concern much about their child point of view to life but to their own viewS ONLY.
     I am very close to my parent and they love me regard less how much I earn. Real happiness does not come from MONEY like one said "Money can not buy happiness " In fact sometime money can blind love and so somepeople life goes along without love.
     Sometime it is a tradition just to be that way. Why not try talking to your mother the way you feel she may be understand you.
Mia

I agree with those who said that the Chinese are a little too preoccupied with money. As we've all heard a million times, money doesn't buy happiness (or love, or success). I'd rather have a small but comfortable home, an old car that runs, and be happy, than to spend all my time away from my family in an office, making millions.
Girlie Love

Money can't make you happy, but it's one hell of a down payment!
AsioPhile 81

I am lonely and hate my family. All they care about is money. I know it's because we have had trouble making ends meet, but I feel very little closeness to my mother and wish it wasn't that way. but that's the way it is. It's boring and as "stying balanced ,af 29" says, another meaningless life. I hate it. It's just plain old existing, and there is no joy. I wish I was dead.
chinese cdn girl

we need to be there for our kids, so they won't be a trouble maker, and beside they will be very closed to you. so only work 40 hours a week, and keep the weekend free, unless you are require to work on the weekend. don't be money hungry. :))))jk

What do we go to college for? A career, right? So of course you would want to work hard and benefit from all that effort.

Ah, money! I spent so much of the best years of my life making it that I sincerely despise it. I would give most of it away if I could recapture just the years I wasted working 7 days a week to build my business. I wish I had spent most of that time with my kids who are now gone.
Full of Regret

I came from a family full of wealthy people. Uncles, Aunts, Grandparents, etc. But I learn a lot of them, I learn from their mistakes from money and I know who they really are. I stay humble that way. There is nothing wrong with being wealthy by the way, but it your character matters.

Money is wonderful if you earn it doing something that makes you happy. I would not want to be in a relationship with a man who makes millions doing something meaningless. I would be just another meaningless part of his meaningless life.
Staying Balanced, AF, 29

Money gives me the freedom to not do what I don't want to do. But I had to do a lot of things I didn't want to do to get it. I'm glad I made the sacrifices early. I would recommend that young people do the same.
Old Dog

The endless quest for money ruins people's character
20yr old JA gal

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