There are always times when people stereotype others simply by the way they look at times it is unconscious. It could be thought that one minority group is better than another when in reality all minority groups are the same. “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority,” by Ronald Takaki, he claims that the Asian Americans are not as successful as others claim. Even though Takaki gives enough evidence to support his claim, his argument is ineffective because of his undocumented sources, disorganization, and assumptions. In the essay Takaki, states that the Asian American community has not seen many changes. One reason that he provides is that most Asian Americans live in states like California, New York, and Hawaii, which are the states with higher living costs. Another reason he gives is that when comparing family incomes the number of workers is not considered. Takaki also mentions that because of the language barrier they are not able to compete for good paying jobs. For Takaki the good use of evidence helps with what he is trying to prove. For example, if he had simply gone on without providing evidence the readers …show more content…
At the beginning he sets out to prove the myth, but fails to explain what it is with details. He also does not only talk about African Americans and how they feel about this “myth” but also talks about Asian immigrants. Once he mentions the immigrants he loses focus on what the Asian Americans have done to become the “model minority.” For example, “Hmong and Mien refugees from Laos have unemployment rates that reach as high as 80 percent” (Takaki 125). These statistics are great to know but are not of great use for trying to show that the myth is not true. Takaki’s ideas are good but not all relate to what he was arguing which makes it unorganized. With all of what he talks about the reader also forgets what it was that he was trying to prove in his
“By whom are Asians considered to be the “model minority”? “Is it every race? Is it only other minorities?” Takaki says that African Americans may resent Asians because of this argument. “Did this myth start in the African American community?” Takaki mentions comparisons to the African American community, but does so merely in passing. He needed to elaborate on this notion to really clarify his point. To me, these are all really interesting questions that would have helped Takaki in his quest to dissolve this myth, but he never asks these questions, nor does he answer them. Perhaps these questions and data discovery would be more important and more salient than what he has chosen to present. Perhaps these facts would enlighten everyone to the nature of this “myth” and seek to destroy
A reading that stood out in Current Issues and Enduring Questions was “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority” by Ronald Takaki. Throughout his essay Takaki expresses how although it seems the Asian minority in the United States has superiority over other minorities, this assumption is false. He touches on many ideas why Asian Americans seem superior. These ideas include: acceptance into universities, high household incomes, and praise for their entrepreneurial effectiveness (Takaki,1990,p.123).
amount of Asian Americans is quite large to write or comprehend. A large number will throw off
My grandmother sent me a letter from home, telling the success story of her old Chinese tenants who, through hard work, had become very wealthy in the 9 short years they lived in America. My grandmother embraces the belief that "with hard work, patience and a little help from the model minority stereotype, someday Asians will gain full approval of white America". She believes that Asian Americans are inherently smarter, more diligent and thrifty than other racial minorities of our time. I, on the other hand, am skeptical towards this assumed advantage that other minorities have perceived as "elevators to the ladder of success" in American
Stereotypes can be spread through media, jokes, or just hearing them from others. Asian Americans have often been stereotyped as being good at math, quiet, or passive. The "model minority" stereotype suggests that Asian Americans are academically successful and well-behaved compared to other minority groups, but it overlooks the diversity and challenges within the Asian American community. Asian Americans are stereotyped in ways that oversimplify their identities and experiences.
attention is that it is a struggle to be an Asian in America due to the fact that Asians
Among the stereotypes of Asian Americans, the myth of the Model Minority and Panethnic Identity are among the easiest to attribute to Asian Americans. What exactly are these stereotypes? How did they come about? Whose responsible for perpetuating these terms? And what harm are they are they doing to Asian Americans anyway?
The model minority stereotype suggests that Asian Americans as a group are achieving a higher level of academic, economic, and social success than the overall American population (Hartlep, 2013; Tran & Birman, 2010). This stereotype is very much engrained in the American culture today; however, such acceptance does not reflect the whole truth.
All Asian Americans are good at math, or at least that’s what I heard. They are also good at anything involving technology, science, and medicine. They study all the time, work really hard and live a version of the American dream I never thought to dream of. Afterall they’re Asian, their parents wouldn’t allow for anything less. In his article “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority” the ethnic studies expert Ronald Takaki writes about the idea that Asian Americans are more successful than other American minority groups. Takaki refutes this idea using reason and statistics to show that Asian Americans still face some of the same hardships and barriers as every other racially defined group in America.
Lastly, these stereotypes have been around for awhile and they are still around for one reason and one reason only. Stereotypes have truth in them. For example, statistically 50.5% asians all have a bachelor’s degree or higher.This means that not all asians are smart, but a large portion of them are smart, so in conclusion, stereotypes can be good and bad. It all depends on how you handle them when they come your
Asian Americans have been considered as the “model minority” and research shows that this minority is achieving “the American Dream”. With a good education, earning a good living, being “hardworking, patient” and earning the highest college degree attainment rate in the US, Asian Americans fit the stereotype very well. They even fit
Individuals in this world tend to be judgmental, and judge people in groups instead of the personality. Yet, in the article, “Asian American and Stereotypes”, Denise Wong Peck claims, “As Asian American, we are too often judged not by our individual characters, but by stereotypes” (Peck). Peck explains that as Asian Americans; people do not see Asians as individuals but rather as copies; since Americans assume Asians are all good at the same thing. For example, some people assume that all African Americans are good athletes. This is a common stereotype to explain the reason
Asians have migrated to and have lived in the Americas since the days of our founding fathers. The first to come from the Eastern Hemisphere were a small group of Filipinos in the early 18th century that settled in present day Louisiana. The first major influx of Asian Americans was Chinese Americans who came in the 1800’s to find financial opportunity during the California gold rush. They settled in the Golden State and eventually spread out all over the United States, creating the now-famous Chinatowns that millions of Americans visit every year. There is a continual migration of well educated South Asians and East Asians for job and education opportunities and their success has formed the basis for the “myth of the model minority” (MMM). This is the idea that all people who are Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) are successful both socioeconomically and educationally. This does have a logical basis rooted in statistics—AAPI students are reported to have higher grade point averages, math scores, and overall standardized tests scores on tests such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and the American College Testing Exam (ACT). Other studies often use a racialized rhetoric comparing Asian Americans to white Americans in terms of education and socioeconomic status while contrasting them to the so-called “lazy” and “incapable” Hispanic and African Americans.
The stereotype that Asian Americans just naturally have a step up above the rest that paves the path for the jealousy other ethnicities is really the result of ridiculous amounts of dedication and this group of people should be praised for their work ethic.
Don’t be racist, be PewDiePie. He is Swedish, looks American, lives in the UK, has an Italian girlfriend, and likes Mexican candy. The U.S. is no longer as racist as it used to be, as 200 years ago, you were likely a slave because of your skin color. However, today many Americans are being racist to Asians in a new way: stereotyping. Hello, I’m Dexter Chen, and today I will be discussing why you shouldn’t stereotype Asians because stereotypes aren’t true, are extremely discouraging, and because stereotyping is offensive in general. Before we get into this topic, let me explain what stereotyping is. Stereotyping is judging a group, religion, ethnicity, or even gender, although these stereotypes might not reflect on reality. This is caused by social media, the human tendency to reduce complex things to simple things, and prejudice. You might be thinking to yourself: Gee, how is stereotyping offensive? It’s just a playful way of describing someone! If you are thinking that doubtful thought, then pay attention, because I will show you why you shouldn’t stereotype anyone, especially Asians.