As much as I hate disclosing my ethnicity on my "secret public journal", and if it hasn't already been made obvious by previous posts, I think it's a pretty important topic not to pass up . I recently had a chance to read this particular article by Westley Yang. Paper Tigers. It's quite an article - just because it was like reading the anthem of my life. None of it's new, but I think this is the first time I've seen something like this go so mainstream. I get a subscription to New York Magazine, and, well fortunately despite the fact that my subscription actually just ended, my bf happened to subscribe as well (yes we finally stopped getting two copies of the same issue only recently).
You can go read the article if you want. I know some of the stuff might easily be overlooked and brushed off especially if it doesn't pertain to you. But to me it's a serious life-shaping experience that plagues me til this very day! All the struggles and choices and thoughts are all things I go through despite it being written by a male Asian writer, and the article relays the many struggles of an Asian male in the dating scene. Asian women struggle too, but I think women generally have a gender struggle on their own in the work place and society that the Asian women's struggle probably isn't as apparent yet to the mainstream. (I know that's probably a gross generalization, but that is my opinion until I'm convinced otherwise). Yang does make a mention to Amy Chua and shed a light on her that made me feel sorry for her for the first time. I've seen a few interviews of her talking about her actual research work (not interviews for her notorious book). From those interviews I felt her work has been very interesting, and I'd love to strive to be just as ambitious and learned as she. But I also realize that the reason why I value and prefer to go into research academia much has to do with my upbringing, and subsequently my options.
Really - if I could do anything I wanted? Besides winning the lottery and doing anything I want? I can no longer tell what I'm inherently passionate about and what I'm passionate as the result of being limited in my options? Does it matter? I don't know.
Most of my Asian friends can relate and agree with this article. I don't think it's something you can disagree with much. It is a reality. Bird of a feather - so I guess if you are one, you easily associate with one, and easily accept one. I think I'm surrounded by people facing this exact struggle.
It really is a topic I could go on and on about, but I draw a few conclusions/observations from this article that I always keep in mind:
1. How lucky I am to be an Asian female and in my most humble opinion attractive enough to not worry too much.
2. I do feel my parents raised me like I were a boy, however, and despite my hormones and very female reactions to things like stationary and cute furry animals, I think I have a very male brain.
3. Being introverted and naturally shy on top of all of this is NOT helpful.
4. My parents were also EXTREMELY over protective.
I'm A STEREOTYPICAL NIGHTMARE!
All in all, Amy Chua may have tackled raising children from a Tiger mom's perspective, but Wesley Yang covered what it's like to be raised in such a way. Sometimes it does scare me that I personally think Chua's method could work well with a few alterations here and there if done properly (and I do realize "done properly" is a very subjective thing, but I think my take on it is pretty Western...compared to my parents...).
And at the end of the day with all my run on sentences, it is what it is and awareness is the first step to making it better for the later generations. I'm very proud that so many kids are so self-aware so early on. Life is still good if you manage to accept your circumstances and make the best and most of it.
My alternate ending: At the end of the day, Asian food is so damn good. =P
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