Myth Busting Model Minority!

Many questions arose for Asian Americans on their achievements such as why are Asian Americans so successful. Authors like Amy Chua states that the reason why Asian kids are successful because cultural and family values play an important role. However, in a video called  "Myth Busting Model Minority Asian Americans Stereotype" Kyung Yoon who is executive director of a Korean American Community Foundation, she emphasizes that not all Asian Americans are working in high skilled occupations there are some who are working in low paying jobs 24/7. Which statistics are shown in an article called “Working but Poor: Asian American Poverty in New York”. In 2000, nearly 1 in 5 Asians lived below the poverty and 40.9 percent lived below twice the federal poverty (in the low income bracket) lower than other ethnic groups (Hispanic and Blacks)(The Asian American Federation 1). Another statistic show that among young adults (age 16 to 24) in New York City, poor and low-income Asians are more apt to be in school and less likely to be disconnected from employment or education that youths of large (The Asian American Federation 1). Additionally, there are many Asian Americans ethnic groups that are not doing well compared to the rest of the U.S population. According to the 2000 census, Cambodians over 90 percent of their population do not have a bachelor’s degree (De Navas-Walt C, et al).  These statistics revealed that not all Asians are high achieving individuals and work in high occupations.

Kyung Yoon further on explains about Asian American adolescents not being supervise or guided at home, the lack of parental care can result in most teenagers joining gangs. Additionally, in a specific scene in Better Luck Tomorrow shows Asian Americans in gang involvement (Darlic, Han, Virgirl and Ben are driving around and a car drive next to them, who are Asian gang members). This film in particular subverts the stereotypes of model minority; were these four Asian Americans are not only high achieving and intellectual individuals but also could be adventurous and notorious individuals.

Image of Model Minority

Many Asian Americans have done a good job in following the American dream, such as getting good educations, good working place, and earn good living. This is how we become the model minority that the society believes for Asian Americans. We are setting up a good example for everyone to look up to. However, do these realities seem way too good to be true? The Socioeconomic Characteristics by Racial Groups chart describes the facts about the education levels and the wages they get between each ethnic group.

            Based on a chart, it stated that Asian Americans earn more than that of White people in America, especially when it gets to college degrees and advanced college degrees. This tells us that through model minority, American dreams are accessible. We should not care about any racial prejudice that people makes in us. Through this, much discrimination are not being made to Asian Americans, such as not requiring to take the bilingual education, government documents in multiple languages, and welfare. However, there are stereotypes that Asian Americans are successful and never struggle. But this is not true. In fact, in order to be successful, hard work was necessary, so there should not be any accusations no more.

            This is significant because the image of model minority is important in today’s society. It affects the nation in economical ways. The power of model minority is the reason how the United States is developing into a more economical country, full of technology for everyday lifestyles. Without this image, the country would turn into turmoil as it is not developing any better. Also, rather than to create a stereotypes of the model minority, we should all be able to respect the Asian cultures of education because it is helping the United States into a greater value.  

 

We Have Feelings Too.

For many decades Asian Americans have been viewed to be successful and having highly skill professional occupations; given the image of model minority. What society sees are Asian Americans achieving the American Dream but in reality what’s behind that image. Is it a prestigious lifestyle were receiving recognition brings happiness or does it bring a negative image among Asian Americans. Mei Tang from the University Of Cincinnati stated that the model minority myth caused health problems for many Asian Americans (Tang 1). It showed that Asian Americans in school settings found to show lower sense of coherence and have fewer friends than other ethnic groups. Another factor that affects the Asian community, a study discovered that traditional values prevent them from expressing their social and psychological difficulties (Wu 1). Lucian Wang currently a student at Cal State Northridge said that the reason why the model minority myth has effect on many Asian Americans because a lot is expected from them especially from their own parents. He mention his parents always wanted him to achieve success in all his classes and failing to do so would only bring disappointment to his parents and be ashamed of himself. He conclude by saying that most Asian immigrants who came to this country to give their children a better life, expected their children to be successful which gives them pressure.   

The Model Minority myth affects Asian Americans in many ways were society views them highly intellectual people and therefore they have to fulfill that image. As one commented on a YouTube video (being Asian in American Schools) and said “I’m Asian, average, and I don’t go around thinking I'm the best and smartest. I hate it when people look at me sometimes thinking oh shit he’s smart, it pisses me off man”. A short documentary called “Model Minority" explains how the model minority myth has affected many Asian students. One of them explains how his father was a successful dentist and his family wanted him to do something similar but he had no interest in becoming a doctor, engineer, or lawyer, only to follow his dreams. This is an example of Asian Americans feel pressure to be successful because they do not want to disappoint their family.

Culture? or Functionalism?

The academic achievements that Asian Americans accomplish are not just because of their cultural values. It is just the behaviors that they follow each day. Stanley Sue and Sumie Okazaki, psychologists, states in Explaining Asian American Academic Achievement ,that through functionalism, Asian Americans are influenced by the opportunities that they are given, which affects not only their educational system, but also their non-educational system as well. Non-educational system includes leaderships, integrity, sports and such. This means that through non-educational system, you develop better educational systems that are needed. Therefore, there is a huge difference between cultures and functionalism, on making a model minority.

This is very significant because there are many stereotypes created through Asian American model minority. However, model minority is not created just because you are a certain race. It is rather the things that you do or believe. I was very interested in what Steinberg (1981) said, which he stated that

“In terms of their European background, Jews were especially well equipped to take advantage of the opportunities they found in America. Had Jews immigrated to an industrial society without industrial skills, as did most other immigrants, their rich cultural heritage would have counted for little. Indeed, a parallel situation exists today in Israel, where Jews immigrating from underdeveloped countries in North Africa typically lack the occupational and educational advantages of the earlier settlers, and despite the fact that all share the same basic religion, the recent immigrants find themselves concentrated at the bottom of Israeli society. Thus, in large measure Jewish success in America was a matter of historical timing. That is to say, there was a fortuitous match between the experience and skills of Jewish immigrants, on the one hand, and the manpower needs and opportunity structures, on the other. It is this remarkable convergence of factors that resulted in an unusual record of success.” (p. 103)

There are many ways you can achieve success, but just cultural heritage alone cannot help gain success.

Stereotypes?Pressure?Media?

Images like these create a negative stereotype for Asian Americans in society; the stereotype that people tend to think Asian parents are strict and pressure their children  to work in high occupations. This image of model minority that has been given to Asian Americans for their affluence, high education, and professional occupations suggests positive aspects about the culture; instead the generalizations and stereotypes about Asian Americans are negative. An article called Stereotyping Asian Americans: The Dialectic of the Model Minority and Yellow Peril by Yuko Kawai , department of English in Tokai University, Japan  he argued the seemingly positive stereotype; model minority is a negative aspect when represented in mainstream media text (Kawai 1). The negative aspect made Asian Americans a two faced; that not all Asians Americans were high achieving and successful. The stereotype of model minority has been used in advertisements, a study shows that a consumer responds positively to Asian male in technical advertisements such as laptops and stereo speakers were as in food or men’s suits advertisements it will have negative respond (Taylor and Stern 1). The reason why it has a positive respond because Asian Americans are viewed as skilled individuals in science, technology, and engineers occupations, convinces the consumer that Asians in any engineering or technical advertisements the products are beneficial. The next following blogs will contribute to my argument on how media uses the model minority stereotype and how it affects the Asian community. 

Work cited

 Asian American Federation. "Working but Poor: Asian American Poverty." C.J Huang Foundation, Ong Family Foundation, United Way of New York City, Oct. 2008. Web. 20 Feb. 2013.

Kawai, Yuko. "Stereotyping Asian Americans: The Dialectic of the Model Minority and the Yellow Peril." The Howard Journal Of Communications, 2005. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.

Taylor, Charles R., and Barbara B. Stern. "Asian-Americans :Television Advertising and the "Model Minority " Stereotype." Journal of Advertising, M.E Sharpe Inc., Summer 1997. Web. 18 Feb. 2013.

Wu, Yue. "MODEL MINORITY STERE OTYPES OF ASIAN AMER ICAN WOMEN IN AMERIC AN MEDIA: PERCEPTIONS A ND INFLUENCES AMONG WOMEN OF DIVERSE RAC IAL - ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS." Zhejiang University, 2008. Web. 21 Feb. 2013

 Taylor, Charles R., Stacy Landreth, and Hae-Kyong Bang. "Asian Americans in Magazine Advertising: Portrayals of the ''Model Minority"" Http://www.sagepublications.com/. SAGE, 12 Dec. 2005. Web. 21 Feb. 2013.

Tang, Mei. "Psychological Effects on Be Ing Perceived as a “Model Minority” for Asian Americans." Chinese American Educational Research & Development Association, 2007. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.

When did "Model Minority" title tailed Asian Americans?

The term “Model Minority” as we know it has long represented the Asian Americans, but where did it come from?

The answer can be found in an article from the 1966 January issue of The New York Times Magazine, in which a journalist named William Peterson wrote an article called “Success Story: Japanese American Style.” Peterson admired how well the Japanese adapted to the American culture and he nicknamed the Japanese, calling them the “Model Minority”. Two decades later, in 1980s, many magazines that were popular at the time ran articles about the Asian American population’s success in schools, communities, and societies. This officially cemented the myth of the Asian American “model minority”.

The myth of the Asian American is built around perceived cultural values, including the beliefs that Asian American students are: passionate and devoted to their perceived path in life; respectful to their parents, teachers, and elders; smart; good at math and science; and hard working. These ideas are still present today – therefore, the established stereotype has yet to disappear, despite the fact that the “model minority” is a myth.  

The reason the stereotype lingers is because media – which has a large impact on people – is prolonging it. For example, the picture above shows students separated by different ethnicity; it is taken from the California Standard Testing’s website, and shows the actual results. Throughout the years, the Asian Americans have consistently ranked first. For this reason, even though the model minority is more myth than truth, people still believe in the stereotype because Asian Americans do – to some extent – excel in academic areas. However, that does not mean that the stereotype is a good thing, nor does it mean people should continue to expect all Asian Americans to ace their tests and get perfect grades. Every individual is different, and the stereotype takes away from a person’s individuality.