The Harmful Myths Associated with American Asians - Essay Sample

Introduction

There are various myths that are connected to Americans of Asian origin. Some of these myths are harmful, stereotypical, and unfair to the Asians. Generally, Asians are those Americans whose family roots are based in Asian nations such as Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and China, among others (Zhao & Qui). They form part of the minority groups of people living in the United States. Most of the myths associated with American Asians are often depicted in music, film, literature, the mainstream media, television, and internet as well as in other expressions of the American society (Frank). It is rather unfortunate that the depiction of the Asians in the American society is mainly based on perceptions rather than the actual behaviors, customs, and cultures of these people. This baseless portrayal as the model minority is what contributes to the stereotyping of the Asian community superior. In the process of stereotyping the community, myths about the superiority of the American Asians are formulated, some of which are quite harmful.

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One common stereotype is that Asian students are very bright. They are extremely knowledgeable especially in science and mathematics (Li). Most Americans believe the misconception that Asians are naturally studious and high achievers in academic circles. The model minority has become their identity and, therefore, the only approval they can get is for good grades. According to the myth, the academic achievement of the Asian Americans is very high because they are born smart and are good at everything that requires academic prowess (Zhao & Qui). In as much as there are many successful doctors, engineers, and lawyers of Asian origin, the myth is harmful particularly to the Asians struggling with their studies in various schools and colleges in America. A case study incorporating students of Asian origin studying in shows that there are students who are low achievers in various schools in North America (Li). This study demonstrates that high academic achievement is not a matter of genetic inheritance. It is all about putting conscious effort and being focused. Any child can achieve academic excellence regardless of their origin. The myth that Asian children are excellent academic achievers is, therefore, misplaced and harmful since there is too much pressure for those who are not gifted. In the long run, such pressure leads to undue strain by the students.

Basically, the myth about the Asians being academically gifted is harmful to the mental health of the Asian American students. For the Asian, the bar is quite high and it is upon the student to reach it, whether they are gifted or not yet children are different (Li). Since the Asians are assumed to be smarter, they are expected to perform excellently. This blocks them from portraying a different picture, even if one knows that they are average or weak in academic achievement. Apart from the pressure, the know-it-all label makes the student, for instance, fear asking for help because they are considered as already knowledgeable and exceptional as compared to other minority groups thus do not need help with their academic work (Li). This is a very harmful misconception. Unfortunately, some of these Asian American students end up experiencing a lot of anxiety and becoming mentally unstable that they are forced to look for psychological help (Frank). It is quite unfair for anyone to imagine that a particular person has the ability of a genius, purely because they come from a certain group of people. This myth is, therefore, harmful as it affects the mental health of the victims who shy away from asking for help for fear of being labeled as misfits and a disgrace to their community.

Another of these myths that come with being Asian is the view that Asian Americans are extremely successful in business and office work. The stereotype is that in every work the Asians focus on, they succeed, and their success is immense as compared to other immigrants in the United States (Takaki). However, such a myth is both confusing and misleading. This is because not all Asians are successful. Some of them came to America with some skills while others did not, and this has affected the various generations in each group. Following the intensified involvement of the American forces in Vietnam, many Asians were displaced thus entering the US as refugees, and while the initial batch comprised educated Asians, the second consisted of poor illiterates who could not probably do very well in business and office work (Takaki). This disparity demonstrates that Asians are not as superior as some people think. Expecting every Asian to succeed in their work is asking for too much. It becomes harmful because Asians are also human beings with imperfections. Pressurizing them to be perfect due to the myth is rather harmful and unfair.

Also, the view that all Asians are rich thus economically empowered is only mythical. According to the myth, Asians came to America to take advantage of the economic opportunities available and they have succeeded in seizing these opportunities (Frank). The Asians are believed to come to America to look for better jobs and business opportunities. As soon as they succeed, they go back for their relatives and friends to continue working in the flourishing industry thus seemingly taking over the American economic sphere (Li). However, this is a misconception. Although some Asians are very rich, there are those who live in difficult conditions. As they moved to America as refugees, some Asians were well educated and urbanized while others were illiterate and poor. The Vietnamese, Hmong, and Cambodians, for instance, were rather disadvantaged due to the high poverty levels among them (Takaki). Basically, there are huge wealth gaps among the Asians living in America. This model minority myth is rather harmful. It is damaging because even as it highlights the American Asians who have succeeded in gaining massive wealth, it brushes aside the disadvantaged populations such as the Hmong and Cambodians. In fact, some immigrants have had no choice but to seek the help of the federal government in an effort to settle due to the economic hardships they have found themselves in (Frank). This means that labeling all American Asians as economically empowered is inconsiderate and baseless.

Additionally, the misconception about American Asians being wealthy is likely to put a strain on the relationship between them and the Native Americans. As the Asians soar to high levels of success in business, some Americans may begin to view this success as a threat to the economic future of their nation (Takaki). Despite forming only a minority group, the vast wealth can be misused to determine the direction of America's economy thus affecting the American dream. According to the myth, since they are immigrants, Asians work hard to amass wealth with the intention of helping their own, not the Americans (Frank). The fact is that whether one is from the Korean, Japanese, Chinese or Filipino origin, the diversity of factors that led to the migration of these Asians into America are as varied as their countries of origin. For instance, while some Koreans were influenced by the missionaries after training in mission schools based in Korea, the some Chinese migrated to America as indentured laborers (Zhao & Qui). This demonstrates the diversity of the Asian immigrants. Therefore, their economic capabilities are different and should not be viewed as a threat to the American dream. The problem with this myth of economic empowerment is that it does not help the Asians living in America but may end up creating a gap between them and the Americans.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is clear that some of the myths associated with being Asian in America are rather harmful and inconsiderate. In the academic arena, the Asian American is expected to achieve exemplarily because they are believed to have an inborn ability to excel especially in mathematics and science. This is harmful since research has shown that every person is unique and has characteristics that are invariably different irrespective of their origin (Li). The other misconception that Asian Americans are wealthy and successful is a myth that does not hold water. It is clear that the Asians migrated to America under different circumstances. While some of them were lucky to establish businesses that have thrived with time, and others succeeded in academics and got well-paying jobs, there are still others who have continuously struggled to survive. The gap between the poor and rich Asians cannot be ignored. Parity must be promoted for a better American society. The association of wealth with the Asian Americans has contributed to the marginalization of the poor populations of Asian origin. Therefore, the myths associated with Asian Americans and labeling them as the superior model minority are harmful and should not be propagated at all.

Works Cited

Frank, Wu. "The model minority: Asian American 'success' as a race relations failure," Yellow: Race in America beyond Black and White. (New York: Basic Books, 2002): 39-77.

Li, Guofang. "Other people's success: impact of the "model minority" myth on underachieving Asian students in North America. KEDI Journal of Educational Policy, vol.2. no.1, 2005, 69-86.

Takaki, Ronald. "The harmful myth of Asian superiority," The New York Times, 1990.

Zhao, Young. & Qui Wei. "How good are the Asians. Refuting four myths about Asian-American academic achievement." pp.338-345.