http://asiammedia.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/harvard-study-racial-identity-formation-self-hate-and-white-worship-among-asian-american-youth-in-high-schools/ Tracking Asian American film, music, literature, and news Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:59:27 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://asiammedia.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/harvard-study-racial-identity-formation-self-hate-and-white-worship-among-asian-american-youth-in-high-schools/#comment-28 abc Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:47:40 +0000 http://asiammedia.wordpress.com/?p=6#comment-28 Hi there, One of the biggest myths of American and other Western societies is the myth that academic success alone is enough for upward class mobility and the esteem that goes with it. America is still an (informal but strong) class system with multiple gradations of 'status' based on the possession of legitimate cultural capital. Everyone in the middle-classes competes for social status, including white people (yes they compete too). Those with unprivileged (working-class or migrant) social origins are at a disadvantage. These Asians who want to "act white" are playing the same game that every other middle-class person plays; seeking to increase their store of cultural capital (ways of dress, speech, tastes, etc.). The game is challenging for those whose backgrounds were working-class one or even two generations ago. It takes at least three generations to make a fully upper-middle-class person (with corresponding tastes, dispositions, outlook). What you call 'rejection of cultural identity' is a logical consequence of the desire for upward class status mobility in America. Trying to acquire legitimate cultural capital is no less rational than studying hard for good grades - both are necessary for people who want to move upwards in America. Middle-class Black people are often accused of "acting white", but still they are respected, not derided the way Asian 'twinkies' are. What these kids call "acting white" really means "acting upper-middle class". (The upper middle-class, which is culturally accustomed to having leisure time, IS mostly white.) These Asian kids are not exactly trying to assimilate into communities of poor working-class whites. Maybe try seeing their aspirations as logical, rather than 'self-hate'. After all, in many cases it's their parents who wanted upward mobility ('success') for them. Almost every middle-class person "worships" the upper-middle-class and their lifestyle (whether they admit it or not). Would you feel comfortable accusing a middle-class Black American of 'self-hate'...? Hi there,
One of the biggest myths of American and other Western societies is the myth that academic success alone is enough for upward class mobility and the esteem that goes with it. America is still an (informal but strong) class system with multiple gradations of ’status’ based on the possession of legitimate cultural capital. Everyone in the middle-classes competes for social status, including white people (yes they compete too). Those with unprivileged (working-class or migrant) social origins are at a disadvantage. These Asians who want to “act white” are playing the same game that every other middle-class person plays; seeking to increase their store of cultural capital (ways of dress, speech, tastes, etc.). The game is challenging for those whose backgrounds were working-class one or even two generations ago. It takes at least three generations to make a fully upper-middle-class person (with corresponding tastes, dispositions, outlook). What you call ‘rejection of cultural identity’ is a logical consequence of the desire for upward class status mobility in America. Trying to acquire legitimate cultural capital is no less rational than studying hard for good grades – both are necessary for people who want to move upwards in America. Middle-class Black people are often accused of “acting white”, but still they are respected, not derided the way Asian ‘twinkies’ are. What these kids call “acting white” really means “acting upper-middle class”. (The upper middle-class, which is culturally accustomed to having leisure time, IS mostly white.) These Asian kids are not exactly trying to assimilate into communities of poor working-class whites. Maybe try seeing their aspirations as logical, rather than ’self-hate’. After all, in many cases it’s their parents who wanted upward mobility (’success’) for them. Almost every middle-class person “worships” the upper-middle-class and their lifestyle (whether they admit it or not). Would you feel comfortable accusing a middle-class Black American of ’self-hate’…?

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