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e90rocks · 06-23-2006, 02:05 AM

Seems I have read this Asian American manifesto by the Frogman before. I agreed with it then.

First about a few terms:
Ricey - I had never heard the term "Ricey" before joining this forum, though I did see a bumper sticker once that said Harley Davidson - "Friends don't let friends ride rice burners"...and then just this week I heard some biker call Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle a "rice rocket", before he explained that good ol Ben woulda been just fine without a helmet had he just been ridin' a Harley like a good American. I guess I'm irritated by the term, but grew up with a lot worse.

Asian - when I was growing up, I was pleased to not be called 'Chink'. A step up was when I was asked "are you Chinese or Japanese?" Oriental was not just an Express, and not just for objects at the time. It took me a few years to get used to calling myself Asian, (it became easier than Oriental ever was...BTW Oriental means "Eastern" and is the opposite of "Occidental")...which was about as long as it took for me to go from 'black' to 'African American'. Yeah, it's true that it steals the continent from the Indians and Pakistanis, but I always felt that I paid for it by filling in the little circle entitled "Asian or Pacific Islander". Turns out years later that I found that I probably did pay for it, as I had to deal with the anti-Asian college admission discrimination of the 80's. Anyway, Mongoloid would be more biologically correct, but that one was taken.

I think that Asian Americans, like everyone else, want to be cool. It's not as cool for a Japanese to drive a Honda. If you're Jewish, and your studying Tai Chi, you're broadminded and philosophical. If you're Chinese and you're doing Tai Chi, you're backward. I'm not saying that this is reality, but this is perception...which becomes reality in the mind of the self-conscious.
[I suppose to be in martial arts, especially the harder styles, is not uncool, but then you'd better be good, or you'll be like the Asian kid who sucks at math]
While I agree with Frogman about the Asian ideals of selflessness, respect, honor...etc. There's also a significant bit of culture about appearance, and face. It's somehow important to make an outward display that shows accomplishment, wealth, education and status. BMW is a symbol (to those who bought it themselves) of accomplishment. It's an "I am HERE" statement, so much more than an "I aM HeRe." Naturally it has appeal intrinsically, because it's an awesome car....but that's not what first brings everyone into the showroom.

So done twy to mak us fear bad aboud having nice carl! We wolked hald for eet! Eef you done lak eet, you can jus go to HAREL!
( invoked the Seinfeld exclusivity rule of ethnic comedy)

06-23-2006, 02:05 AM	#78
e90rocks Myrmidon 17 Rep 236 Posts Drives: Entwicklung 90 - 325 Xi Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA iTrader: (0) Garage List 2006 325 xi [0.00]	Occidental terrorist Seems I have read this Asian American manifesto by the Frogman before. I agreed with it then. First about a few terms: Ricey - I had never heard the term "Ricey" before joining this forum, though I did see a bumper sticker once that said Harley Davidson - "Friends don't let friends ride rice burners"...and then just this week I heard some biker call Ben Roethlisberger's motorcycle a "rice rocket", before he explained that good ol Ben woulda been just fine without a helmet had he just been ridin' a Harley like a good American. I guess I'm irritated by the term, but grew up with a lot worse. Asian - when I was growing up, I was pleased to not be called 'Chink'. A step up was when I was asked "are you Chinese or Japanese?" Oriental was not just an Express, and not just for objects at the time. It took me a few years to get used to calling myself Asian, (it became easier than Oriental ever was...BTW Oriental means "Eastern" and is the opposite of "Occidental")...which was about as long as it took for me to go from 'black' to 'African American'. Yeah, it's true that it steals the continent from the Indians and Pakistanis, but I always felt that I paid for it by filling in the little circle entitled "Asian or Pacific Islander". Turns out years later that I found that I probably did pay for it, as I had to deal with the anti-Asian college admission discrimination of the 80's. Anyway, Mongoloid would be more biologically correct, but that one was taken. I think that Asian Americans, like everyone else, want to be cool. It's not as cool for a Japanese to drive a Honda. If you're Jewish, and your studying Tai Chi, you're broadminded and philosophical. If you're Chinese and you're doing Tai Chi, you're backward. I'm not saying that this is reality, but this is perception...which becomes reality in the mind of the self-conscious. [I suppose to be in martial arts, especially the harder styles, is not uncool, but then you'd better be good, or you'll be like the Asian kid who sucks at math] While I agree with Frogman about the Asian ideals of selflessness, respect, honor...etc. There's also a significant bit of culture about appearance, and face. It's somehow important to make an outward display that shows accomplishment, wealth, education and status. BMW is a symbol (to those who bought it themselves) of accomplishment. It's an "I am HERE" statement, so much more than an "I aM HeRe." Naturally it has appeal intrinsically, because it's an awesome car....but that's not what first brings everyone into the showroom. So done twy to mak us fear bad aboud having nice carl! We wolked hald for eet! Eef you done lak eet, you can jus go to HAREL! ( invoked the Seinfeld exclusivity rule of ethnic comedy)
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