“…, is it true that all Chinese people are, like, Kung-Fu masters?” Asks one boy. Before he can even appreciate the full effects of my glare, another one chimes in with, “Yeah, …, can you do one of those back flips?” As I open my mouth to protest, yet another asks, “Hey, …, what would you do if I threw a punch at you?” A fourth guy answers for me, chortling, “What do you think? She’d jump up, flip through the air and do that pressure point touch of death business and you’d be screwed, man. She’d beat the crap out of you. She would probably be able to kick the butt of any guy in this school. Wouldn’t you, …?”
Ugh! Is it just me or is there something seriously wrong with how people perceive me and other Chinese people? As a Chinese girl, I am inevitably caught by one of the three evil stereotypes. I am either pictured as the academic brainiac, the modest artist, or the infamous “martial arts girl”. Meaning that, according to the majority of the population, I am one of three things: either a hardworking, somewhat nerdy, polite but introverted genius who does math extrapolations for kicks and reads encyclopedias in her spare time, an obliging, sweet little thing who produces exquisite artwork and makes soulful music, with a delicate and sensitive temperament to match, or, a steely, edgy, don’t-you-dare-mess-with-me-if-you-know-what’s-good-for-you tough girl who can defy any and all of Newton’s laws in a frightening but spectacular fit of anger, able to kill or paralyze obnoxious guys and other uncivil animals three times her size 27 different ways while blindfolded and only using her pinky. As ridiculous as these images may seem, the truly frightening thing is that way too many people actually believe them, people supposedly sensible and open-minded, who sincerely think that these generalizations and exaggerations are accurate, who really think that I am Bruce Lee’s protégé, Einstein’s student and Mozart’s apprentice!
The Essay on Georgie Porgie Women Guy Girls
"I Love Little Pussy"I love little pussy, /Her coat is so warm, /And if I don't hurt her, /She " ll do me no harm. /So I'll not pull her tail, /Nor drive her away, /But pussy and I, /Very gently will play. (web) "Georgie Porgie" Georgie Porgie, puddin' and pie, /Kissed the girls and made them cry. /When the boys came out to play, /Georgie Porgie ran away. (web) As a young child, mother goose ...
Okay, okay, I admit that I am in a karate class, take my share of AP’s and play the piano. So there might be a tiny grain of truth in those stereotypes. But contrary to popular belief, I do NOT bash wooden boards into pieces with any part of my body. Nor do I leap in joy and anticipation for finals and AP exams in May. Nor do I compose symphonies, cry at the drop of a hat and give in to any and every request by others. Although it is highly respect-worthy to be intelligent, amenable and powerful, saying that all Chinese people have those qualities is as unreasonable and unfounded as saying that all blondes are dumb. There are Chinese people who are not academically inclined, who are not of fragile sensibilities and who are not adept at the martial arts, just like there are smart blondes. It seems obvious, yet why is it so hard for people to believe?
Maybe it is because when people make positive stereotypes, they do not even think that they are making a stereotype. They think that what they say is intended as a compliment. They do not think that they are doing anything wrong. After all, they would probably give an eyetooth to be so multi-talented as they suppose I and other Chinese people are. “Just think, I could breeze through college, make millions of dollars, have all the good-looking members of the opposite sex flocking around me because of my sweet and selfless nature, and even be able to defend myself from armed robbers, potential kidnappers and annoying people if I were you, …. What’s wrong with being a smart girl who is nice to everyone who can kick butt?”
Uh, how should I say this? Although I am glad that people think so highly of me, I do not want myself or any other Chinese person to have to live up to this reputation that, in most cases, is not really true. Especially for those Chinese people who are not at all like they are made out to be, when people ask them, for the umpteenth time to demonstrate a fly kick or to solve Rubik’s cube, and they have to shrug and say that they do not know how to do those things. Then, the others will look at them in amazement and disappointment and exclaim, “But I thought that ALL Chinese people could do those things!” Then, that poor, hapless, “ordinary” Chinese person would feel useless and foolish. He would think to himself, “Yeah, I’ve heard that ALL Chinese people have these inherent abilities! But why don’t I have those qualities? There must be something wrong with me. I must be inferior in some way.”
The Essay on People One Property Wrong
Is it wrong to prevent people from expressing "wrong" ideas? It is not wrong to prevent people from expressing their "wrong" ideas because everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Freedom of speech is something that we all are able to exercise freely in the United States. The right to one's own thoughts and their disposition is a fundamental human right. If they choose to share them, they also ...
So, obviously, something needs to be done about these stereotypes. Positive though they may seem, they may have very negative consequences. This impossible image to emulate can be linked to a severe inferiority complex, depression, stress, estrangement from friends due to envy, and overwork in an effort to “live up”. This in turn will cause health problems, which will cause over-flooding in hospitals and therefore act as a catalyst in an increase in taxes and costs, thereby causing inflation and economic decline. This economic decline will affect international trade and may anger other nations to such a degree that nuclear world war may result. Then, humankind will perish and this planet will go down in apocalyptic flames.
Of course, I arrived at that happy conclusion through a lengthy and complicated process of analytical reasoning, which, because “All Chinese people are left-brained logicians”, I am naturally an expert at.
