I just keep my mouth shut talking to anyone in a minority status, born in the west, that I don't know well. I've seen it go wrong several times so I'm just 100% business. I'll get hate for admitting this, but what am I supposed to do? No one wants to think critically or challenge their beliefs on the matter, so if I'm not willing to 100% toe the line if I do make a mistake then either I have to debase myself in an Orwellian "there are two fingers" moment, or I get in trouble. I'm not willing to do either.
In my mostly 99% Asian circle of friends, we have a few white people, and I can't help but be super uncomfortable every time the topic of racism being brought up, because I was thinking "dang, how would these white friends in our circle feel, they must've felt uncomfortable in these kinds of conversations". Yeah, heads you lose tails I win kinda situation.
In my circle of Asians, we have our own trouble as well. My wife is Japanese, and I grew up influenced heavily by Japanese culture (I'm Indonesian Chinese), but majority of my circle is 99% Koreans and Chinese. So yeah every time WWII or Japan/Korea/China thing gets brought up I also just stay silent and will just ask my wife to go home early or pretend we have some business to do. Definitely something will go wrong. We are in our 20s - 30s, and WWII are our grandparents generations battle. We are aware of Japan's WWII problem, but we aren't gonna pretend we know what to do.
It fits the bill. Asians are treated as white in tech. There's never any conversation around Asian-Americans. It's awkward because we're not quite Asian, but not quite treated as fully American either. Many programs have checkboxes to identify as minority groups (black, LBGTQ+, women, LatinX, which is great), but not Asians, who are statistically one of the biggest minorities at ~5%.
Despite my family being refugees, much of which died getting here. Despite eastern culture being almost the polar opposite of western culture. I wish that counted for something more.
Not asking for any special treatment because I feel Asian-Americans just put their head down and do the work. But it's stark how silent the conversation around Asian-Americans is, except for when we talk about Crazy Rich Asians.
> It fits the bill. Asians are treated as white in tech.
Or are they treated as asians? This whole thing is complicated, but including asian people as 'white' when it is colloqially used to mean 'caucasian european' for the most part, is just disigenuous and moving the goalposts.
Never in tech have I seen conversation about Asian Americans been brought up. When I say, they're treated as white, it's more like they're treated "not a POC", which only leaves a designation of white. Except Asians don't get put in leadership positions as easily as white counterparts (bamboo ceiling). I've seen many times (online at least) where people have explicitly said Asians don't count as POC, despite facing a large brunt of racism.
It is a time where we are getting violently targeted. And while people are jumping at the bit to speak up for every other group, we’re forced to uncharacteristically muster it up ourselves. I imagine if I was any other minority group talking about my experiences, it'd be taken more seriously.
What if I made a similar argument except I replaced "asian" with "french"? How would you prove there's a difference between that argument and your argument?
It is a tautology in a sense, but the point is that the case isn't "asian people are treated like white people in tech". The case is "white and asian people are treated like X in tech".
Okay, sure. I’m just drawing an equivalence to how Asians are treated to how whites are treated, rather than how I think they should be treated, as POCs. That’s my point, a point of comparison and contrast.
I've seen discrimination against Asians. Sometimes a current of disrespect or resentment exists. I also notice a distinct different between how an Asian, or non-white in general, is treated when they are in a superior position vs an inferior position.
You never feel uncomfortable when you are the only non-white? I too am non-white and see myself as white, due largely to the way my mother raised us.
My Father is white and my mother is hispanic, but I've been asked if I am Asian or Pacific Islander many times. I've also noticed a distinct difference in how people treat me when they see me, vs virtual or phone.
I meant to draw attention to how many non-whites are forced to immerse themselves in mostly white groups and can feel ostracized in the US.
Doesn't matter. If you take a particular viewpoint, there's a whole strata of American society that will call you white/black based on politics alone. Or you'll be called a race traitor, etc... e.g. "Asians are considered white because they have privilege."
The only problem with your statement is you didn't include women, the disabled, gays, any trans person, or any other newly conjured victimized group in your 100% business attitude. It is simply too politically incorrect to deal with people in these groups as critically thinking beings even if they are so best to just avoid any conversation that isn't absolutely necessary. The best bet is to pretend to be a hapless robot and make the interaction end as soon as possible, much in the way minority groups attempt to minimize their interactions with the police. It is a useful survival mechanism in a no win scenario. Stray into victimization territory and you'll either be asked to self-flagulate or be accussed of an '-ism'. I waiting for the word 'conversation' to be redefined by the intersectionalists much like 'racism'.
It sucks, too. I am super progressive but rather critical of solutions. Which is to say, i agree with an assessment of almost all problems and want to discuss solving them. BUT, discuss, is the key there. I'm interested in peoples views. On what actually can solve the problems. Racism for example i believe as a series of mitigation strategies and a core principle of education and standard of living.
Yet, i don't discuss this stuff with anyone interesting. Just my core group, and my core group has had this conversation to death.. nothing to be gained anymore.
So i don't grow on these subjects. I don't feel more progressive. I don't feel like i understand the problems better, or the solutions, and certainly don't know which areas i'm motivated to help in.
Because i want to discuss, to critically analyze the problem space and try to question and verify solutions, i'm terrified of being labeled an -ist.
This isn't a "woe is me" post. Rather, this is my explanation that in my eyes i am _less progressive_ as a result of this culture. I _act/help less_ in this culture. This culture shuts me - a self identified very progressive liberal - down.
Purists of any ideological bent have a tendency to alienate potental friends and excite their adversaries due to their overwhelming emphasis on argument by authority and appeals to shame. They are divisive by definition and generally lose their struggle because of it. Your comment is an excellent reflection of how the purists cut off their noes to spite their face.
