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December 14th, 2009
just_hsut_me
 | 11:38 am - ¿Quien es mas racist?
The answer, of course, is Chinese people. The irony, of course, is that the reification of the racial category "Han Chinese" and "racist" is itself a lazy essentialism that requires further qualification. For instance, *which* Chinese are racist? In *what kind* of situations? In *what sort* of ways? And how are we so able to identify such behavior as *racist*?
As we have learned from recent American political discourse, "racist" is a label one uses to distinguish oneself (educated, just, enlightened, worthy of ruling others) from a set of inferior others (uneducated, partial, myopic, unworthy). These inferior others can't be penguins or Maori tribals because they are so far beneath us or so far away so as not to pose a threat. You lob the epithet "racist" at those uppity up-and-comers clambering up the hill to take your spot!
That's why the "Chinese" - like Obama, like Republicans - are most racist.
Not to say that I am pleased when individuals of various colors exhibit racist behavior, especially toward me and mine. Some anecdotes of racism described by the commenters of the Room for Debate above - beatings of African immigrants in Guangzhou, offhand hurtful comments by careless elite Shanghai-ese, assumptions that people that look like me know things about maths and computers - cause me to experience the whole range of displeasure and disgust, from annoyance to abhorrence. It's hard to pick out what's most abhorrent to me about 'racism' - the laziness, the mean-spiritedness, or the attempt to set up relations of knowledge/dominance.
But it's not difficult to see me *who* I regard as racist most frequently: up-and-comers trying to take my throne and sit over my kingdom of moral superiority. So while peasants and lumpenproles will be racist from time to time, most likely my aggravation will direct itself to people who should know better: yuppies, young financial wizards, other grad students, Eurotrash, old jerks who are in charge of shit, my family, and other upper-class, over-educated Asian-Americans.
Some 'racism' is borne from the impulse to understand the unfamiliar, and that's okay, and that comes from curiosity, which is terrific. It's when it metastasizes into something hard, into something that can be applied, into something that can be used to control where I must object.
Despite all the issues I have with Political Correctness Americaine (how it obfuscates class/culture tensions for one; how annoying celebrations of 'difference' are on the other), one thing I must admire is its enlightenment impulses toward fairness, justice, understanding others on their own (group or individual) terms, and the attempt to make oneself humble before the world. What I most admire is how at PC culture's best it instructs people to continually be open to surprise, to allow the laws that have stood in place over so long to be overturned with the preponderance and diversity of data.
America fuck yeah!
(May I take exception with commenter 27, Asian-American medical professional from Boston? Serenescene writes...how do you think Asian-Americans are treated in the U.S.? I am a second generation Chinese-American who speaks fluent English yet everyday I am asked by patients "where are you from?" A few patients have actually told my secretary they want to see another doctor because they do not want a "black, red, brown,or yellow doctor". Racism is everywhere that everyone needs to work on. Americans and the NYTimes should stop being so high and mighty and point the finger at China, Japan, etc. I guess that now that the shoe is on the other foot, people actually notice and become "outraged". Uh oh! I make sure I ask for 'yellow doctor' with stick up butt next time. Just kidding - me Chinese, me play joke!)
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/moonsis/working.gif) busy
Current Music: regina spektor - apres moi
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December 13th, 2009
just_hsut_me
| 09:00 am
I just slept 10 hours. I didn't know I had it in me! But it makes sense to be exhausted - every muscle of my body is sore, including the 'goodbye muscle.'
I woke up at five, ready to go go go. Body has been running on a five/six-hour/night coffee/adrenaline-fueled cycle. I'm glad I decided to lie around in bed to get tired again. The tiredness of the body outlasted the activity of the monkey-mind.
Monkey-mind: "This apartment is weird and big without so much stuff in it! This apartment was the longest I've lived in one place in Chicago, so no wonder there was so much crap to deal with. It will be exciting to see that storage unit again, one day. Maybe my brother will help us unpack it - he really likes helping out with things like this. I would like to varnish the Ikea IVAR bookcase when I get back. Too bad it will be winter. I'm really going to miss everybody here in Chicago. I've actually made some true-blue friends. I'm really going to miss this apartment. How am I homesick already? I'm still at home! India's going to be crazy! I think I'm more excited each day we get closer to take-off. I like the opportunity to just walk around cities just looking at things just going from place to place. I remember the time I tried to visit Adam Bronson at Beijing Normal University by walking and I stumbled onto another University campus along the way. That was pretty fun. My parents will likely take and eat these leftover potatoes and olive oil. I can clean the fridge Monday night. Where do dustbunnies come from? Did the public option really die, I wasn't paying attention?..."No you are tired fall asleep now.
Current Mood: accomplished
Current Music: St. Vincent - Laughing With a Mouth of Blood
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