Excited
In SFGate today, Jeff Yang talks about the clashing ideas of Asian American identity among generations, namely my generation (people born in the 70s) and older, and those who are in their teens and 20s. He brings up issues that have dominated, and continue to dominate dialogue among Asian Americans of my generation (and apparently, of a very small portion of the generation younger than me): our foreignness–or that we’re seen as the perpetual foreigner/outsider (because of our accents and mainstream American society’s apparent inability to really see Asians as Americans); and Asian women as sex objects (without any agency on their own, of course, to want to be sex objects).
To that end, Asian Americans of my generation (GOD, I hate saying that term!) especially those of us who are academics or otherwise involved in popular culture appear to be stuck. Yang also talks about how mainstream American perceptions of Asians has changed, slowly–being integrated into mainstream shows; and how we’ve started to complicate our own perceptions of how we, as Asians, belong in America as both Americans and Asian Americans. But at the same time, Yang also talks about how we’re missing out on other Asian voices, who are reaching teenage and 20-something Asian Americans in ways that “we” never thought of, especially on YouTube, such as HappySlip, and nigahiga.
For me, that’s one of the things that was really frustrating about being in Asian American studies, and looking at the media. I got sick of people looking at both mainstream American society and Asian American identity as these monolithic things, identities and subjects that can’t or won’t change. While people are ranting on and on about the topics that I’ve just mentioned, it’s great to see people taking the dialogue of what it means to be Asian in American society to different places, especially to see how Asian American identity is evolving, and to frankly see how mainstream American culture is evolving with it to integrate Asians as part of the American landscape. It’s nice to see that we’re not just obsessed over constantly looking at Asian women as sex objects lacking agency, somehow needing an Asian man to see the error of her ways (roll eyes), or that we will always be “exotic” or “not belonging”. If anything, it’s showing how the ability of people to be able to access new forms of media and to provide new voices into the dialogue of Asian American identity that we couldn’t see or hear before–and to finally develop some new ways to see Asian America.
And frankly, it’s nice to see other Asian Americans who aren’t neurotic or hung up about their identities.
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Loveboat!
I went when I was 18-years-old and had not yet been anywhere with 20 or more unrelated-by-kin Asians altogether. The thought of 2,000 unrelated-by-kin Asians altogether terrified me. Mom signed me up without my consent, included THE WORST photo she could have POSSIBLY FOUND of me and that went into the damn yearbook, and I got shipped off to Taiwan.
Oh yeah. I met west coast Asians for the first time on Loveboat. OMFG DID YOU GUYS TERRIFY ME. Especially those "L.A." Asians. You L.A. girls look like barbie dolls. Blonde haired blue-tinted-contacts barbie dolls. FOR CHRISSAKES YOU'RE ASIAN. *LOOK* IT!
Loveboat!
I went when I was 18-years-old and had not yet been anywhere with 20 or more unrelated-by-kin Asians altogether. The thought of 2,000 unrelated-by-kin Asians altogether terrified me. Mom signed me up without my consent, included THE WORST photo she could have POSSIBLY FOUND of me and that went into the damn yearbook, and I got shipped off to Taiwan.
Oh yeah. I met west coast Asians for the first time on Loveboat. OMFG DID YOU GUYS TERRIFY ME. Especially those "L.A." Asians. You L.A. girls look like barbie dolls. Blonde haired blue-tinted-contacts barbie dolls. FOR CHRISSAKES YOU'RE ASIAN. *LOOK* IT!
Efi,
Check that last comment.
How about "no one wanted to date me on LOVEBOAT"
Efi,
Check that last comment.
How about "no one wanted to date me on LOVEBOAT"
Joz, given the discussion we've been having on this discussion...kinda late for that. ;)
Joz, given the discussion we've been having on this discussion...kinda late for that. ;)
Yes, I went on LOVEBOAT. I'd say which year, but that would date me.
I think John Lin owes us a post about this...
Yes, I went on LOVEBOAT. I'd say which year, but that would date me.
I think John Lin owes us a post about this...
"I noticed that a lot of Asian American kids go to Asia fairly often u00e2u0080u0093 some as often as every year. That never happened when I was a kid."
I have two words for the Taiwanese members of this blog - They will either trigger warm feelings of nostalgia or trigger PTSD. Here it goes...
LOVE BOAT!
"I noticed that a lot of Asian American kids go to Asia fairly often u00e2u0080u0093 some as often as every year. That never happened when I was a kid."
I have two words for the Taiwanese members of this blog - They will either trigger warm feelings of nostalgia or trigger PTSD. Here it goes...
LOVE BOAT!
You guys are all kids to me! I was born, in, uhu00e2u0080u00a6 before the 70u00e2u0080u0099s. Jun is only 5 years older than my daughter.
I agree with the article that Asian American kids are different from previous generations. Yang is right that they have their own new media role models. My kids were the ones who showed me Happyslip, Nigahiga, and Kevjumba u00e2u0080u0093 I had never heard of them before they told me about them. Role models in general for them are different than when I was growing up back (way back) in the day. Perhaps my view is skewed by being in Silicon Valley, but the Asian American kids I am around have far better role models and donu00e2u0080u0099t have the kind of inferiority complex I saw with previous generations of Asians Americans. There are Asian American mayors and councilman, CEOs like Jerry Yang and Jen Hsun Huang, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists like Vinod Khosla. We didnu00e2u0080u0099t have that when I was growing up or even in my early days of working u00e2u0080u0093 Silicon Valley firms had a glass ceiling back then.
They also interact with things Asian differently. I noticed that a lot of Asian American kids go to Asia fairly often u00e2u0080u0093 some as often as every year. That never happened when I was a kid. Asia is powerful and influential now u00e2u0080u0093 not only economically but culturally. Stuff from Asia is considered cool now, as Yang points out. Back then u00e2u0080u0093 they just seemed backward compared to the mainstream. My nephew goes to the Philippines every Christmas to perform as a DJ. Some of the girls I used to coach in volleyball watch soap operas in Tagalog. Those are ways of connecting with Asia that we wouldnu00e2u0080u0099t even consider in my past.
Still, some of the issues are the same. They are still wary of how they will be treated as minorities. I remember at one volleyball practice the girls were talking to two teammates who returned from a student trip to Washington DC. One girl asked them, u00e2u0080u009cWere you the only Asians there?u00e2u0080u009d The reply: u00e2u0080u009cYes, but they were nice to us.u00e2u0080u009d My daughter once complained to me that some creepy old white guy subscribed to her and friendsu00e2u0080u0099 Youtube channels. Colorism still affects their mentality (see my post in the biracial thread).
While some things are the same, a lot of things are different. I am anxious to see the next part of his article, where he talks to Asian American Youtube stars on what it means to be Asian.
You guys are all kids to me! I was born, in, uhu00e2u0080u00a6 before the 70u00e2u0080u0099s. Jun is only 5 years older than my daughter.
I agree with the article that Asian American kids are different from previous generations. Yang is right that they have their own new media role models. My kids were the ones who showed me Happyslip, Nigahiga, and Kevjumba u00e2u0080u0093 I had never heard of them before they told me about them. Role models in general for them are different than when I was growing up back (way back) in the day. Perhaps my view is skewed by being in Silicon Valley, but the Asian American kids I am around have far better role models and donu00e2u0080u0099t have the kind of inferiority complex I saw with previous generations of Asians Americans. There are Asian American mayors and councilman, CEOs like Jerry Yang and Jen Hsun Huang, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists like Vinod Khosla. We didnu00e2u0080u0099t have that when I was growing up or even in my early days of working u00e2u0080u0093 Silicon Valley firms had a glass ceiling back then.
They also interact with things Asian differently. I noticed that a lot of Asian American kids go to Asia fairly often u00e2u0080u0093 some as often as every year. That never happened when I was a kid. Asia is powerful and influential now u00e2u0080u0093 not only economically but culturally. Stuff from Asia is considered cool now, as Yang points out. Back then u00e2u0080u0093 they just seemed backward compared to the mainstream. My nephew goes to the Philippines every Christmas to perform as a DJ. Some of the girls I used to coach in volleyball watch soap operas in Tagalog. Those are ways of connecting with Asia that we wouldnu00e2u0080u0099t even consider in my past.
Still, some of the issues are the same. They are still wary of how they will be treated as minorities. I remember at one volleyball practice the girls were talking to two teammates who returned from a student trip to Washington DC. One girl asked them, u00e2u0080u009cWere you the only Asians there?u00e2u0080u009d The reply: u00e2u0080u009cYes, but they were nice to us.u00e2u0080u009d My daughter once complained to me that some creepy old white guy subscribed to her and friendsu00e2u0080u0099 Youtube channels. Colorism still affects their mentality (see my post in the biracial thread).
While some things are the same, a lot of things are different. I am anxious to see the next part of his article, where he talks to Asian American Youtube stars on what it means to be Asian.
The answer is yoga! Not that I'm biased or anything :)
Practice every day and you will stay young forever. Hey, when I was 21 (which is now OVER a decade ago) I could barely touch my toes. Now I can touch the back of my head with the sole of my foot.
Long live yoga!
The answer is yoga! Not that I'm biased or anything :)
Practice every day and you will stay young forever. Hey, when I was 21 (which is now OVER a decade ago) I could barely touch my toes. Now I can touch the back of my head with the sole of my foot.
Long live yoga!
Joz: After the first Iraq war back in '91, we suddenly were seen as having conscience and having some sort of "identity"--and then we were apparently responsible for the dot-com boom and apparent dot-bomb. I remember going to my 10 year high school reunion in Silicon Valley and 90% of my classmates stayed away because they were either laid off--or actually had lives. :)
Akrypti: Thanks for making me feel old as dirt! At least the people I swim with and do hip hop with are always amazed that I'm 10+ years older than them and can keep up with (even though I am in pain for days after--my booty doesn't shake that well anymore).
It's kinda weird considering that I always used to be the youngest person among all my friends--and now I'm suddenly realizing that I'm now one of the oldest. WTF happened...?
Joz: After the first Iraq war back in '91, we suddenly were seen as having conscience and having some sort of "identity"--and then we were apparently responsible for the dot-com boom and apparent dot-bomb. I remember going to my 10 year high school reunion in Silicon Valley and 90% of my classmates stayed away because they were either laid off--or actually had lives. :)
Akrypti: Thanks for making me feel old as dirt! At least the people I swim with and do hip hop with are always amazed that I'm 10+ years older than them and can keep up with (even though I am in pain for days after--my booty doesn't shake that well anymore).
It's kinda weird considering that I always used to be the youngest person among all my friends--and now I'm suddenly realizing that I'm now one of the oldest. WTF happened...?
Hold on... I think we should coin a new term. We all seem to be trying to prove that we're almost as old as Efren, so why don't we divide ourselves into three groups?
1975-1978 - "Almost as old as Efren"
1979-1982 - "Not quite as old as Efren, but not too far off"
1983 on - "Totally not as old as Efren"
:) :) :)
Hold on... I think we should coin a new term. We all seem to be trying to prove that we're almost as old as Efren, so why don't we divide ourselves into three groups?
1975-1978 - "Almost as old as Efren"
1979-1982 - "Not quite as old as Efren, but not too far off"
1983 on - "Totally not as old as Efren"
:) :) :)
We're all echo boomers, that is, people born between 1977 and 1994. Some of us.. no names...are NOT echo boomers... =P
We're all echo boomers, that is, people born between 1977 and 1994. Some of us.. no names...are NOT echo boomers... =P
Grunge resulted when Seattle got indigestion and vomited all over the rest of the United States. But who is blamed for being the purveyors of flannel? Lesbians. I don't get it.
Grunge resulted when Seattle got indigestion and vomited all over the rest of the United States. But who is blamed for being the purveyors of flannel? Lesbians. I don't get it.
I hate to burst the bubble but I don't think any of us (excluding Jun) can claim to be Gen Y. We all spend waaaaayyyy to much time navel gazing about Long Duk Dong to be Gen Y. The real differentiator for Gen X/Y isn't so much year but psychographic profile and the external events that shaped our world view. If you can remember the rise of AIDS, school house rocks, and being a latchkey kid you're Gen X. If Columbine and 9/11 was a significant marker of your adolescence or teen years, you're Gen Y.
I hate to burst the bubble but I don't think any of us (excluding Jun) can claim to be Gen Y. We all spend waaaaayyyy to much time navel gazing about Long Duk Dong to be Gen Y. The real differentiator for Gen X/Y isn't so much year but psychographic profile and the external events that shaped our world view. If you can remember the rise of AIDS, school house rocks, and being a latchkey kid you're Gen X. If Columbine and 9/11 was a significant marker of your adolescence or teen years, you're Gen Y.
I just want to say the Gen X got a bad rap.
GenX was supposedly all "grunge" (ew) and "unaffected" and "uncaring" about the world.. borderline selfish and self-involved, remember?
But in my personal experience, GenXers are quite concerned about what's going on with the world around them, not at all grungy and (as a generation) less self-involved than (ahem) other generations.
I just want to say the Gen X got a bad rap.
GenX was supposedly all "grunge" (ew) and "unaffected" and "uncaring" about the world.. borderline selfish and self-involved, remember?
But in my personal experience, GenXers are quite concerned about what's going on with the world around them, not at all grungy and (as a generation) less self-involved than (ahem) other generations.
I saw Jedi. I remember being really afraid of Jabba the Hutt.
I saw Jedi. I remember being really afraid of Jabba the Hutt.
Heh, I was born in 1974, and I remember hearing the cutoff of GenX used as 75-76 myself.
Besides, who REALLY uses GenX and GenY anymore (besides this group)? :)
I remember seeing Empire Strikes Back AND Return of the Jedi when it first came out--too young for Star Wars though.
Heh, I was born in 1974, and I remember hearing the cutoff of GenX used as 75-76 myself.
Besides, who REALLY uses GenX and GenY anymore (besides this group)? :)
I remember seeing Empire Strikes Back AND Return of the Jedi when it first came out--too young for Star Wars though.
P.S. Either way, I'm still Gen X.
I think a good litmus test is whether you saw any of the original Star Wars movies in the theater during their original runs. :)
P.S. Either way, I'm still Gen X.
I think a good litmus test is whether you saw any of the original Star Wars movies in the theater during their original runs. :)
Efren, the earliest cutoff I've seen for Gen X is any year prior to 1976, i.e. if you were born in 1975 or earlier, you're Gen X. But most sources now state 1982 as the cutoff. Check out the Wikipedia article on Generation X, which sources Time Magazine. I tried linking to the Wikipedia article yesterday, but my comment must have gone into the Wordpress comment spam dustbin.
Efren, the earliest cutoff I've seen for Gen X is any year prior to 1976, i.e. if you were born in 1975 or earlier, you're Gen X. But most sources now state 1982 as the cutoff. Check out the Wikipedia article on Generation X, which sources Time Magazine. I tried linking to the Wikipedia article yesterday, but my comment must have gone into the Wordpress comment spam dustbin.
joz, I AM older than you..what are you talking about--you're firmly GenY ;)
Now, get over it!
joz, I AM older than you..what are you talking about--you're firmly GenY ;)
Now, get over it!
Efren, there is NO WAY you are on the cusp of GenX and GenY! You are firmly GenX (as I am... shhh!)
Efren, there is NO WAY you are on the cusp of GenX and GenY! You are firmly GenX (as I am... shhh!)
thanks ernie... no pressure...lol
but ill take the time to read that article more carefully and post a response... always wanted to post something about the younger asian generation but never got around to it... this inspired me =)
thanks ernie... no pressure...lol
but ill take the time to read that article more carefully and post a response... always wanted to post something about the younger asian generation but never got around to it... this inspired me =)
John, boy did things change after you left college. You got Jeff Yang for ITASA at Harvard. Less than a decade later, we got Coco Lee.
John, boy did things change after you left college. You got Jeff Yang for ITASA at Harvard. Less than a decade later, we got Coco Lee.
I think I am the oldest one here.. Gen-X. I remember Jeff Yang speaking at Harvard for an ITASA after I graduated from college - maybe in 1994 or 1995. He was a "representative" for alternative Taiwanese-American careers - i.e not doctor, scientist, engineer or lawyer.
I think I am the oldest one here.. Gen-X. I remember Jeff Yang speaking at Harvard for an ITASA after I graduated from college - maybe in 1994 or 1995. He was a "representative" for alternative Taiwanese-American careers - i.e not doctor, scientist, engineer or lawyer.
Wait a minute! You ALL are Gen-Y! I'm at the cusp of Gen-X and Gen-Y myself. :P
No wonder I feel so old whenever I hang out with you guys! Jesus...
Wait a minute! You ALL are Gen-Y! I'm at the cusp of Gen-X and Gen-Y myself. :P
No wonder I feel so old whenever I hang out with you guys! Jesus...
Hey, Jun is our official Gen-Y guy! Let's ask him and have him represent A WHOLE GENERATION.
:D
Hey, Jun is our official Gen-Y guy! Let's ask him and have him represent A WHOLE GENERATION.
:D
My dentures fell out, and I can't see where they went. Can someone help this Gen X fogey find them?
While you're helping me find my teeth, all I have to say is that I'm excited that the millennials (or whatever the media like to call them) and forging their own identity within the mainstream. The outsider mentality gets so played.
My dentures fell out, and I can't see where they went. Can someone help this Gen X fogey find them?
While you're helping me find my teeth, all I have to say is that I'm excited that the millennials (or whatever the media like to call them) and forging their own identity within the mainstream. The outsider mentality gets so played.
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[...] saw this post from the fine people of 8Asians today. In the post, Efren links this article by Jeff Yang (founder [...]
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