Did anyone else catch this postcard in the latest batch of PostSecret secrets? This is the second time that I’ve seen an anti-Asian secret being revealed (the first one was about being extremely terrified of Chinese people) and I’m wondering what’s motivating the people behind this community to put them up.
I can’t even imagine the enormous amount of postcards that founder Frank Warren receives every day, but the 10 new secrets that are posted every week are probably chosen with care and good reason.
Am I accusing PostSecret of being anti-Asian? No. Because aren’t we all on the inside? Okay, I’m kidding about that, but I truly want to know the motive behind selecting a postcard like the one above. Are they trying to highlight this ongoing fear of Asians in America? Is this Asian fear a common theme in all their postcards, so they’re just picking the best one to show off?
I only highlight this because I rarely see any postcards that reveal any clear racism against a specific ethnicity without reason. Well, there was this one but at least there was some sort of personal conflict going on to show the irony of the secret.
But this fear of Japanese businessmen? They terrify you? Really? Are we back in the early 1990’s? The last time I checked, the bubble economy in Japan burst years ago. All we do now is make robots. What’s gives?
What next?
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9 Comments to “Someone Terrified of Japanese Businessmen on PostSecret”
Mike Lee wrote:
I’m probably in the minority here, but I didn’t find this postcard racist. Kinda made me chuckle, actually. I took the meaning to be: Japanese business men are so fierce & tough in business that they scare the postcard author.
And I figured the reason for posting the “I am extremely terrified of Chinese people…” postcard was more for the irony of the statement than racism. The follow-up “…But I’m not racist” kinda cracked me up.
Maybe that’s just my demented sense of humor or something.
Posted on 23-Mar-09 at 1:08 pm | Permalink
尼克 wrote:
Some people have irrational fears, like fear of clowns, fear of ginger kids, fear of small spaces, fear of dogs, etc. It does not mean that they are racist, occupationist, appearancist, spacists, or speciesists, just that they have an irrational fear.
Posted on 23-Mar-09 at 2:11 pm | Permalink
Tien Nguyen wrote:
A quick search on Google for postsecret racism found this:
http://darklydreamingdavid.wordpress.com/2007/12/30/racism-on-postsecret/
Posted on 23-Mar-09 at 2:52 pm | Permalink
Moye wrote:
Couldn’t you say that racism is usually be another form of fear? And just because someone’s fear is irrational doesn’t mean that it’s not racist or offensive: you’re still passing judgment/have a negative reaction based on someone’s skin color.
I should have clarified, though, that I’m not really offended by this. I’m only wondering the motive behind the person who wrote it, the readers who empathize and the group for sharing it.
@Tien I saw that post, too. At least it unintentionally showed the real divide between white and black america. This postcard though…I still don’t get.
Posted on 23-Mar-09 at 3:03 pm | Permalink
Daniel (different) wrote:
I have mixed feelings about this, half coming from my own sense of humor and half from my sensitivity towards others. I’ll stand by my own perspective regarding this type of topic. If you like it ok whatever if you don’t then you don’t…no one can force you to like something. If it bothers me or if I care why it bothers other people, then I keep questioning why until it get’s straight to the point(s).
Unless it’s obviously very offensive or obviously disguising itself as being offensive in some way.
Posted on 23-Mar-09 at 4:04 pm | Permalink
Paul wrote:
Th 8 f y lwys cmplnng bt rcsm mk sns lk bd. D y rlly wnt th dvsvnss tht blcks hrbr nd prptt wth whts, Krns, nd Hspncs? Thr s rsn why s mny f thm rmn pr, thy ftn sqbbl nd cmpln vr trvl mttrs (bm Mnky crtn). s tht rlly th bst wy f btnng rspct nd nclsn nt mnstrm mrcn cltr? thnk nt. n th whl, blcks r nt rspctd r dsrd n ths scty–ths s mjr rsn why. Nt ll f yr stff d ths, bt tht cry-bby Jff s th mn prptrtr mng y. bm, s mtr mn–h gts ths! Ppl lv hm fr t.
m Jpnphl, nd fnd tht pst scrt t b hlrs. Jpns bsnssmn r hrdcr nd ct thrt, thy mk th bst crs, rbtcs, vd gms, nm, lctrncs (smwht dbtbl), nd thy brgn hrd fr th cnsmr’s dllr. lgh smtms t th frc bttl btwn Sny’s PS3 nd Nntnd’s w n Jpn. ctlly lv Jpns cltr s mch, tht m wrtng stry bt th Ykz. bn dng rsrch fr svrl mnths n Jpns cltr nd th Ykz t prpr–nd th mr lrn, th mr lv t. Btfl cntry s wll.
My,
n shrt blv y r bng t rctnry nd snstv. s ths rlly sch hlthy ∓ prdctv mndst t dpt? f w r lwys tlkng bt nd bng cnscs f rc, r prcs mntl fclts r bng wstd n slssnss. Why nt fcs n wrtng bk, th btfl snst, xcllng n yr crr, gttng n shp, lvng nd lvng lf? Why hrp n th ngtv, prsnlly chs t gnr ll srts f rl (∓ mgnd rcsm). Why hrp n t? Hw s vntng bt t gng t chng thngs? thnk y hv bn cryng n th crnr wth Jff lttl t mch.
Jff,
Jst bcs y dn’t sml–t dsn’t mk y ‘bd ss’, hv cm t rlz tht ths wh d nt sml VR hv sm f th lwst slf-stms, r vry slf-cnscs, nd nscr. Jff, grw sm blls, mv n nd gt rl jb– nd lv hppy lf flld wth lv. n n hnd fl lttl srry fr y, nd th pprnt lck f lv y hv rcvd n yr lf ths fr frm yr fmly nd prs. hp thngs wrk t fr y, nd y r bl t vrcm yr rcsm.
Pl
Posted on 03-Apr-09 at 9:29 pm | Permalink
Ernie wrote:
For the record, I didn’t devowel Paul because he was abusive persay, but because it focused on Jeff at who had nothing to do with the thread. And it it was flame over Jeff not smiling in his profile photo. Rly? Srsly?
Posted on 04-Apr-09 at 3:25 pm | Permalink
Daniel W. wrote:
I read Paul’s comments before it was devoweled. He had a few valid points but I agree that there was a lot that had nothing to do with this thread but instead started the whole “brutal honesty campaign of comparing why different groups(races/ethnicities) are accepted in the mainstream or not”,attacking the website and a member who wasn’t involved in this topic.
One valid point he mentioned was how sometimes the reactions towards these topics can often be a case of being too sensitive. To a certain extent it can be, but I think most people know how to distinguish topics that deserve some “sensitive reaction”, some to be taken lightly and some that aren’t worth bothering.
8 Asians is pretty unique because you all touch on so many topics from a variety of perspectives. It may sound strange, but relatively speaking, it sort of shows the diversity of Asians/Asian North Americans (East/Southeast Asians in this case) and you all just say things as they are. Sometimes, I wish it in more depth but on the other hand, this isn’t one of those academic forums per se, and this does reflect the views of a general population. In a small way.
Posted on 05-Apr-09 at 10:39 am | Permalink
8Asians.com » Postcards from the Asian American Edge wrote:
[...] perspective. Hey, I seriously doubt an Asian person would secretly be terrified of Chinese people. Or Japanese businessmen. Or Asian people in [...]
Posted on 08-Jun-09 at 3:08 pm | Permalink
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