Thursday, May 16, 2013
Joy Luck Club Post Part 2
While reading this part of The Joy Luck Club, it helped me to gain insight as to how the Chinese culture views Americans. They seem to have a more negative view that we are lazy and careless. Much of this was learned through Waverly Jong. "Chinese people do many things... Chinese people do business, do medicine, do painting. Not lazy like American people," (92). I think it is a bit hurtful to feel Americans placed into such a negative generalization. While some Americans are definitely lazy, many are just the opposite. Countless discoveries in the world would not even be a thought had it not been for Americans. However, I can see how the American culture would seem lazy to others. We have so many opportunities and luxuries right at out fingertips that many citizens of other countries can only merely dream of. Another generalization of Americans made in the book comes from Lena St. Clair; "Why do you Americans have only these morbid thoughts in your mind?" (105). Again, I think it is unfair to say this about all Americans as if none of us ever have anything positive or pleasant to say. However, it was interesting to learn how other countries view Americans. I had never heard that point-of-view before and it was something new to me.
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I also thought it was very interesting to see the different perspectives other countries have about America. However, I did not feel upset with their use of negativity to characterize Americans for two reasons: One, I believe it is (partially) true, as you stated, that some (I fear, most) Americans are lazy and would rather take the easy way out than work hard (although Bill Gates once said that he'd rather give a difficult job to a lazy man because he'd find the simplest, effortless way to get it done). Two, I feel like America stereotypifies other countries as well, and it would be unjust to say that we are held in such a negative way. This may not be a good example, but I think it works, nonetheless: My friend from Canada told me that Canadians make fun of Americans all the time, and she wasn't a bit surprised to learn that Americans make fun of Canadians all the time. In my opinion, this banter between the occupants of two nations is sort of like the "conflict" between two siblings, a global version of a love-hate relationship that only shows both sides how much they really love each other. I'd rather have all the citizens of a country make fun of us than try to be right and proper to our face, because it means they're doing something sinister behind our backs.
ReplyDeleteI, too, noticed this aspect about the generalizations of Americans. Yes, it was hurtful, but I can't imagine being put in another races' or even religions' shoes - where they are constantly ridiculed everyday. For example, African Americans are still generalized as being hoodlums or "ghetto" and up to no good. Many Asians are classified as only Chinese. I feel as though each and every race has a stereotype that we cannot get rid of. It is sad to think that Americans could've taken such a negative toll on the Japanese race.
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