Rumor: Zuckerberg engaged to his Asian girlfriend. Sadly, we stereotype!

5 responses to "Rumor: Zuckerberg engaged to his Asian girlfriend. Sadly, we stereotype!"

1. 
     JustRon says:

   Posted: 29 Jun 11

   Darn. Will I ever get over it that I'm short, white and can't jump?lol I feel fortunate that I'm able to laugh at myself the most and loudest. Those who can't are usually unhappy and uptight.

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2. 
     hotrod2009 says:

   Posted: 28 Jun 11

   I feel that those that stereotype are actually jealous. Those of us that believe in interracial relationships are not about to let society tell us whom we can and cannot date or love for that matter. Those that stereotype probably would love to date interracially, but are to afraid of what society will think of them. Not to mention possibly even their family.

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3. 
     Kalynada says:

   Posted: 25 Jun 11

   Well, I just feel like it's a shame that in 2011 we even have these kinds of conversations. To me, their relationship is about the triumph of monogamy and feelings over materialism and superficiality... The race aspect is so boring.

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4. 
     melliot says:

   Posted: 24 Jun 11

   Stereotyping is defined as is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. For example the statement that African Americans can naturally, whereas European Americans cannot is an example of a popular belief which has no rational basis in actual fact. Although a positive stereotype there is no basis to show that a majority of African Americans can dance. Likewise there is no evidence that a majority of European Americans cannot dance. Another example would be the notion that African American women produce lots of babies. This was a popular stereotype going around in the 1980’s during the Welfare reform era and still continues today. The reality is that the African American population in America has gradually been falling each U.S. census while other non- African American ethnic population groups have drastically been rising each census. Hence, in actual reality African American women were having fewer children not more as reflected in the U.S. bureau results. Cultural norms are behavior patterns, values, morals, beliefs, ect… that are shared by the overwhelming majority of specific social groups or individuals. For example, a statement such as African American youth prefer R&B and Hip Hop music is an accurate cultural norm. As an overwhelming majority of African American youth does prefer to listen to these particular genres of music. This is not to say that African American Youth’s do not listen to other genres of music, it is simply stating the overwhelming majority of African American Youth at this time still prefers to listen to R&B and Hip Hop. It must also be recognized that as time and cultural interaction occurs so do the cultural norms of groups or individuals. What is a cultural norm today may be a completely different cultural norm tomorrow. My only point is that if today a cultural norm of music for African Americans youth was to be determined, the overwhelming majority of African American youth listen to R&B and Hip Hop. Not ALL! The overwhelming majority. Stereotyping occurs when the popular belief arises about specific social group or types of individuals that is not shared by the overwhelming majority of a specific group or individuals. For example the statement that African Americans benefit the most in America from Affirmative action is a stereotype as the overwhelming majority of recipients of Affirmative Action in the United States are European American women. The second largest amount of Affirmative Action Recipients in the United States are various non-African American minority groups such as Asians, Hispanics, Middle Easterners, Native Americans Ect…. This is due large in part to the qualifications regarding the educational or professional qualification needed to qualify for Affirmative Action placement which an overwhelming majority of African Americans often lack. Thus because only a small percentage of the African American population of America meets the professional and educations requirements to directly benefit from Affirmative Action, stating the African Americans as a group benefit the most in America from Affirmative Action is a stereotype. Statements within the post assert that the overwhelming majority of physically attractive Asian American women tend to focus on dating the overwhelming majority of physically unattractive or least physically desirable European American men in the United States in order to breed out their Asian identity through their offspring. First, I look to the cultural norms argument. All cultures throughout the history time have at some point sought out mates not necessarily based on looks but a perception or reality of financial stability and security. History teaches up that African males were required to offer a dowry of livestock and other various crops, beads, gold and other precious gems to marry a mans daughter. Other cultures throughout the world historically have carried out similar courtship and marriage rituals. Again, these dowry rituals and marriages were not reliant on the physical appearance of the man, but more focused on what the man had to offer regarding financial stability and security for a family’s daughter. This is not to say that physical appearance did not come into play ever. Oftentimes men who were deformed, impaired, or challenged were discriminated against as potential marriage partners despite their wealth or ability to provide adequate security for a woman. Whereas Western cultures may have moved away from solely focusing on financial and security arrangements as the sole criteria of selecting a potential marriage partner and now also include physical attractiveness in their dating requirements; other cultures still place very little importance on physical attractiveness in a potential mate. Different cultures of women have a focus on different things they seek in a potential mate. Whereas, in the West, a physically unattractive or nerdy European American or any male may be seen by woman as being non-desirable in Asian culture such men may be viewed as HARD WORKING, SELF MOTIVATED, MORE RELIABLE, RESPECTFUL MEN, WITH A MUCH LOWER PROPENSITY TO CHEAT OR BREAK-UP WITH THEM. In essence Asian American women may view such men as a safer a much safer bet than men who are physically attractive and highly desirable by other women. To Asian American women playing it safe in the looks department may lead to a higher probability of finding a potential marriage partner. Another view is that assimilation is a common cultural norm of all American immigrants. You arrive in America and you seek to assimilate. Assimilation varies depending on the cultural norms of what is considered to be adequate assimilation. Every culture draws a line on how far they will strive to break free of their ancestral cultures and identity. For some cultures the lengths at which they will strive to not stand out in a crowd will differ from others. Having been wrongly singled out historically in America during WWII and again during Vietnam as being outsiders responsible for the Wars and deaths of Americans, it would seem logical that many Asian Americans would feel discriminated against. During WWII many innocent Japanese and non-Japanese Asian Americans were wrongly imprisoned in camps to wait out the war. During and after the war they faced great persecution by way of name calling and random race attacks. Also during Vietnam Asian Americans were often the target of verbal and physical attacks by Americans frustrated with the war. Before the Americans it was the French and Before the French it was the British, and Before the British it was another European Country that occupied and imposed racial and ethnocentrisms within their society’s. Today that history of treatment resonates in a inferiority complex amongst many Asian American women. For example many Asian American women oftentimes request in grade school to have their name changed by the teacher on the roll to a European American name as a way of assimilating and not standing out. A shame in not having your birth name be heard by others for fear that your cultural heritage may be exposed as Asian is a red flag sign of an inferiority complex. Plastic surgery to correct what many Asian American women see as a flaw in their culturally beautifully natural eyes is sign of an inferiority complex. A complete resistance to being minimally knowledgeable about basic facts regarding the history of prominent people of the particular Asian American culture a Asian American women descends from, but an extensive knowledge about any and everything European with no regard for her own personal historical roots is a sign that the Asian American woman is suffering from an inferiority complex. Lastly, a very negative attitude about the men of her particular race as being inferior to another or any particular race is again may show that the Asian American woman is suffering from an inferiority complex. It must also be considered that in history to the invader goes the spoils of war. The spoils of war are not just the physical treasures and of course lots of local women for soldiers. The spoils of war also includes the psychological advantages gained over defeating an opponent who thought themselves to be invincible. Europeans invaded and colonized Asia throughout history and thus have been able to gain a psychological advantage over such peoples deeming themselves to be inferior to anything which can subdue them and restrict their ability of freedom in their own lands. Whereas other Asian American countries as well as all colonized countries have cast off the inferiority complexes created colonization and now perceive themselves as being equals to everyone and inferior to none, Asian Americans are unique situation. Residing in America and unlike the African American experience, Asian Americans did not necessarily nationally organize to fight for civil rights and equal treatment regarding self respect and personal dignity as did African Americans, Native American, Latino Americans, Irish Americans, Italian Americans, Middle Eastern Americans, and other various ethnic or religious groups throughout the history of America. This lack of a coming out party is due large in part to the overall low population of Asian Americans in America which is about 3-4% of the American population. Hence for many Asian American women facing a reality that the immigration borders of America have shut and unlike other various ethnic groups in America history their will be no great migration of Asian Americans into America, perhaps the best solution they have determined is that to have a child of Asian American features is to have a child that looks like the future of America. Perhaps in a few years Asian American women will only seek to form relationships with Hispanic Americans as they will soon inherit the future racial majority identity of America. Certainly self preservation and obtaining the upper hand for your children cannot be termed that bad of a decision for a mother. I would see anyone woman who decides to be united with a man she is not physically attracted to for life as a definite sacrifice for what she hopes is a better life for her children. Perhaps there is something noble about it. Although the article does point to a legitimate observation regarding the tendency of Asian American women to date what might be considered by American standards to be physically unattractive nerdy European American men, the reasoning behind such decision making may not be solely determined simply on the basis of their choice to do so. There are a variety of factors as to why such a decision is made and for what purpose it is made for. Therefore, I cannot say that the overwhelming majority of Asian American women date physically unattractive European American men is a stereotype, but what I will say is that there are a variety of reasons why they do so. Some of the reasons are good and some are perhaps not so good.

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   • 
     Mychal67 says:

     Posted: 02 Jul 11

     melliott thank you for the well stated point of view, you make some wonderful observations. As for me, I view stereotyping as a easy response for those who do not want to accet or examine another culture, and simply classify them without properly attempting to gain some insight into it. Thanks again!!!

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