Mistaken for Another Ethnicity - Would You Get Mad?

[Mr.Lum]

If you think they are an ethnicity they arent? I mean seriously. Asians pretty much do all look similar. at least East Asians. I cant tell the differance. and they will do the same thing like "youre Samoan right?" or "how is it in Hawai'i?" like I would fucking know? and then you ask them "how is it in Seol?" and theyer all "IM FROM JAPAN" or w/e? what is that? I dont yell at you. then they want to be like "youre half, you should be able to tell the differance" well, sorry, the CHinese in my family are just that, Chinese. pretty much all non Camobodian/SE Asians look Chinese to me. like "Koreans dont have slanty eyes" since when? happened today. or "Chinese are tall", uh ok.

do people tell you that because youre half, you should be able to tell the differance?

why do asians be getting mad?????

[Napoleon Chynamite]

If you think they are an ethnicity they arent? I mean seriously. Asians pretty much do all look similar. at least East Asians. I cant tell the differance. and they will do the same thing like "youre Samoan right?" or "how is it in Hawai'i?" like I would fucking know? and then you ask them "how is it in Seol?" and theyer all "IM FROM JAPAN" or w/e? what is that? I dont yell at you. then they want to be like "youre half, you should be able to tell the differance" well, sorry, the CHinese in my family are just that, Chinese. pretty much all non Camobodian/SE Asians look Chinese to me. like "Koreans dont have slanty eyes" since when? happened today. or "Chinese are tall", uh ok.

do people tell you that because youre half, you should be able to tell the differance?

why do asians be getting mad?????

Foolish misplaced pride? haha I dunno. Maybe some of it is justified.

[Mr.Lum]

I mean I dont get mad if people ask if I am Samoan or Hawai'ian (I get agitated because the football/lacrosse coach always calls me "the hawai'ian" when he tries to get me to play ball) but I dont yell or say "stupid kaivalagi" or "stupid Korean". no joke, I asked this kid last name was Lee if he was Korean he said "stupid Hawai'ian! Im Chinese"

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I mean I dont get mad if people ask if I am Samoan or Hawai'ian (I get agitated because the football/lacrosse coach always calls me "the hawai'ian" when he tries to get me to play ball) but I dont yell or say "stupid kaivalagi" or "stupid Korean". no joke, I asked this kid last name was Lee if he was Korean he said "stupid Hawai'ian! Im Chinese"

Like I said, foolish misplaced pride perhaps, or too much attachment to their ethnic identity. Most people shouldn't get pissed or react to such an extent as mentioned above, unless of course, perhaps they are still young.

[BeTheReds]

Well in the past, I'm sure if you walked up to an American of german lineage and asked him if he was Irish, he'd be pissed. Now that there is not much distinction among Whites in this nation, and because this nation has a culture with very few intact ties to Europe and its individual nations, there isn't much to be pissed about.

Asians on the other hand have been in the nation for far less time, on a much smaller scale, and no Asian-American subculture has formed. Thus the differences are still important to us.

Why is this in the hapa forum?

Moving...

[Mr.Lum]

did you see the question?

do people tell you that because youre half, you should be able to tell the differance?

[kitty]

uhm... because they are looking at me as part of some enormous, teeming, buck-toothed, slanty-eyed mass of yellow peril.

[BeTheReds]

Oh, I guess I missed that.

Either way, I think this topic belongs here instead, because I think many full blooded Asians can't tell the difference either.

I'm half, and I claim that everyone with any kind of experience with Asian people should be able to tell, or at least be able to score 12 or higher on the http://www.alllooksame.com test.

[Ron]

I can tell the difference, and I'm half. But that's because I was surrounded by a multitude of Asian people while I was growing up in Hawaii.

[BeTheReds]

uhm... because they are looking at me as part of some enormous, teeming, buck-toothed, slanty-eyed mass of yellow peril.


Uh, no. You're not hitting the question at all.

He's wondering why Asians get pissed when people mistake them for another type of Asian.

Now I can understand what you mean when you are confronted with the people who have the "All yellow people are Chinese" mentality. But, I've made the mistake of thinking a Chinese person who I didn't know was Korean, or that a Japanese person who I didn't know was Chinese.

And especially in cases where the person is like 3rd or 4th generation, why is it such a crime?

Compare the same thing among whites or africans for example. If you were to ask and Italian if he were Spanish, he'd probably calmly tell you that he's italian. I can see the same for a Nigerian who you thought was from Senegal. But many times when you mistake a 3rd generation Korean for a Chinese, they will go ballistic.

[Mr.Lum]

uhm... because they are looking at me as part of some enormous, teeming, buck-toothed, slanty-eyed mass of yellow peril.

because I think you look Chinese and youre not? Im sorry but how is that bad. Germans look like English. Chinese look like Koreans.

I mean can you tell the differance? between a Tongan and a Samoan? or a Dutch and a German or a Jamacian and a Trini? I cant. shit, I cant even tell the differance between different Polynesians and I am Polynesian!

[kitty]

well, I thought the question was why do asians get mad if *anyone* thinks they are a different ethnicity...

and I think the 'all looks the same' bullshit leads to other incorrect perceptions of asians. but hey, maybe that's just me.

[Mr.Lum]

how does it lead to negative things? theyer asian. I mean people think black people are black people they dont get mad.

[kitty]

if you think all asians are the same, you ignore differences among ethnicity. if you are white and think all asians are the same, you write everyone off as the same ethnicity, and never both to respect people as being of different cultures, or at all different than the yellow peril perception.

[PropellerheadCP]

Asians don't all look alike. Hell, I can tell if people are from Northern China or Southern China, just by looking. I can tell the difference between Vietnamese and Korean.

So the idea that all Asians look alike is ignorant. Now, in the case of Chinese, Koreans and Japanese people... okay, I can accept a little bit more, due to the amount of mixed blood, between the 3 ethnicities. That stated, it's not difficult to tell the difference between the 3, either. It's just that once in a while, you'll bump into a Chinese guy/girl who looks Korean or Japanese.

Why do Asians get made? Well, I don't get mad. I know it's confusing for people who aren't around Asians, a lot. However, when someone doesn't ask and ASSUMEs that I'm this or that, it becomes a problem. That's when the "All Asians are Chinese" or "All Asians are Japanese" mentality comes into play. Now that ain't right.

[mr. x]

how does it lead to negative things? theyer asian. I mean people think black people are black people they dont get mad.

how about this

redneck: "(shoots chinese guy) die u fucking chink for bombing pearl harbor!"

[Yeahman]

It's not just Asians. A white person from Russia would be offended if you asked them what the weather in Berlin was like.
There was a skit on SNL yesterday. A white cab driver asked a "blackie" if he was going to Harlem. The black passenger was offended.

[Craig]

During my lifetime, I currently can't remember a single person who has been able to accurately guess my ethnic background.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I can usually tell the difference, but not always. I'd say it's more like 70% of the time I can tell and 30% of the time I can't. However, that's only taking like dress styles and make-up styles or mannerisms into consideration. If they all dressed the same and did their hair the same way, it would be more difficult. I'm sure all white people don't look alike either, it's just that for those who never take the time to actually travel in Europe and pay attention (e.g. most of us), we would never know (or care) the difference between a Scottish or a Brit or a Frenchman or a German or a Polish guy.

[younggiftedandblack]

It's not just Asians. A white person from Russia would be offended if you asked them what the weather in Berlin was like.
There was a skit on SNL yesterday. A white cab driver asked a "blackie" if he was going to Harlem. The black passenger was offended.

Why would someone get offended if you asked them where they're from?

As far as the skit on SNL the passenger was offended because the driver made stereotypical assumpions based on his race, not what race he was.

[Green_Circle]

An Israeli girl got pissed when I noticed her accent.

[younggiftedandblack]

An Israeli girl got pissed when I noticed her accent.

LOL! I like it when bi-racial people get mad if you asked if they're mixed or not.

[rice cracker]

LOL! I like it when bi-racial people get mad if you asked if they're mixed or not.

Maybe because it's one of the first things a person asks us and we're tired of our background being a topic of conversation.

[mr. x]

An Israeli girl got pissed when I noticed her accent.

but u did say it was israeli right? pissed as in "oh stop" or pissed as in "F/O!"

israeli sounds kinda french to me especially when like like sharon talks

[Seamus]

redneck: "(shoots chinese guy) die u fucking chink for bombing pearl harbor!"

Funny, sad and true.

I actually haven't met too many Asians who get mad about mistaken ethnicity. The more common tendency is for the person to be bemused. Also, do you guys find that sometimes people in the "in-group" have a harder time recognizing a brother/sister than people outside that group? Or is it the opposite?

For example, are Chinese folks better than, say, Japanese or Koreans at recognizing other Chinese folks?

Also, I don't find alllooksame.com to be offensive. I don't think it should matter whether different ethnicities look alike. It's important to recognize that there are INDIVIDUAL differences across AA individuals, and that one "Chinaman" isn't just the same as every other one, but I don't think it matters so much if some non-Asian can't tell the difference between a C/J/K/V/etc. based on physical looks. As long as s/he doesn't try to tell me that the cultures are all the same or something like that.

I found it really refreshing the other day because this Caucasian girl who was trying to figure out my ethnicity didn't ask the usual "what is your background" question (folks always use the word "background" because words like "race" and "ethnicity" are so un-PC these days. Which I find kind of funny because when I think of "background" I usually think of things like education or the area of research that I am engaged in), but instead asked me what my last name was. Her boyfriend was Korean, so I suppose she knew her Asian last names, and wanted to find out whether I was Korean. But I have one of those last names that you can't really tell whether it's Korean or Chinese, so she just kind of let it drop.

[SynRG]

As far as the skit on SNL the passenger was offended because the driver made stereotypical assumpions based on his race, not what race he was.

I think YG&B has hit the nail right on the head on this one. Asking what ethnicity an Asian is isn't the problem, it's making assumptions based on what you think that Asian is.

There's a huge difference in connotation between "so, are you chinese?" and "so, do your parents own a restaraunt?"

(note: I'm not ragging on anyone who's parents own a restaraunt, just the stereotype that all Chinese are in the restaraunt or dry-cleaning industry.)

[SynRG]

LOL! I like it when bi-racial people get mad if you asked if they're mixed or not.

Eh? Who get's mad?? Me personally I'm stoked when people ask me if I'm mixed. It's way better than when they ask me if I'm Mexican.

[Seamus]

Eh? Who get's mad?? Me personally I'm stoked when people ask me if I'm mixed. It's way better than when they ask me if I'm Mexican.

I'll bet nobody in Shanghai ever asks you whether you're Mexican, eh? I'll refrain from making the obnoxious PC remark to the effect of "what's wrong with looking like a Mexican?" Oops. I'm sure you only mind because you're NOT mexican.

[younggiftedandblack]

Maybe because it's one of the first things a person asks us and we're tired of our background being a topic of conversation.

My bad there RC.

SynRG,

I've met some people in life who hate discussing their ethnic make-up. Whether they're just tired of talking about it or just plain trying to pass and get offended if you think of them as anything other then who they say they are.

[Mr.Lum]

Asians don't all look alike. Hell, I can tell if people are from Northern China or Southern China, just by looking. I can tell the difference between Vietnamese and Korean

I can tell NOr and SO CHinese too. sometimes Viet, but not Viet from SoChinese. I can only tell Filipinos and Camobodians from other Asians. but even then, I can tell those two apart.

However, when someone doesn't ask and ASSUMEs that I'm this or that, it becomes a problem

I can understand that.

[SynRG]

I'll bet nobody in Shanghai ever asks you whether you're Mexican, eh? I'll refrain from making the obnoxious PC remark to the effect of "what's wrong with looking like a Mexican?" Oops. I'm sure you only mind because you're NOT mexican.

Yeah, it's really not THAT big of a deal. Like I don't flip out on people or anything when they get my ethnicity wrong, it's more just annoying. When I was in College (in the states) one of my good friends actually thought I was Mexican for over a year.

When people get it right, it's more like "refreshing" because I don't have to go through the whole explaining process.

And no, no one in Shanghai has thought I was Mexican. Here I get Arab more. :wink:

[Mr.Lum]

An Israeli girl got pissed when I noticed her accent.

they do. only the white ones tho. I know a few Palestinian/Isreali Jews who dont care about English at all. hahaha. but on track last year, I said to this kid "where is your accent from?" he flipped out. :eek: hes from Isreal.

And no, no one in Shanghai has thought I was Mexican. Here I get Arab more.

I get Arab in the US, but I am part Arab haha. prolly cause my name is Arab too. usually tho, its either Hawai'ian or Samoan tho. but when i tell them "Im half Fiji Tongan" theyer like "oh so youre Hawai'ian" :redface: no, Fiji Tongan!

[SunWuKong]

personally i don't see what the big deal is. some of us here may be able to tell the difference between different ethnicities of Asian people, but there are plenty of non-Asian people that aren't exposed to very many Asian people. all in all, i think it's just an honest mistake.

but believe it or not, i've been mistaken by Asian people to be either Japanese or Korean more than i've been mistaken by white people. but that's probably because "Chinese" is usually white people's first guess.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

personally i don't see what the big deal is. some of us here may be able to tell the difference between different ethnicities of Asian people, but there are plenty of non-Asian people that aren't exposed to very many Asian people. all in all, i think it's just an honest mistake.

but believe it or not, i've been mistaken by Asian people to be either Japanese or Korean more than i've been mistaken by white people. but that's probably because "Chinese" is usually white people's first guess.

Yea like I said, it's not like most of us can tell the difference between a German and a Swede or someone from Denmark or Belgium or the Netherlands (at least I can't).

I get Japanese or Korean from most people (Asian or whites or blacks), even from Chinese FOB's, but maybe it's just because I don't look like the stereotypical conventional Asian guy so they wanna pick something else besides the all-generalizing norm (which would be Chinese).

[Seamus]

But what does a "conventional Asian guy" look like? That statement presupposes that there is a stereotypical look, and that any deviation from it is tantamount to not looking Asian. I don't know whether you are "conventional," but I know you are one skinny mother! :tongue:

I'm 6'4" and 200 pounds. One time this Croatian (from Croatia) girl asked me "are you sure you're Asian? All the other Asian guys I know are like 5'4". I replied: "Are you sure you're Croatian? Last time I checked, most of the eastern European girls I met were actually somewhat hot."

[Napoleon Chynamite]

But what does a "conventional Asian guy" look like? That statement presupposes that there is a stereotypical look, and that any deviation from it is tantamount to not looking Asian. I don't know whether you are "conventional," but I know you are one skinny mother! :tongue:

I'm 6'4" and 200 pounds. One time this Croatian (from Croatia) girl asked me "are you sure you're Asian? All the other Asian guys I know are like 5'4". I replied: "Are you sure you're Croatian? Last time I checked, most of the eastern European girls I met were actually somewhat hot."

Well that's why I said stereotypical conventional Asian look, haha

I dunno, usually facially wise I think small eyes and flatter nose and a more circular face or whatever, but like I said it's obviously a generalization, and when non-Asians carry around this generalization in their head and they see someone who doesn't fit, they may think that maybe he/she is not 'Chinese' since Chinese is also an ethnicity that stereotypically applies to all people who look a certain way.

[Mr.Lum]

^thats mean man.

a conventional Asian? well they look I dunno, mongloid I guess. thats like "what does the conventional German shepardlook like?" well, to me, small eyes, small/petite, yellow/brown skin, straight dark hair etc. thats what an Asian looks like to me. sometimes a white person w/ squinty eyes. but that usually what I think of when I think of an Asian. but usually I think of the face more than anything else. I can tell the differance between individuals but not ethnicities.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

dude that's why I said 'stereotypical'

it wasn't a stab at Asian people, just telling it how it is in terms of how Asian people are generalized ^^

[Mr.Lum]

^oh no man you posted up before I gave my response to Seamus. I was talking about the ugly girl.

[mr. x]

I'm 6'4" and 200 pounds. One time this Croatian (from Croatia) girl asked me "are you sure you're Asian? All the other Asian guys I know are like 5'4". I replied: "Are you sure you're Croatian? Last time I checked, most of the eastern European girls I met were actually somewhat hot."

ouch dude! serious? was she like being cute or was she like "cha, like, are u like for real, i mean like all the asians i met are like 5'4" or like some shit"

[SynRG]

I'm 6'4" and 200 pounds. One time this Croatian (from Croatia) girl asked me "are you sure you're Asian? All the other Asian guys I know are like 5'4". I replied: "Are you sure you're Croatian? Last time I checked, most of the eastern European girls I met were actually somewhat hot."

Yeah see that would piss me off. There's a huge difference between "Are you Chinese" and "Are you sure you're Asian?" It's like, wtf kinda question is that?

I *might* cut her some slack if English wasn't her first language though. But not much.

[Erendani]

Compare the same thing among whites or africans for example. If you were to ask and Italian if he were Spanish, he'd probably calmly tell you that he's italian. I can see the same for a Nigerian who you thought was from Senegal. But many times when you mistake a 3rd generation Korean for a Chinese, they will go ballistic.

Hmmm, this from the guy who admits he gets infuriated (his own words) when people mistakenly note he looks somewhat Jewish. Please elaborate on your reaction.

[Erendani]

By the way I am 2nd generation Korean and it does not bother me in the least when people ask what ethnicity I am, even if they phrase it in a way such as "Are you Chinese?"

It DOES bother me a bit when they automatically assume me to be, say, Chinese (which a lot of white people do) without asking to make sure, but not enough to get me angry. In this case I make a simple clarification and we all go on our merry way.

[AngryABCGirl]

personally i don't see what the big deal is. some of us here may be able to tell the difference between different ethnicities of Asian people, but there are plenty of non-Asian people that aren't exposed to very many Asian people. all in all, i think it's just an honest mistake.

but believe it or not, i've been mistaken by Asian people to be either Japanese or Korean more than i've been mistaken by white people. but that's probably because "Chinese" is usually white people's first guess.

I get irritated when people ask me what the difference is between Japanese, Chinese, Korean, etc. That just shows a level of igorance that is a bit astounding. I use to get irritated that non-Asian people couldn't tell the difference until I went to college and realized I had trouble differentiated between individual white people if they were the same height because I wasn't use to interacting with them.

A lot of Asian people seem to think I'm Korean just recently somehow. Some guy in Koreatown even went up to me and started talking in Korean to me. It makes me more confused than pissy though.

[yangbahn50]

If you think they are an ethnicity they arent? I mean seriously. Asians pretty much do all look similar. at least East Asians. I cant tell the differance. and they will do the same thing like "youre Samoan right?" or "how is it in Hawai'i?" like I would fucking know? and then you ask them "how is it in Seol?" and theyer all "IM FROM JAPAN" or w/e? what is that? I dont yell at you. then they want to be like "youre half, you should be able to tell the differance" well, sorry, the CHinese in my family are just that, Chinese. pretty much all non Camobodian/SE Asians look Chinese to me. like "Koreans dont have slanty eyes" since when? happened today. or "Chinese are tall", uh ok.

do people tell you that because youre half, you should be able to tell the differance?

why do asians be getting mad?????

I'm quite confused here, but I know people of other ethnicities have worse tempers than Asians.

[Seamus]

Who has worse tempers than Asians? The Asian women in my family have the worst tempers, I tell you.

Yangbahn: is your s.n. supposed mean "the way of the Yang," from "die Bahn": "the path" (German) Or am I totally off?

[Mr.Lum]

A lot of Asian people seem to think I'm Korean just recently somehow. Some guy in Koreatown even went up to me and started talking in Korean to me. It makes me more confused than pissy though

well you were in koreatown.

[Mr.Lum]

I'm quite confused here, but I know people of other ethnicities have worse tempers than Asians.

but were talking about Asians. its not about the temper, its about why they become agitated from a question like that.

[rice cracker]

Could the reason Asians get mad when one tries to guess their ethnicity be due to some sort of nationalistic pride? I mean, in my experience Koreans are very proud of their culture, so being mistaken for Chinese or Japanese is bound to injure that pride.

As for getting mad when people ask what you are, for me personally it's annoying because often it's phrased as, "What are you?" which I find rude. When people ask politely, and not as if I'm some object, for example asking me, "Do you have some Asian ancestry?" it's much better.

[PropellerheadCP]

Could the reason Asians get mad when one tries to guess their ethnicity be due to some sort of nationalistic pride? I mean, in my experience Koreans are very proud of their culture, so being mistaken for Chinese or Japanese is bound to injure that pride.

As for getting mad when people ask what you are, for me personally it's annoying because often it's phrased as, "What are you?" which I find rude. When people ask politely, and not as if I'm some object, for example asking me, "Do you have some Asian ancestry?" it's much better.

I've gotten the "What are you?" question. I'm very offended by that. I usually smile and say, "I'm human. What about you?" People usually get the hint.

I think, "what's your ethnicity?" is much nicer. However, some people are a little scared to ask sometimes, when the topic comes up and the question usually ends up being, "Ur... so what's your....".

[BeTheReds]

Hmmm, this from the guy who admits he gets infuriated (his own words) when people mistakenly note he looks somewhat Jewish. Please elaborate on your reaction.


Cuz! I'm not a Jew in any sense of the word.

[kasia]

who gets mad?

and for the ones that do, is it truly because of the fact that the person believed them to be of a different ethnicity? or could it be for other reasons. i, for example, hate it when people like to play the guessing game with me. you know - when they stare at you and say, "oh, you're japanese!" "no." "um...filipino!" "no." some people love to do that. it's annoying.

[AngryABCGirl]

well you were in koreatown.
This happened several times in nor cal too, with multiple kinds of Asians. Even at that, most Asians can tell others apart.

[Mr.Lum]

I dont mind if people ask "what are you" because usually its not ment to be rude, you know? like, its implied they mean ethnicity. what I dont likeis when black people assume I am part black. like "what are you" "Fijian Tongan, Chinese nd Arab" 'what about the black part" THERE ISNT ONE.

[Chester]

I dont mind if people ask "what are you" because usually its not ment to be rude, you know?
I agree, but I think most people get annoyed because, in the U.S., minorities usually get asked the question more often than white people do.

[Seamus]

I agree, but I think most people get annoyed because, in the U.S., minorities usually get asked the question more often than white people do.

Yeah, that's why if a white person asks you "what's your background?" you should hold off on answering and throw it right back at them by saying something like, "what do you mean?" or ask them "what's yours?" and force them to say that they're German and Italian, etc. That way, it's not like a one way street where it's like you owe them an explanation for your weird appearance.

But if it's someone who looks remotely Asian or even some other non-white minority, I usually cut them a lot of slack. Call it a double-standard.

However, I would NOT recommend giving some kind of bitchy PC response like "I'm a member of the human race, okay!???" because that's just being petty and obnoxious. Besides, I think most people who ask such questions mean it in a pretty innocuous way.

I think "background" is the word that all these PC people use these days, because they're afraid to use words like "race"/"ethnicity". I almost prefer "what are you?" because when they ask you "what's your, ummm, background. I mean. . ." they sound all awkward and embarassed.

[BeTheReds]

We're now talking about 2 seperate things.

If people ask you what your background is, they are not assuming that you are an ethnicity that you are not, they are saying that they don't know.

But if someone refers to you as Chinese when you are not, then it's another thing alltogether.

[Seamus]

We're now talking about 2 seperate things.

If people ask you what your background is, they are not assuming that you are an ethnicity that you are not, they are saying that they don't know.

But if someone refers to you as Chinese when you are not, then it's another thing alltogether.

You're absolutely right.

[Kuchana]

because I think you look Chinese and youre not? Im sorry but how is that bad. Germans look like English. Chinese look like Koreans.

I mean can you tell the differance? between a Tongan and a Samoan? or a Dutch and a German or a Jamacian and a Trini? I cant. shit, I cant even tell the differance between different Polynesians and I am Polynesian!

Tongans and Samoans are hard to tell apart. They primarily look the same to me. Although I can tell a little between Fijian and French Polynesian but not between Fijian and Micronesian.

As for Asians, it's the norm for people of all ethnicities to confuse me with either Chinese or Japanese. I get this from Asian people especially; it happened today in fact. The Chinese guy that I work with couldn't tell the difference and he was raised in S.F. for most of his life with mostly Chinese.
I don't get offended when people ask me honestly.

[jeee]

I'm an ethnic chinese who grew up in Thailand. When I moved here to the states I could not tell apart the different asian ethnicities at all. Its not like there were a lot of filipino and korean people living in thailand. i was only around thai and chinese people. I could tell the difference between chinese and thai people only (but not that i saw a lot of thai people anyway). Now I'm getting better at figuring out the different ethnicities, but I wouldn't get offended if someone guessed my ethnicity wrong.

[PropellerheadCP]

However, I would NOT recommend giving some kind of bitchy PC response like "I'm a member of the human race, okay!???" because that's just being petty and obnoxious. Besides, I think most people who ask such questions mean it in a pretty innocuous way.

I think "background" is the word that all these PC people use these days, because they're afraid to use words like "race"/"ethnicity". I almost prefer "what are you?" because when they ask you "what's your, ummm, background. I mean. . ." they sound all awkward and embarassed.

I would have to disagree. From what I've experienced, it's the ignorant people are the ones who ask, "What are you?". They're also the ones who go out of their way to tell me that they've had dim sum or sushi for lunch. As if a knowledge of Asian foods (often altered to cater to Western tastes) will allow this stranger from a far away land, to bond with them. The question is also linked to people who ask, "What racism? There's not racism in this country!"

I would agree that certain people who are a little TOO PC and cautious, can be annoying. Sometimes I wonder what they're worried about. Then again, it's really easy to sue people for racial discrimination, these days. Sometimes I don't blame them.
That stated, at least the cautious people are aware of racism and is more careful about their words. Although certain people are cautious, because they have racist thoughts (I've met a lot of people like that), I generally give people the benefit of the doubt.
As annoying as overly cautious people can sometimes be, it's less annoying than "But you all DO look alike! I swear, I saw a guy just like you, when I had dim sum for lunch."

[krome]

Maybe because it's one of the first things a person asks us and we're tired of our background being a topic of conversation.
But, isn't your name, rice cracker, a clear reference to Asian-white hapaness, lol? Or am I misinterpreting that? No offense... :biggrin:

I don't get mad when people guess what I am (usually wrong 90% of the time) because we all look different anyways so how can anyone know for sure? Now, there are slight "bell curve average" looks for each ethnicity, but they are only bell curves. And they are typically close enough to each other that there is more diversity WITHIN each bell curve than BETWEEN them.

[stunninglyAsian]

I don't get mad when people guess, since I'm easily mistaken for being Chinese, Japanese, Korean by Asians and I've even been pegged as being Hispanic once. I know I don't look typical. To me it seems like people who ask tend to be into Asian culture and are more prone to be respectful to you, whereas the more stupid racist ones just assume you're Chinese or you're from Hiroshima after they kicked our asses.

My favorite question is after I say I'm Korean, they ask hesitantly, "Are you from North or South Korea?" And they have this look of total uneasiness like, "Is he a Commie who will kill me?" Once you say south, it's like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders, they sigh with relief, and all is good again.

[krome]

^ Lol, here's the typical conversation I get:

WP: So, where are you from?
Me: You mean, what am I?
WP: Yeah.
Me: Chinese.
WP: Really? :confused: Both parents?

[rasheedgonzales]

i’ve been mistaken for a bunch of different things. rarely do people think i’m actually filipino... kinda weird. i’ve been mistaken for being:

1. chinese
2. half white/half chinese
3. korean.
4. japanese
5. indonesian
6. malaysian
7. yemeni
8. saudi
9. pakistani
10. uzbek

i’m sure there are others... i just can’t remember right now. heh. as for the question, i think i’ve gotten used to it now, so no. i wouldn’t get mad. it’s not a big thing since for some of the ethnicities i’ve been mistaken for, there’s usually a legit reason (not including flat out ignorance, i.e., all asians look the same) for it.

for example, indonesians and filipinos got malay roots – as do most “pacific islanders”. saudi’s got a lot of filipinos living and working there. yemen’s got a lot of people there with indonesian/malaysian roots. uzbek, i’m told look pretty “oriental” looking. i don’t look like a “typical” filipino, so i’m not surprised by all the different guesses.

[thaite]

What are you?

best response I've ever heard: Why do you want to know and how do you plan to treat me differently once I tell you?

[Napoleon Chynamite]

for example, indonesians and filipinos got malay roots – as do most “pacific islanders”.[/font]

Dr. Lum would probably disagree with you there :smile:

[537]

Everybody tells me sometimes I look Korean, Japanese, and even Filipino.

What am I, a chameleon?

[Napoleon Chynamite]

Everybody tells me sometimes I look Korean, Japanese, and even Filipino.

What am I, a chameleon?

Your colors don't change, it's just that different people have different perceptions of what certain types of Asians are supposed to look like. And of course, if you're East Asian chances are you could easily pass for any of the big 3 (C,J,K) even amidst the actual East Asian groups.

Sorry, I know that question was rhetorical ^^

[Mr.Lum]

Dr. Lum would probably disagree with you there :smile:

acctually no. it is well known origanly the people fo the pacific were run out by modernday Indonesians, Malays, and Filipinos. but, we dont usually get mistaken for asian, at least in my experiance.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

acctually no. it is well known origanly the people fo the pacific were run out by modernday Indonesians, Malays, and Filipinos. but, we dont usually get mistaken for asian, at least in my experiance.

So...basically, are you saying that Malays, Indonesians, and Filipinos actually do share genetic heritage with other Pacific Islanders? Cause from what you said above it just seems as if you feel that they simply replaced or displaced whatever pacific islander populations were on the islands that are modern day Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. If however you consider what Rasheed said to be true, why would it be okay then for Indonesians, Malaysians, and Filipinos to be considered Asian (simply out of geography and not culturally nor genetically) and deny all relation between Asians and Pacific Islanders?

[Craig]

Your colors don't change, it's just that different people have different perceptions of what certain types of Asians are supposed to look like. And of course, if you're East Asian chances are you could easily pass for any of the big 3 (C,J,K) even amidst the actual East Asian groups.

Sorry, I know that question was rhetorical ^^
I've had Chinese people (in China, Hong Kong, USA, etc.) think that I was Chinese. I've had Chinese people think I was Korean or Japanese. I've had Korean people think I was Chinese. I've had Japanese people think I was Chinese. However, I have never known a Korean or a Japanese person to mistake me for either Korean or Japanese.

[Mr.Lum]

So...basically, are you saying that Malays, Indonesians, and Filipinos actually do share genetic heritage with other Pacific Islanders? Cause from what you said above it just seems as if you feel that they simply replaced or displaced whatever pacific islander populations were on the islands that are modern day Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. If however you consider what Rasheed said to be true, why would it be okay then for Indonesians, Malaysians, and Filipinos to be considered Asian (simply out of geography and not culturally nor genetically) and deny all relation between Asians and Pacific Islanders?

no I am not saying they have the same "heritage" they have a similar point of origin. south east asian mainland. but, who are now PIs were there first. our ansestors were kicked out by invading asians. they displaced them. the ones who pushed PIs out of asia, were Asian. the malay filipinos displaced and killed off most of the PIs living there (ie negritos). the area we came from was asia, but our people were not asians.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I've had Chinese people (in China, Hong Kong, USA, etc.) think that I was Chinese. I've had Chinese people think I was Korean or Japanese. I've had Korean people think I was Chinese. I've had Japanese people think I was Chinese. However, I have never known a Korean or a Japanese person to mistake me for either Korean or Japanese.

So wait...what are you again? haha

[rasheedgonzales]

no I am not saying they have the same "heritage" they have a similar point of origin. south east asian mainland. but, who are now PIs were there first. our ansestors were kicked out by invading asians. they displaced them. the ones who pushed PIs out of asia, were Asian. the malay filipinos displaced and killed off most of the PIs living there (ie negritos). the area we came from was asia, but our people were not asians.
i think you’d have a pretty interesting conversation with this one kid on asian ave... heh. he’s all into the whole “austronesian culture” thing talkin about the links between all the islands and what not.

from what i know of the region’s history – which isn’t a whole lot – most of the peoples in that area share the same roots. it’s just that some islands have people with “purer” blood lines than others. i know there’s some spanish/portuguese and chinese bloodlines mixed in there with filipinos, i’m sure the malaysians and indonesians got some indian bloodlines mixed in there somewhere. and of course, there are a number of cultural differences... but, there are also some similarities.

[Mr.Lum]

i think you’d have a pretty interesting conversation with this one kid on asian ave... heh. he’s all into the whole “austronesian culture” thing talkin about the links between all the islands and what not.

from what i know of the region’s history – which isn’t a whole lot – most of the peoples in that area share the same roots. it’s just that some islands have people with “purer” blood lines than others. i know there’s some spanish/portuguese and chinese bloodlines mixed in there with filipinos, i’m sure the malaysians and indonesians got some indian bloodlines mixed in there somewhere. and of course, there are a number of cultural differences... but, there are also some similarities.

yes some. the language is one. that is a great language family truely. it is the larges naturral spread of ANY OTHER LANGUAGE FAMILY. Euros have it artificaly. we have 60% of the worlds circumferance, from Madagascar to Rapa Nui. it is amazing. our ansetors were an amazing people. Malaysia and Indoensia, I know have Arab and african blood as well as asian. from New Ginea east, its a mixture of Melanesian and Polynesian.

[teaz0r]

a lot of people in thailand think i'm from japan.
i don't look japanese at all. maybe it's my hair.
sometimes they think i'm from hong kong. not
a lot of people think i'm thai though. maybe
because i'm always speaking in English.

but no, i don't get offended.

[DragonKnight]

Hrm, I'm not particularly insulted when my ethnic background is mistaken. Sorta understandable. Been thought of as Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese (they even asked me in Japanese, which I answered back in Japanese that I wasn't), and mixed (with caucasian or hispanic). I'm Filipino mixed with Chinese. Go figure. :smile:

The funniest mistake was from my former VP of engineering. When he was saying goodbye to everyone he asked me if I plan on visiting my home country...of Italy. I was like, err, 'why?!' He got this confused look, "Aren't you Italian?" :confused:

Lol, my last name really threw him off. Caviteno. :tongue:

[Kuchana]

Hrm, I'm not particularly insulted when my ethnic background is mistaken. Sorta understandable. Been thought of as Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese (they even asked me in Japanese, which I answered back in Japanese that I wasn't), and mixed (with caucasian or hispanic). I'm Filipino mixed with Chinese. Go figure. :smile:

The funniest mistake was from my former VP of engineering. When he was saying goodbye to everyone he asked me if I plan on visiting my home country...of Italy. I was like, err, 'why?!' He got this confused look, "Aren't you Italian?" :confused:

Lol, my last name really threw him off. Caviteno. :tongue:

Hehe. My professor back in college once thought that I was married just because my last name happened to be Anglo.

[Green_Circle]

but u did say it was israeli right? pissed as in "oh stop" or pissed as in "F/O!"

israeli sounds kinda french to me especially when like like sharon talks

She was perturbed like in annoyed. kind of like how many of us Asians get annoyed when peeps say we speak good English kind of annoyed.

[Craig]

a lot of people in thailand think i'm from japan.
i don't look japanese at all. maybe it's my hair.
sometimes they think i'm from hong kong. not
a lot of people think i'm thai though. maybe
because i'm always speaking in English.

but no, i don't get offended.That's strange, because Thai people often seem to think that I'm Thai. Personally, I don't think I look Thai.

The last time I was mistaken for a Xiang Gang ren was when I was I was in Shenzhen. Incidently, the mistake was probably made because I was speaking too much English.

[tapestrybabe]

i dont get mad per se...
cuz i cant even tell the difference...
altho i kinda get annoyed...
when someone asks if i'm chinese or japanese...
and i say no to each of their guess...
and than they finally ask me what are you than...
and i finally say korean...

like, its rare that i have someone ask me...
if i'm korean first just based on my looks...
its usually mostly chinese or japanese...
like koreans dont exist amongst their guesses...

[ChineseTourist]

almost always Chinese

[robotic]

ethnicity seems to be more superior than nationality.
^_^ i mean, people submit hate entries to urbandictionary.com in the "paki" section about taxi-drivers-with-black-pigments-chewing-curry and wearing turbans. although hardly any pakistani's wear turbans at all.

i think its hard to justify where you really "come from" because of 'cross-pollination' ie. getting bits and pieces from everywhere.

dragon-knight: i've learnt that some filipino's look chinese. and some hispanic. and others a mixture of both. does this have to do with heirtage?

[mtso]

I am also Filipino with some Chinese (Great Grandfather decided to leave Fujian and look for a better life somewhere else :smile: )

White people have mistaken me for almost anything (strangest is Mexican and Indian). But I think it's more interesting when someone mistakes a person for being "one of them."

Vietnamese people mistake me for being Vietnamese all the time (pretty much every where I go). Chinese people have mistaken me for being chinese only a few times. The funny thing is, Filipinos mistake me for Chinese all the time (or they ask if there is some Chinese blood in my family).

And no, I don't get angry about it. In fact, it has spurred an interest in me to trace my roots - but I don't know where to begin!

[seanp]

nope... my eyes are fucking big as hell, they think I'm an alien

[John0101]

Non-Asians always guess that I am Chinese because Chinese make up a large percentage of the Asian population in Boston.

I've been mistaken for being Korean by a Korean once, but I think it was just because I was hanging around some Koreans.

[hooligan]

i don't know why but i've gotten: chinese, filipino, vietnamese, and korean. (from asian people mostly). i don't get it, i know i look pretty chinese, but i guess i don't act it.

[Tao]

i don't know why but i've gotten: chinese, filipino, vietnamese, and korean. (from asian people mostly). i don't get it, i know i look pretty chinese, but i guess i don't act it.
actually you do look a bit korean to me

[moser]

I don't get mad that people mistake my ethnicity, I get annoyed because it's practically the only thing people are intersted in.

I've gotten mistaken for Chinese, Korean and Peruvian (once), although since I moved south, I've gotten Filipino more. Wonder why that is.

[Bhodi_Li]

I get mad because many times it's followed by ignorant comments like...

"I knew this guy from China, his name was Lee"
"I'm Vietnamese scrotum-breath"
"Oh, sorry... I knew this guy from Vietnam, his name was Le"

[nola]

I hate it too when it's the first and only thing they're interested in.

I've gotten Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese and it makes me mad.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I get mad because many times it's followed by ignorant comments like...

"I knew this guy from China, his name was Lee"
"I'm Vietnamese scrotum-breath"
"Oh, sorry... I knew this guy from Vietnam, his name was Le"

Scrotum breath...I'm gonna hafta use that sometime. Hopefully not towards anyone on YW ^^

[Craig]

I get mad because many times it's followed by ignorant comments like...

"I knew this guy from China, his name was Lee"
"I'm Vietnamese scrotum-breath"
"Oh, sorry... I knew this guy from Vietnam, his name was Le"When I was talking to you earlier, the conversation was ...

Scrotum-Breath>"I knew this guy from China, his name is Li"

Bhodi_Li>"I'm Vietnamese scrotum-breath"

Scrotum-Breath>"Oh, sorry... I knew this guy from Vietnam, his name was Ly"

[sinojet]

i can't tell the difference between most europeans anyway. so i don't blame them and certainly won't get mad or anything.

unlike what most ppl said here, i actually find it easy to tell the difference between chinese, koreans and japanese.

among chinese tho, the appearance and physical size vary according to the province they originated.

southern chinese in general are smaller in size and have darker looking skins.

[mrazntre]

how does it lead to negative things? theyer asian. I mean people think black people are black people they dont get mad.

tell that to the Ethiopians and the Eritreans. tell that to all of Rwanda.

along those same lines, tell a Tongan he's a Samoan.

Tell a Korean person he's Japanese.

Tell a Mexican that he's Salvadorean.


People get pissed due to pride, yes, but that's because of past cultural indifferences. I'm sure people would rather be asked of their ethnicity rather than having a complete stranger come up to them and assume your ethnicity. It's an imposition and presumption that sets people off. This also leads to the ill effect of the first step of prejudice because you start assuming, which stems from generalization.

You probably just need more exposure to cultural differences between different communities. Just because you don't get mad doesn't mean that others won't. Ethnicity is a prideful thing because it defines you as a person since you can't do anything to change it, ya know ?

I hate it too when it's the first and only thing they're interested in.

I've gotten Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese and it makes me mad.

would you be less mad if they were more interested in your bosom ?

[jo1to6]

[QUOTE=stunninglyAsian]I don't get mad when people guess, since I'm easily mistaken for being Chinese, Japanese, Korean by Asians and I've even been pegged as being Hispanic once. QUOTE]

Hey I know the feeling... I've been mistaken for Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese myself. For example, 2 Korean girls once came up to me and started talking to me in Korean... had no idea what they were saying... and had to tell them I didn't understand what they were saying, needless to say, that was a wierd moment.

I've been asked by a Vietnamese person at the barber shop if I was vietnamese as well... also been asked out of the blue if I spoke Vietnamese. It's kind of amusing...

An Indian buddy of mine got mistaken for being Mexican once...

Like I said, it's kind of amusing and I tend to take it in stride, especially if there is no ill intent.

[Sledge]

I don't agree with Mr. Lum exactly, but I also think it's silly to get all offended when somebody fails to correctly guess your ethnicity at a first glance. The truth is, a lot of Americans don't have experience with enough Asians to be able to distinguish one ethnicity from another. Hell, my grasp of it is pretty infirm 'n' crappy myself.

Most Non-Asian-Americans have the tact to say "Asian" and leave it at that. Most of the ones who want to know more are open to correction. As I see it, there's no particular reason to cry racism until people start acting like jerks. *Then* we bust out our inherent Asian karate-fu and ching-chong-chop them to a twitching pulp.

[Bhodi_Li]

I was called an eskimo once. I didn't even realize that there was eskimo racism

[Mr.Lum]

tell that to the Ethiopians and the Eritreans. tell that to all of Rwanda.



bl;ack people in context to America.

You probably just need more exposure to cultural differences between different communities. Just because you don't get mad doesn't mean that others won't.

I understand that, Im asking why get all pissy about it. I get the cultural differances, I just do not get why it is a sin to not be able to tell ethnicities of the same race apart. its not easy.

[Kuchana]

bl;ack people in context to America.



I understand that, Im asking why get all pissy about it. I get the cultural differances, I just do not get why it is a sin to not be able to tell ethnicities of the same race apart. its not easy.

I'm with Mr. Lum. I personally don't get offended if someone guesses my ethnicity wrong, which happens 80% of the time and it happens from all sides of the spectrum, not only whites but Asians surprisenly. I even guess wrong on others' ethnicities so why should I be resentful if someone else wonders what race I am?

[nonamerasian]

bl;ack people in context to America.

Not necessarily.

A dougla with heritage in St. Vincent or Trinidad may feel different as may a “Black” person with roots in Puerto Rico or Ecuador.

There are quite a few people with qualms about every dark-skinned person being seen as just Black. Black, the term used interchangeably with African-American, ignoring their cultural identity or even the racial identity they are used to.

[krome]

tell that to the Ethiopians and the Eritreans. tell that to all of Rwanda.
And how many people (black or not) could distinguish between such ethnicities? Or between a Scot and a Brit? On the one hand, many race-denying liberals here like Cipherous (http://www.yellowworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14024&page=4&pp=15&highlight=anthropologist) argue that there's anthropologically "no such thing" as races. Meanwhile, many ethnicities here get offended if others can't accurately guess their's.

So, which is it? If there's no such thing as races and ethnicities, then how do you expect people to distinguish between them. Whereas, isn't expecting people to distinguish between races and ethnicities acknowledging that they do exist? :confused:

[Napoleon Chynamite]

And how many people (black or not) could distinguish between such ethnicities? Or between a Scot and a Brit? On the one hand, many race-denying liberals here like Cipherous (http://www.yellowworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14024&page=4&pp=15&highlight=anthropologist) argue that there's anthropologically "no such thing" as races. Meanwhile, many ethnicities here get offended if others can't accurately guess their's.

So, which is it? If there's no such thing as races and ethnicities, then how do you expect people to distinguish between them. Whereas, isn't expecting people to distinguish between races and ethnicities acknowledging that they do exist? :confused:

Much of this so-called 'anger' that people feel when being mistaken for say...Chinese if you're in fact Korean or Japanese, if it's not just out of foolish pride or ignorant reasoning, it is out of pride for their own culture or their people (the people which fall under a single culture or embrace the same set of ideals during their upbringing). While race (or perhaps even ethnicity or gene pool isolations) may be socially constructed and categorized with many blurry lines, there is no escaping the fact that there are many different and clearly separate cultural systems and societies with different ways of life.

Just because there are Asian people who can't tell Asians apart doesn't mean that all Asian people shouldn't care if someone mistakes them for something else, although perhaps that is not what you were insinuating. I have white friends who swear they can tell a Russian guy from a German guy, and then there are those friends who can't, and don't care.

[krome]

^ Races and ethnicities are just genetic bell curves, which means that while there might be an "average standard" for each, it is wholly impossible to absolutely determine any ethnicity for certain based upon phenotype - due to the wide variance. I've been on this planet for 3 decades and have observed a hella lot of people. I can thus verify that it is honestly impossible, experientally, as well.

I can't do it, other Asians can't do it and non-Asian anthropologists certainly can't even do it. So, what does that tell you? It can't be done. There's just too much inherent variance.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

^ Races and ethnicities are just genetic bell curves, which means that while there might be an "average standard" for each, it is wholly impossible to absolutely determine any ethnicity for certain based upon phenotype - due to the wide variance. I've been on this planet for 3 decades and have observed a hella lot of people. I can thus verify that it is honestly impossible, experientally, as well.

I can't do it, other Asians can't do it and non-Asian anthropologists certainly can't even do it. So, what does that tell you? It can't be done. There's just too much inherent variance.

You know, if you actually carefully read what I posted, you would see that I actually agreed with you that races and ethnicities are just genetic bell curves. What I was talking about was cultural differences, in that different cultures often have clearly defined barriers when compared with one another due to the solidification of cultural centers over historical periods of time. People often take pride in the uniqueness of their culture, especially if their culture has had a great history of sacrifice or struggle, and there is nothing inherently wrong with that as long as people don't resort to viewing other cultures as inferior (which also happens often unfortunately). Therefore it's not exactly wrong, weird, nor confusing as to why some Asian (or non-Asian) people may either get offended or upset if they are just assumed to be part of some ethnicity or culture.

P.S. Maybe you can't tell Asians apart and maybe you know a lot of Asians who can't either, but it's undeniable that a lot of Asians CAN (albeit not 100% of the time), including myself. Existence of variance has little to do with this debate.

[Mr.Lum]

Not necessarily.

A dougla with heritage in St. Vincent or Trinidad may feel different as may a “Black” person with roots in Puerto Rico or Ecuador.

There are quite a few people with qualms about every dark-skinned person being seen as just Black. Black, the term used interchangeably with African-American, ignoring their cultural identity or even the racial identity they are used to.

black when I use it is for "african americans" which is also an American ethnicity. there is a differance between a person who is "black" in America and an African person and a black person in America and a Puerto Rican or Brazilian.

[krome]

P.S. Maybe you can't tell Asians apart and maybe you know a lot of Asians who can't either, but it's undeniable that a lot of Asians CAN (albeit not 100% of the time), including myself. Existence of variance has little to do with this debate.
If you read my post, you'll notice that I stated that while there are "average standard" looks for each ethnicity, there is still too much wide variance under each bell curve to be able to distinguish more than that. In other words, you can "generally" identify some Asians based on stereotype, but too many don't fit "the stereotype" to make that anywhere near foolproof. I'm sure we've all taken the www.alllooksame.com test and I seriously doubt anyone has ever aced it (and if so, likely by luck).

For every ethnicity to be absolutely identifiable - they would have to be wholly distinct with no crossover/overlap (like a bird and a fish) - which means their bell curves would have to be far apart and completely separated. Well, that's about as racist and scientifically-inaccurate a belief as I've ever heard. Intra-ethnic variance has EVERYTHING to do with this debate.

[>:^|]

I dunno ... I sometimes think it's insulting when somebody gets insulted to be mistaken for another ethnicity--as if that other ethnicity is somehow markedly inferior and obviously wrong. On the other hand, I hate the guess-your-ethnicity game that so many people play when they haven't got any knowledge of any of the different cultures at all.

Finally, I get spoken to in just about every major Asian language. So I'm pretty sure that people can't definitively tell what the heck I am.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

If you read my post, you'll notice that I stated that while there are "average standard" looks for each ethnicity, there is still too much wide variance under each bell curve to be able to distinguish more than that. In other words, you can "generally" identify some Asians based on stereotype, but too many don't fit "the stereotype" to make that anywhere near foolproof. I'm sure we've all taken the www.alllooksame.com test and I seriously doubt anyone has ever aced it (and if so, likely by luck).

For every ethnicity to be absolutely identifiable - they would have to be wholly distinct with no crossover/overlap (like a bird and a fish) - which means their bell curves would have to be far apart and completely separated. Well, that's about as racist and scientifically-inaccurate a belief as I've ever heard. Intra-ethnic variance has EVERYTHING to do with this debate.

Ugh. Ok last time. Let me spell it out. I should just like...attach summaries or bold all my key points in all my posts so that you can save mucho time and me mucho headache in having to repeat myself. But I hardly think that what I write requires cliffnotes.

I agree that there is plenty of genetic variance.
I agree that sometimes telling Asians apart can be very difficult, either for some or all people, Asians included.

But you were basically saying that people shouldn't get mad or upset due to being mistaken for another ethnicity just because it can be hard to tell. And I'm saying that getting upset (especially if someone just automatically ASSUMES that you are something you're not instead of asking politely and admitting to not knowing the difference) about this is not unnatural, nor is it hypocritical or wrong, due to cultural pride or familiarity. Additionally, assumptions that someone is Chinese or Korean or Viet based on looks alone insinuates that the person doing the assuming is either indifferent, ignorant, or uncaring about the specifically different Asian cultures. Yes, Asian people may all look alike to them, but to some people who are actually proud of their cultural framework, they don't like it when people trivialize who they are simply based on how they look. Frankly speaking, as a Chinese American growing up in a white neighborhood, I couldn't care less if people mistake me for Korean or Japanese, because I am not that attached to Chinese culture and it doesn't offend me to think that people would assume I'm not a member of such a culture.

Edit: Once again, I'd like to add that I acknowledge the fact that people also can get offended for stupid reasons and foolish pride. For instance, a Chinese person may get offended if someone assumes he's Korean if he has notions that Chinese people are superior, or a Korean girl may get offended if someone thinks she's Chinese cause she has notions that like Chinese girls are ugly or whatever. People overall also can buy into false ideas that their culture is better than other cultures, and thus become insulted. All of these are stupid reasons, but my point is there are also valid or completely understandable ones.

[nola]

QUOTE (mrazntre): would you be less mad if they were more interested in your bosom?


About the same.

[krome]

getting upset (especially if someone just automatically ASSUMES that you are something you're not instead of asking politely and admitting to not knowing the difference)
Ok, I could agree that people might get upset at people wrongly ASSUMING. Nobody should really assume, because there is just too much variance - whereas the assumption is based on people all uniformly conforming to certain stereotypes.

So, what would you estimate your accuracy rate at? What did you score on the www.alllooksame.com test?

[Napoleon Chynamite]

Ok, I could agree that people might get upset at people wrongly ASSUMING. Nobody should really assume, because there is just too much variance - whereas the assumption is based on people all conforming to certain stereotypes.

So, what would you estimate your accuracy rate at? What did you score on the www.alllooksame.com test?

I got 12 out of 17. Obviously not perfect. But I can still tell most of the time. Mostly due to dress or mannerisms more than anything. It's much easier to tell if you see them in person rather than through carefully picked photographs in my opinion.

[mrazntre]

And how many people (black or not) could distinguish between such ethnicities? Or between a Scot and a Brit? On the one hand, many race-denying liberals here like Cipherous (http://www.yellowworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14024&page=4&pp=15&highlight=anthropologist) argue that there's anthropologically "no such thing" as races. Meanwhile, many ethnicities here get offended if others can't accurately guess their's.

So, which is it? If there's no such thing as races and ethnicities, then how do you expect people to distinguish between them. Whereas, isn't expecting people to distinguish between races and ethnicities acknowledging that they do exist? :confused:

All I'm saying is that making the assumption is inherently wrong and incorrect. It's better to ask then just to assume. And.. I bring up the Eritreans and Ethiopians because they've been in bloody war for who knows how long, basically they're trying to genocide each other as we speak. So, if you don't know, don't assume, just ask. Calling an Ethiopian an Eritrean might be dangerous to your health.

btw. Ethnicity and Race are 2 fundamentally different concepts.

edit: well actually ethnicity and race are connected, but you use those terms interchangeably, which I dont' think you should.

[krome]

^^ I think I've averaged around the same score (60%-70%). That probably jives with the bell curve spacing. Of course, a lot of that was also just lucky guessing - which a lot of mine were. A lot weren't, "OH , HE'S CHINESE." But, more like, "Hmm, MAYBE he's..uh...Chinese?"

So, if you factor out all the wild guesses, you might be left with under a 50% acuracy rate. And, we're Asian. That's why I agree people shouldn't assume, there's just too much variance.

MA - I use "ethnicity" as a "sub-race" like Chinese, Korean, Japanese, etc.

[Oblivious]

Hmmm...I guess it depends on the person and how it was said. I know many ppl would take offense to it but it really doesn't affect me at all. I guess I never really let things get too personal for me. And of course it's perfectly fine if I feel that they had no intent on attacking me.

IMHO, when a friend or someone you just met is trying to guess your ethnicity and gets it wrong, I find it an honest mistake. I admit I can't even guess right at times. And what's so wrong with that? Every person has his/her own unique features.

However, I think it's kinda lame if you just blurt out a comment assuming that someone is of a certain race based on a last name, facial features, etc.

It's all in how it is said, what is said, tone of voice, and intent behind what is said. Just my 2¢.

[krome]

^ I agree. Guessing is fine to me, but assuming is "wrong." Of course, when many people "assume," they are really just taking their best guess vs asking you directly. Either way, I don't really have major heartburn with it. People guess me wrong all the time anyways, Asian or not.

[mrazntre]

I dunno ... I sometimes think it's insulting when somebody gets insulted to be mistaken for another ethnicity--as if that other ethnicity is somehow markedly inferior and obviously wrong.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[nonamerasian]

black when I use it is for "african americans" which is also an American ethnicity. there is a differance between a person who is "black" in America and an African person and a black person in America and a Puerto Rican or Brazilian.

I also use African-American to refer to a particular ethnic group, but not everyone does.

There are people who use Black and mean African-American and will use both terms in reference to people who don’t identity as these. Many of those people don’t like that, so not everyone goes unoffended.

A lot of times it’s due to having an ethnic identity other this, but others it’s due to the ethnic/race definitions from what they are used to not matching the ethnic/racial definitions of the mainstream.

[Faithless]

So, what's the difference between non-Asians trying to guess Asian identity verses Asians doing the same?

I think I get just as annoyed when Asians do it, as I do when non-Asians do it.

Like trying to tell the difference between Japanese and Korean, etc.

[PropellerheadCP]

So, what's the difference between non-Asians trying to guess Asian identity verses Asians doing the same?

I think I get just as annoyed when Asians do it, as I do when non-Asians do it.

Like trying to tell the difference between Japanese and Korean, etc.

Well, there's a lot of Chinese and Japanese blood, mixed into Korea. Once in a while, it gets really hard to tell.

[so_fee_ahh]

I used to get pissed because the questionsI got were soo frickin' ludicrous (in my opinion at least). But nowadays, it's just funny and interesting to hear what people "guess". Whereas the whites vs. Asians tryin' to guess...I guess I get a little more annoyed when it's white people doing the asking...ESPECIALLY when you have the white guys (who think they know everything about the Asian culture, "the eggs" basically) doing all the ASSuming. With Asians who try to guess...it's just plain pathetic when they get it wrong.

[asvenus]

if i was going to get mad for being mistaken for another ethnicity i would have some serious ulcers up in my stomach...i dislike being TOLD where im from...usually some fool that thinks they are so informed and clever....and i seriously dislike people saying things like...no youre not, you dont look it etc...they usually get a slap or a kick or maybe both depending in what time of the month it is!!

one time i was talking to this boy who was Vietnamese and he asked me where did i think he was from...i guessed right SHEER luck, i had NO clue...i was going to sayThai because of his skin colour, and he was so ecstatic he hugged me!! i was like okaaay then...glad i made your day mate!!

i think the annoyance stems from (for me anyway) the arrogance of most white folks who think they are so well informed and well versed in the issues of everything, and they kind ofask you in this presumptious know it all way...i hate that...im so used to no one getting it right that i dont care...people have thought i was melanesian before which tickled me to bits...(think Gaugin)

[Martino]

one time i was talking to this boy who was Vietnamese and he asked me where did i think he was from...[snip]...i was going to sayThai because of his skin colour,

But isn't this an example of what makes Mr Lum mad, back at the start of the thread?

http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/cwm/cwm/Up_to_something.gif

[hooligan]

I don't understand why I keep getting Korean. : J

[asvenus]

But isn't this an example of what makes Mr Lum mad, back at the start of the thread?

http://instagiber.net/smiliesdotcom/cwm/cwm/Up_to_something.gif


well i got to be honest...i used to be in the 'i can tell where youre from'...i think there are subtle diffs but i mean there has been so much mixing going on plus ALWAYS exceptions to little rules and stuff....also i have a confession to make i usually think Thai, Vietnamese and Filipino people look quite alike...ok ok im a halfie so maybe i aint got the ral skillz!! :wink: dont shoot me!!

[Tao]

I don't understand why I keep getting Korean. : J
cause you're H.O.T

[mrazntre]

I don't understand why I keep getting Korean. : J


u actually look more Saiyan than anything.

[rocketbunny]

If you think they are an ethnicity they arent? I mean seriously. Asians pretty much do all look similar. at least East Asians. I cant tell the differance. and they will do the same thing like "youre Samoan right?" or "how is it in Hawai'i?" like I would fucking know? and then you ask them "how is it in Seol?" and theyer all "IM FROM JAPAN" or w/e? what is that? I dont yell at you. then they want to be like "youre half, you should be able to tell the differance" well, sorry, the CHinese in my family are just that, Chinese. pretty much all non Camobodian/SE Asians look Chinese to me. like "Koreans dont have slanty eyes" since when? happened today. or "Chinese are tall", uh ok.

do people tell you that because youre half, you should be able to tell the differance?

why do asians be getting mad?????

I'm Filipino, but I am still constantly mistaken for being Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese -- basically everything except Filipino... But as I got older I guess I've just gotten used to it. It is hard to properly distinguish ethnicities sometimes. You may think that many Asians look too much alike, but I could also turn around and say the same thing about White people and Black people. :tongue: It's ok to guess, but never assume.

[Deadpool]

I don't really care at all. But odd times I roll my eyes a little bit because I have to question the other persons motives for asking (Why does it matter what ethnicity I am?).
Everyone whos asked what I am always assume I'm either Korean or Japanese. At this point I have to remind them that I'm African-American.

[moser]

I don't get mad that people mistake my ethnicity, I get annoyed because it's practically the only thing people are intersted in.

I've gotten mistaken for Chinese, Korean and Peruvian (once), although since I moved south, I've gotten Filipino more. Wonder why that is.

Just wanted to add that if people mistake me for another person, then I get pissed (particularly if its someone I don't like. If it's someone like Zhang Zi Yi on the other hand... :biggrin: )

[Green_Jade]

People always think I'm everything but Korean..even Koreans. Apparently my skintone is too 'dark' to be Korean. I'm ok with being mistaken for another nationality..but the whole dark skin tone was bit annoying since there isn't any set skin tone for any race/nationality besides the ovbious difference.. Didn't realize the range actually took into account with the 'look' of a nationality.

It probably doesn't help when I was living in Korea as a young'en, I got teased a LOT for having 'such a dark' skin tone. Bad memories.. twitch.

[sageb1]

I can honestly say I am Canadian but *always point out that my grandparents came from Japan*. That doesn't make me Japanese: it makes me a Canadian-born Japanese.

But I have never really had anyone get PO'd off at me for asking what nationality they are. Not that I'd ask often.

Rationalization: It's not polite to focus on ethnicity too much, because we all like to fit in.

However, if it's a quiet, one-on-one conversation, then I'll go along with it.

[golden_buns]

I have a very peculiar look, northeastern features for sure but people can't tell which part so many assume I'm Chinese, since China has all sorts of ethnicties, then the next most common guess is Japanese or Korean. I've also got Russian a couple of times, and once I got Mongolian

I don't get mad when someone confuses my identity, but I get pretty sad when a fellow Korean can't get it right.

[Napoleon Chynamite]

I don't really care at all. But odd times I roll my eyes a little bit because I have to question the other persons motives for asking (Why does it matter what ethnicity I am?).
Everyone whos asked what I am always assume I'm either Korean or Japanese. At this point I have to remind them that I'm African-American.

You look kinda white in your avatar :biggrin: Do you have some European blood on your great grandather's side?~~

[mndeg]

no one ever gets it right
at least, ONCE a month someone always asks me "where im from"

don't really care though, people always guess korean or filipino because there are TONs of those where I live (suburban illinois)

[Craig]

I have a very peculiar look, northeastern features for sure but people can't tell which part so many assume I'm Chinese, since China has all sorts of ethnicties, then the next most common guess is Japanese or Korean. I've also got Russian a couple of times, and once I got Mongolian

I don't get mad when someone confuses my identity, but I get pretty sad when a fellow Korean can't get it right.You definitely don't look Russian, Mongolian or Japanese. (or at least not to me) Were the people that guessed Russian in the USA ? I think some American people are uncomfortable at the thought of a tall East Asian (because that goes against their media and culture based brainwashing) so they assume partial white ancestry.

[Deadpool]

People always think I'm everything but Korean..even Koreans. Apparently my skintone is too 'dark' to be Korean. I'm ok with being mistaken for another nationality..but the whole dark skin tone was bit annoying since there isn't any set skin tone for any race/nationality besides the ovbious difference.. Didn't realize the range actually took into account with the 'look' of a nationality.

It probably doesn't help when I was living in Korea as a young'en, I got teased a LOT for having 'such a dark' skin tone. Bad memories.. twitch.

Darker the berry the sweeter the juice. :wink:

[sageb1]

You definitely don't look Russian, Mongolian or Japanese. (or at least not to me) Were the people that guessed Russian in the USA ? I think some American people are uncomfortable at the thought of a tall East Asian (because that goes against their media and culture based brainwashing) so they assume partial white ancestry.
Whenever I am outside, within minutes I'll be walking tall at 5'2. Wherever the destination is, my mindset is on behaving appropriately all along the way.

Yet I inuit that a few non-Asian people are uncomfortable that I walk with self confidence. Though they prefer to see arrogance instead.

Even so, humility is being able to walk tall, and think positively for all.

[golden_buns]

You definitely don't look Russian, Mongolian or Japanese. (or at least not to me) Were the people that guessed Russian in the USA ? I think some American people are uncomfortable at the thought of a tall East Asian (because that goes against their media and culture based brainwashing) so they assume partial white ancestry.

Yeah, I got Russian back in the States. The Japanese one I get a lot over here in Korea. Everytime I go to places that have a lot of foreigners people start talking in Japanese to me. I've also got Chinese a lot by Koreans here and Korean-Americans.

Like I said, people here think that I look exotic. They say I don't look Korean nor Korean-American, I guess us Korean-Latinos have a different type of look, so they assume I'm Chinese, since in China there's all sorts of ethnicities

The mongolian I got from some Indian guy at a 7-11 in Chicago, beats me how he came up with that conclusion

[Filiprish]

No, I'm used to getting mistaken for another ethincity. It's usually Hispanic or "white."

[so_fee_ahh]

Cutest thing happened today. I saw a little Asian boy and my friend (being the inconsiderate white girl that she is) was like, "Hey you should talk to him in your language." And I was like, "I'm not Chinese!" And then I asked the boy, "Are you Chinese?" and he kinda scowled and was about to say something so I cut him off and I said, "Sorry, you must be Korean then" and he goes, "I just look like that 'cause I'm really tired." Ahahaha, kids say the darnest things!

[tvbdude]

so what are you sophia?

[nola]

I'm good at guessing what others are. I'm tan right now so people have been asking if I'm Filipino or Hawaiian. Before that I've gotten Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino.

[Mr.Lum]

so what are you sophia?

Judging by the avatar pic, she's hot.

[truMp]

Ive been considered everything but white.

[krome]

This weekend, my dad led a morning exercise class. Mostly Taiwanese (and 1 mainlander) folks his age showed up. I did too. At first they ignored me, then they gaped when they found out I was my dad's son. Apparently, they thought I was a "lao wei." Did I get asked that a lot? B/c my face is "long" and my goatee is "dense." And usually AMs look bad with beards cuz they're too stringy. (Which is BS cuz I basically look like half the average guys in Hero.) Also, I'm not 5'7" and stubby. :rolleyes: Therefore, I "must" have a Chinese root but foreign blood. To be fair, I've gotten that reaction a lot, even (or most) in China. But I think it still shows the general phenotypical obsession combined with ignorance of even many Chinese. If an AM doesn't look like William Hung - then HE MUST BE PART-WHITE. :rolleyes:

You might think it feels good to be a DEMIgod, until you realize that WMs are GOD (in this Asian universe). :biggrin: :rolleyes: :frown:

[Napoleon Chynamite]

This weekend, my dad led a morning exercise class. Mostly Taiwanese (and 1 mainlander) folks his age showed up. I did too. At first they ignored me, then they gaped when they found out I was my dad's son. Apparently, they thought I was a "lao wei." Did I get asked that a lot? B/c my face is "long" and my goatee is "dense." And usually AMs look bad with beards cuz they're too stringy. (Which is BS cuz I basically look like half the average guys in Hero.) Also, I'm not 5'7" and stubby. :rolleyes: Therefore, I "must" have a Chinese root but foreign blood. To be fair, I've gotten that reaction a lot, even (or most) in China. But I think it still shows the general phenotypical obsession combined with ignorance of even many Chinese. If an AM doesn't look like William Hung - then HE MUST BE PART-WHITE. :rolleyes:

You might think it feels good to be a demigod, until you realize that WMs are GOD (in this Asian universe). :biggrin: :rolleyes:

Dun worry about it. Although I can't grow facial hair to save my life, I get that shit a lot too from people always asking me if I'm full Chinese cause of some of my facial features or just because I don't have monolids or whatever. Personally I think monolids look better, but hey whatevers to each his own.