Asians as 'passports' to Asian culture

[kimpossible]

Do your non-Asian friends treat you like their own personal passport to Asian culture? I had to 'break-up' with a friend because the only time he would call me is to do Asian related stuff. I feel badly over losing a friend who was overall pretty decent but I couldn't take it anymore.

No, you can't come over to watch Crouching Tiger!
Go to dim sum by yourself! You don't need me!
No, I won't be your guide at Obon!
I don't want to hear about your Japanese ex-gf for the 300th time!
Taking me to an Asian garden does not enrich the experience!

I thought about this as I was editing my movie queue at netflix and I remembered a hilarious review of Crouching Tiger I saw.


"First, a disclaimer. I have studied Taoism and Buddhism for many years. I am thrilled to see my dreams of China on the screen, such beauty, such unique characters, such understated tragedy of Hamletesque screenwriting and characters. Those who do not have a special connection to China will still love this movie (if they aren't Joe sixpack who won't read subtitles.) The on-screen picture book format made the subs very readable and were very close to the words spoken by the actors. This is an extraordinary movie, a reminder of the secrets of Asia and the beauty of martial arts when danced, not punched, with one's opponent: the dance that is the art of Tao combined with the warrior duty of the Emporor's dynasty. Women viewers will be stunned by the beauty and strength of these fluid participants in their destiny. I will be buying this and watching it to learn more of the language, the landscape I see in my dreams, the words I hear when reading the sacred scripts. The sheer beauty of the choreography is stunning in the mist that is China. Yo Yo Ma outdoes himself in the soundtrack and I will add it to my extensive collection of his work. Even those who don't appreciate the soul of a great Cellist must have this opportunity to dip their fingers in the water of beauty. I suggest renting "The Last Emporer" when adding this to your queue and reserving a full evening to find your way to the Oriental mysteries--older than any other great civilization--fresh and inspiring to us. "

[deez nuts]

Awwww HH maybe he just had a crush on you. :D

Nah I don't mind. Because when I go to Justins or to get soul food with my friends. I am at the mercy of my black friends.

When I go to the Bronx, Spanish Harlem or South Beach, Fla, I am at the mercy of my latin friends.

But, I can see how in your case it can get annoying.

[SunWuKong]

whoever wrote that sounds like a real sinophile. :)
people like that amuse me. some of them have alot of academic knowledge of all things china, but no real life experiences with it. the most important thing that they don't understand is the way that so many aspects of chinese culture - confucianism, taoism, buddhism, whatnot, has been secularized to such an extent that talking about them outside of the context of chinese life and culture itself actually seems very weird.

and i thought this was very funny...

the dance that is the art of Tao combined with the warrior duty of the Emporor's dynasty



<!--EDIT|SunWuKung|Sep 2 2002, 01:47 PM-->

[kasia]

i can't say that i have had many friends like that. most of my non-asian friends weren't really into anything asian at all.

however, i do understand where you're coming from and why that sort of behavior can be annoying. i remember when i first moved to koreatown (i'm chinese), i was so enjoying my culture shock. it was very hard for me to refrain from telling my new korean friends about certain experiences--like, "hey! i went to [korean club's name] last night!" or "i'm so addicted to kim chee." i know of a chinese girl who had an ex-bf who was korean. every time she met somebody korean she would inform them of that. ...not very tactful.

now that i've been here for two years, i think i've seen more of ktown than some of them may have. however, i've only been able to see ktown my eyes as a chinese person, and i dont' feel like this at all makes me any more korean than they are, etc. etc.

thus, with white people like the author of the commentary or random white people who i see at dim sum restaurants that make retarded comments like, "honey, you have to try this dish with bamboo shoots and mushroooms so delicately wrapped in tofu skin" (who says stuff like that?), i kinda think that they're just really immersed in our culture--which is a good thing--so long as they don't think that they're asian themselves.



<!--EDIT|kasia|Sep 2 2002, 06:50 PM-->

[kimpossible]

Oh wow. That reminded me of something else. Once Mr. HH was interviewing some candidates and since the company is one of the largest trans-nationals, one of the questions was: tell me about your international experience. It wasn't vital that someone had experience abroad - just preferred.

The guy answers back: "I've never worked internationally, but I admire my mother for moving to China to live amongst the peasants."

I though Mr. HH was pulling my leg at first.

[kimpossible]

I see what you (plural) mean about an exchange versus being used.

[angel nympho]

mosta my non-asian friends dont really need me to do anything "asian"

altho they ask me to come eat with them sometimes just to get the hang of what to order. ...and cuz they know i'd be bitter if they went without me.

what else is so asian that you need asians to go with you?



<!--EDIT|angel nympho|Sep 2 2002, 07:36 PM-->

[achtungbaby]

Originally posted by Hello_Hapa@Sep 2 2002, 10:32 AM
"First, a disclaimer. I have studied Taoism and Buddhism for many years. I am thrilled to see my dreams of China on the screen, such beauty, such unique characters, such understated tragedy of Hamletesque screenwriting and characters. Those who do not have a special connection to China will still love this movie (if they aren't Joe sixpack who won't read subtitles.) The on-screen picture book format made the subs very readable and were very close to the words spoken by the actors. This is an extraordinary movie, a reminder of the secrets of Asia and the beauty of martial arts when danced, not punched, with one's opponent: the dance that is the art of Tao combined with the warrior duty of the Emporor's dynasty. Women viewers will be stunned by the beauty and strength of these fluid participants in their destiny. I will be buying this and watching it to learn more of the language, the landscape I see in my dreams, the words I hear when reading the sacred scripts. The sheer beauty of the choreography is stunning in the mist that is China. Yo Yo Ma outdoes himself in the soundtrack and I will add it to my extensive collection of his work. Even those who don't appreciate the soul of a great Cellist must have this opportunity to dip their fingers in the water of beauty. I suggest renting "The Last Emporer" when adding this to your queue and reserving a full evening to find your way to the Oriental mysteries--older than any other great civilization--fresh and inspiring to us. "
This sounds like every Asiaphile's introduction to an Asian-forum. "Believe me, I understand you, I am familiar with your ways!" Why are white people so curious to get the Asian inside track? It's not just fast food sushi, they want to know more about these lurid stories they've heard, of unstoppable prostitutes in underground clubs and massage parlors and kung-fu battles to the death that the news won't cover...it cracks me up.

[DaBestSpooner]

nah my friends never use me as a passport to asian culture

but they use me as a passport for the following:

computer stuff
rare vinyl
rare and vintage sneakers
toys
electronics
clothes

[kimpossible]

Originally posted by achtungbaby@Sep 2 2002, 09:27 PM

This sounds like every Asiaphile's introduction to an Asian-forum. "Believe me, I understand you, I am familiar with your ways!" Why are white people so curious to get the Asian inside track? It's not just fast food sushi, they want to know more about these lurid stories they've heard, of unstoppable prostitutes in underground clubs and massage parlors and kung-fu battles to the death that the news won't cover...it cracks me up.
I just like this line

"reserving a full evening to find your way to the Oriental mysteries--older than any other great civilization"

it sounds like me cleaning the fridge the night before garbage day.

*scratches head*

"Honey... is this ma po tofu?"
"No." *poke poke* "I think it was once rice."

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by Hello_Hapa@Sep 3 2002, 12:06 PM
Originally posted by achtungbaby@Sep 2 2002, 09:27 PM

This sounds like every Asiaphile's introduction to an Asian-forum. &nbsp;"Believe me, I understand you, I am familiar with your ways!" &nbsp;Why are white people so curious to get the Asian inside track? &nbsp;It's not just fast food sushi, they want to know more about these lurid stories they've heard, of unstoppable prostitutes in underground clubs and massage parlors and kung-fu battles to the death that the news won't cover...it cracks me up.
I just like this line

"reserving a full evening to find your way to the Oriental mysteries--older than any other great civilization"

it sounds like me cleaning the fridge the night before garbage day.

*scratches head*

"Honey... is this ma po tofu?"
"No." *poke poke* "I think it was once rice."
hahhahhah
but actually i wonder if the writer was just trying to make the article an interesting read to white readers. i mean he could have thought himself that it was alot of bullshit for all we know.

[kimpossible]

Well, I was trying to instigate a little with this topic. Hence my brattiness. But I would like to start a more intellectual topic related to this one: Orientalism and the Legacy of Colonialism. I'd argue that it has a direct link to the absence of Asians in media overall, the a/sexualization of Asian males and females, and how Asian culture is represented in American pop culture.

For now I'm going to continue on lighter topics until my guests leave. Not enough time to forge a coherent argument.

[achtungbaby]

Originally posted by Hello_Hapa@Sep 3 2002, 02:55 PM
For now I'm going to continue on lighter topics until my guests leave. Not enough time to forge a coherent argument.
Bah, kick 'em to the curb! How dare they infringe on your yw time!