White people with "Asian hearts"

[J Honcanese]

Just a thought - how often have you guys come across people that are genuinely "eggs" (you know, white on the outside and yellow on the inside) and not Asiaphiles?

It's interesting because I met one just the other day; one of my brother's close friends is a redhead but he acts completely Asian in that 1) he'll be incredibly humble/polite - in the sense of being "hak hei/ke qi" (客氣) - and 2) he'll fight for the bill after a meal. Also he knows all the "local" hangouts in HK and he's a huge fan of Korean soap operas. Weird huh?

[Banana]

Asiaphile.

[cloudzero]

lol

[eos]

Um....I think the white people who are born in Asia and grow up among Asians would fall into this category. Like that one woman who spoke perfect Canto and had all the mannerisms and quirks of a typical HK person. Now THAT was cool. I forgot who posted it but I know I saw it here.

[kimpossible]

Can I let you all in on a white people secret? Shhh, don't tell now but when white people act that way it's called having manners instead of assuming they are king, or queen, big heap shit. It doesn't mean they're purposefully 'acting Asian'. If anything, a white person with manners won't think they're acting Asian. If they think they're acting Asian, call themselves Asian on the inside, they're not displaying manners they're just an Asiaphile.

Manners are simply more... rare, these days. The white people like that in Asia don't realize they're acting Asian, they're being polite and observing rules and *gasp* not putting themselves first.

Don't let the other white people know I told you this.

[tripostrophe]

^Agree with kp.

Was your friend raised in a majority People of Color space?

[Sunflare]

Manners are simply more... rare, these days. The white people like that in Asia don't realize they're acting Asian, they're being polite and observing rules and *gasp* not putting themselves first.

Don't let the other white people know I told you this.


Not to sound like an extremist or hater, but for real, they don't have the advantage of white privilage in non European foriegn countries as they have here. So they can't pull that racial superiority complex ideology on others to take advantage of (edit: situations ) in such settings to such an extent as they do in so called developed countries. They know that and so they humble themselves. Makes sense to me.

[Craig]

Not to sound like an extremist or hater, but for real, they don't have the advantage of white privilage in non European foriegn countries as they have here. So they can't pull that racial superiority complex ideology on others to take advantage of (edit: situations ) in such settings to such an extent as they do in so called developed countries. They know that and so they humble themselves. Makes sense to me.What non European foreign countries have you been to? Just wondering where you got this observation ...

As far as the topic, yes, I have a former classmate that is phenotypically white (1/2 Russian, 1/2 French ... although he claims to be part Mongolian like 8 generations back on the Russian side). He grew up in Japan (dad was a professor at a Japanese university), and acts very Asian (and seems to actually think he is Asian). I think he lived most of his life in Japan until his 40s, when he went back to school in the USA to get his Phd. Now he's living in Taiwan. He knows Japanese, Chinese, etc. Nice guy, but I don't think he can function in American society (not that he wants to). Actually, since he is a Phd, ... like many of us, there is not a lot that separates him from having a nice well-paying stable job and being a homeless person on the street, ... but that's another story / rant.

[cloudzero]

Um....I think the white people who are born in Asia and grow up among Asians would fall into this category. Like that one woman who spoke perfect Canto and had all the mannerisms and quirks of a typical HK person. Now THAT was cool. I forgot who posted it but I know I saw it here.

do u still got the link? i wanna show ppl

[Sunflare]

What non European foreign countries have you been to? Just wondering where you got this observation ...

.

None. Just going off strictly theory.

I have heard alot of feedback from non Asian persons who travel to foriegn contries in Asia bragging about their special treatment there. I can read behind the lines and see the superiority complexes they have that puts an influence on their opinions about their travels to Asia and in conversing with the people there. That's why I hold the views I have about such individuals that are so called 'eggs'.

But in reality when they try to pull their privilage status on the native citizens there, many times they get pwned. Don't even make it a year before they come back sore and butthurt. They just don't necessarily talk about it so as to avoid embassment over their failures oversees.

In other words, their colonist attitudes. It gives themselves away and gets them in trouble. Which is why I am thinking the way I am thinking on the issue.

[kimpossible]

Not to sound like an extremist or hater, but for real, they don't have the advantage of white privilage in non European foriegn countries as they have here. So they can't pull that racial superiority complex ideology on others to take advantage of (edit: situations ) in such settings to such an extent as they do in so called developed countries. They know that and so they humble themselves. Makes sense to me.

There's all types. There are those that are a pain in the ass but there's also people more integrated that 'normalize' to local standards given time. I've run into the good and the bad. I'm sure I've been the good and the bad myself.

[eos]

do u still got the link? i wanna show ppl

Damn it, don't you think I would post it if I actually had the link?

Ugh. The things I do for you.

Here. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9-PPFA48AY&feature=related)

[popculturepooka]

I have a friend who is like super Irish (red hair, green eyes, freckles and everything), but it kills me because 95% of his friends are asian. The wierd thing is he's not very interested in Asian things. Like, at all. It's a wierd paradox.

[Adaon]

I've got an English friend who was born and raised in HK, and came here for school.

His British accent attracts the ladies, and his fluency of Mandarin/Cantonese totally draws them in even deeper. Add to the fact his following of the HK pop culture and Chinese cultural history.....totally makes him an Asianphile.

He cusses me out frequently in Cantonese for calling him that. Love the guy, but he grew up an Egg. He experienced a racial disconnect growing up in HK, didn't date any of HIS own classmates/friends though their families accepted him as "THAT white kid". He resorted to dating ex-pat friends whose parents didn't care as much about the color of his so much as his character.

Awesome guy. Sharp wit, and more than willing to dress ya down in either dialect of Chinese he knows and English.

1 in a million though. I'm glad he got hitched. =D Means he can pass off the womens he be attractin' to whoevers around (ME ME ME ME ME) :rolleyes:

[Sunflare]

I really wish I can find the youtube vid for this news story if I could but it's so old ....

Years back, I remember watching a short news story, ( on 20/20 I think it was ) about a Afro-American man who lived for several decades in China and picked up on the language and customs. He can speak Cantonese fluently. He worked in a restaurant there and became extremely adept at cooking. Eventually years later he came back to the U.S and settled down south. He eventually opened his own Chinese restaurant there. They was showing clips of him cooking stuff in the kitchen while talking to the other cooks in Cantonese.

Not exactly a egg, maybe more like a cadbury chocolate egg. =P

There's all types. There are those that are a pain in the ass but there's also people more integrated that 'normalize' to local standards given time. I've run into the good and the bad. I'm sure I've been the good and the bad myself.

I was well aquainted with this white dude, he never lived in China, but spoke excellent Mandarin Chinese. He can read written material almost perfectly without the pinyin as a crotch. He seemed to be very respectful of the girls, being extra careful not to make himself come off like an asiaphile or a rice chaser. He was a very good person. He truely went through very tough situations in his life and it made him a better person as a result.

One of the rare instances where I knew a white man who had a true sincere appreciation for Chinese culture. He always looked out for his friends who were all mostly exclusively Chinese guys.

[Adaon]

I was well aquainted with this white dude, he never lived in China, but spoke excellent Mandarin Chinese. He can read written material almost perfectly without the pinyin as a CRUTCH. He seemed to be very respectful of the girls, being extra careful not to make himself come off like an asiaphile or a rice chaser. He was a very good person. He truely went through very tough situations in his life and it made him a better person as a result.

One of the rare instances where I knew a white man who had a true sincere appreciation for Chinese culture. He always looked out for his friends who were all mostly exclusively Chinese guys.

There, fixed. Was kinda awkward for a minute there.

[Sunflare]

Thanks for the edit. LOL. Yeah that's what I meant.

[anachronism]

Well, there are a lot of Asiaphiles, non-Asians who can speak Chinese, Japanese, whatever and know Asian culture.

But there were a couple of guys I met who were really into Asian AMERICAN culture. Now THAT'S RARE.

I knew this white police officer, who actually taught himself how to speak Cantonese. He can speak it fluently. Plus he gives lectures on Chinese American history (railroads, exclusion act, racist laws, etc.) at the academy during diversity training.

At SF State there's a white professor who teaches Asian American Studies. Can you imagine going to that class?

[AngryABCGirl]

I know some White people and some Latinos actually who grew up in HK who are obviously more influence by that culture than any other. It's not to say they don't have weird complexes about looking being White in Asia or weirder complexes about being non-White and non-Asian in Asia, but that influence is certainly there. I'd consider them a lot more influenced than me in most ways.