October 19

Prompt for English 1A Takaki’s “Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority”

As a sociologist, Ronald Takaki, broke ground by dispelling myths by analyzing more closely, the statistics often presented as valid evidence.  Explain Takaki’s overall argument and describe the method he uses to persuade his audience.

 

Due by 5:45 today.  I will make comments on your work this weekend and we’ll schedule grade conferences next Thursday.

 

Don’t forget to check back here, Tuesday!  Your Kozol responses look great, by the way.  I am very impressed with your work!

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Posted October 19, 2017 by tashak38 in category Uncategorized

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18 thoughts on “Prompt for English 1A Takaki’s “Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority”

  1. yuliaojhon

    Jhon Yu Liao
    Professor Keeble
    ENGL 1A
    24 October 2017
    The general argument made by Ronald Takaki in his essay called “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority” is Asian superiority does not exist and can prejudice the Asian people because of the media reports about the success of Asian Americans, viewed as a “model minority”.
    More specifically, Takaki describes some facts about different Asian groups like the Japanese Americans in which the author said “While Japanese American men in California earned an average income comparable to Caucasian men in 1980, they did son only by acquiring more education and working more hours.” (Par. 4) Then, he talked about the Vietnamese Americans situation where some of them attend to colleges, others are on the streets and the rest join gangs. Next, the author gives some statistics about the Chinatowns in New York and California where in the first mentioned city, twenty-five percent of the people lived below the poverty level, and in the second mentioned place 60 percent of the workers are into low-paying jobs in garment factories and restaurant. Also, the author argues that they cannot get the jobs they want because of the language barrier, they are illiterate people because they do not know English. Another statistic the author gives is Hmong and Mien refugees from Laos in which the 80 percent of them are unemployed. Finally, Takaki talks about the Korean immigrants in which they have some college education but, they would get a lower job like most of them are shopkeepers. Takaki uses this comparisons to justify that the Asian Superiority is a Myth.

    Reply
  2. Tomas

    The writer, Ronald Takaki, wants to attest that the senses of Asian Americans as a “model minority” aren’t completely accurate. Takaki writes that the statistics and facts used to
    compare Asian Americans to other, more successful minority classes are somewhat deceiving.
    By way of instance, the author writes that though Japanese Americans have been viewed as
    upwardly mobile, they still haven’t achieved equality. The article says that “while Japanese
    American men in California made an average income similar to Caucasian guys in 1980, they did
    so only by obtaining more education and working longer." Furthermore, the writer discovered
    that although some Asian American groups do have higher household incomes compared to
    Caucasians, in precisely the exact same time that the Asian American households are bigger, and
    have significantly more members of working age compared to Caucasian families.
    The writer objective is to show the reader that though Asian Americans have been
    portrayed as "effective" when compared to other minority groups, they still have ground to make
    up before they start to correctly strategy the positions of the Anglo majority. The author uses his
    own private experiences as the grandson of agricultural laborers to relay to the reader that he,
    also, can relate to the plight of Asian Americans in this nation. The article was written to show
    and give reasons why Asian Americans have been observed with other minority groups as a
    "model minority." The writer tries to demonstrate that this isn't true as well as Asian Americans
    can relate to the plights of other minority groups from America.

    The writer does tackle counter-arguments in his newspaper. He reluctantly has researched
    the subject quite widely and has got the facts and statistics to back up his things. By way of
    instance, the writer states that though there are lots of successful Asian Americans from the
    company world, many have hit the “glass ceiling” and won’t increase to the higher positions of
    their enterprise. This presents issues for the community also demonstrates that phoning Asian
    Americans that the “model minority” isn’t completely true.
    The article is well-written and incredibly persuasive. The writer writes it from experience
    and by his personal observations, equally because of the grandson of agricultural employees and
    as a scholar. The article is beneficial in knowing that while the people regard Asian Americans
    as powerful, Asians Americans are still in most ways exactly as with other minority groups:
    undereducated, poverty-stricken and jobless.
    The writer may have desired to lengthen the article by incorporating more details and
    statistics, in addition to more interviews with Asian Americans that are impoverished and
    working to enhance themselves. This is the 1 weakness of the report. Strengths include the
    author’s capacity to relate to all those Asian Americans he talked with, his firsthand
    understanding of this Asian American culture along with also his willingness to improve
    relations with other minority groups.
    I feel the author has done a fantastic job of showing both sides of the story. He explains,
    by way of instance, while there are Asian Americans who have grocery shops, many find
    themselves working at menial labor, such as grocery store clerks, seamstresses, and janitors.
    Nevertheless, the public perceives that many Asian Americans are powerful small business
    individuals who possess their own company in America and have grown over a lack of education
    and poverty. Truth is, most Asian Americans can relate to the plights of other minority groups in

    the USA. I feel the text has correctly responded to alternative points of view. The paper is
    powerful, well-written and incredibly persuasive. I will now better understand that Asian
    Americans, though depicted as “effective” have lots of the very same issues as other minority
    groups. If people recognize these optimistic connections between Asian Americans and other
    minority groups will probably enhance.

    I tried to submit it couple of times, I can’t submit it. It says “The post already has been submited”.

    Reply
  3. Diana Perez

    Ronald Takaki overall argument was about how Asian Americans were being represented as “Model Minority” because they get acceptances into universities really easily and becuase they get well paying job along side Caucasians. However, what people don’t see is that behind all of that there is a lot of hard work in some cases double the education and double the hours.

    Takaki argues this by individualizing Asian American struggles not as a whole but separately. He mentions statistics and stories of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Koreans as individuals not just Asians as a whole. He also does this in comparison to African Americans to lean more towards the riot from 1993. Although, he means if Asian Americans can do it so can any other minority but society needs to not only recognize their success but also all the work they put into it.

    Reply
  4. Jose Guzman

    Englsih 1A
    Takaki’s main argument is that the celebration of the “model minority” of Asian American that spreads around social media and emphasized by politics represents Asian Americans falsely. Takaki wants the community to understand that Asian Americans go through the same experiences as the rest of minorities. Takaki brings up many good points about statistics of Asian Americans only studying those who are successful, own a business, attend universities and excluding the ones who are failures, live on the streets, join gangs. This gives an understanding that the portraying of Asian Americans is one sided. Takaki then brings up how in comparison of a wealthy Asian family to a wealthy Caucasian family is that the Asian family have more family members working, work longer hours and needed to earn a higher education to earn an equivalent income as the Caucasian family. So, there’s a major difference between the two families. Takaki then talks about how refugees or Asians who migrate to the U.S. come from having an education, respectable job, business to a place where they need to learn a new language, work low paying jobs or not able to provide their education and experiences to a new company. Overall Takaki dislikes the idea of Asian Americans being the “model minority” since they’re much alike the rest of the minorities.

    Reply
  5. Jacquelyn Garcia

    Ronald Takaki’s overall argument is that the term “model minority” that has been placed on Asian Americans is a false stereotype. The media has continued to inaccurately portray Asian Americans as the most successful minority and are celebrated for this even though they are not better than any other ethnicity. If anything, this phrase is just another act of inequality and has brought resentment from other ethnicities such as African-Americans toward Asian Americans.
    Takaki gives comparisons, contrasts, examples and statistics to support his argument and to reveal the reality of what Asian Americans go through to find jobs and bring in good incomes. For example, Takaki mentions how some 60 percent of the workers in the Chinatowns of Los Angeles and San Francisco are crowded into low-paying jobs in garment factories and restaurants.
    Using all the information from the statistics, Takaki persuades the reader to look beyond the false stereotype of the “model minority” and prove that all minorities are equal.

    Reply
  6. Betel Etafe

    Betel Etafe
    English 1A
    Professor Keeble

    In Ronald Takaki’s argument “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority” he writes about the perception of Asian Americans. Takaki presents many reasons to show why Asian Americans are not as successful as they seem. For example, some people they in their country have some skills, but when they come to America, they have no education and no license. Therefore, they need to give up what they have and do that kind of job do not require education or license. Takaki compares three different Asian countries: China, Japan and Korea. Using percent to show different kind of the Asian American’s success.

    Reply
  7. Aaron Gesmundo

    English 1A
    In “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority”, Ronald Takaki uses the phrase “model minority” to describe the stereotype brought by the media upon Asian Americans. His argument is that Asian Americans are presented as the ”model minority” and treated as equal as Caucasian men even though they are not. In his argument, Takaki uses statistics that would make Asian Americans seem like the “model minority”, and then he explains the circumstances that are not included in the statistics provided. For example, he states that Japanese men in California had average incomes comparable to Caucasian men, but they have higher education and work more hours. In this example, the statistics make it seem like Japanese men are equal to Caucasians, but as explained by Takaki, they are not equal because the level of work they do is not equal. He also represents specific Asian groups with their statistics and circumstances to address their inequalities.

    Reply
  8. Krystal Cooper

    English 1A

    Ronald Takaki’s overall argument in his essay, “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority” is, Asian Americans are no different than anyone else. “Most Asian Americans live in California, Hawaii, and New York – States with higher incomes and higher cost of living than the national average.” as stated by Takaki. This shows that they are not superior, but that they moved into the most popular states, which also have higher incomes. By calling Asian Americans “model minorities” other minorities are having resentment toward them, “If Asian Americans can make it, many politicians and pundits ask, why can’t the African Americans?” writes takaki. With his quotes around “model minority,” Takaki, persuades his audience that model minorites are not real. He persuades people by presenting statistics and quotes. One statistic being, “in 1988 8 percent of Asian Americans were “officials” and “managers” compared to the 12% for all groups.” Thus pushing his point that there is no difference.

    Reply
  9. Hunter Phelps

    Ronald Takaki responds to the stereotype of asian Americans being the “model minority” in his essay. Takaki picks apart the statistics that are true until they are looked at closely. For example he talks about how Asian Americas have a higher family income to Caucasian families. The statistic is true, however, when you also know that Asian American families have more people working to make more money, it seems like a deceptive statistic to even mention. Takaki’s argument is stated at the very end of his essay. “Most Asian Americans know their “success” as largely a myth. They also see how the celebration of Asian Americans as a “model minority” perpetuates their inequality and exacerbates relations between them and African Americans.” He clearly states his argument and what he is trying to highlight about the harmfulness of a “model minority” for Asian Americans. He backs up this argument in his essay by listing several examples and comparing and contrasting the “truth” we are told about Asian Americans and the whole truth.

    Reply
  10. Angelika Ramos

    The overall argument of “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority” written by Ronald Takaki, is that the way society views Asian Americans as “model minority” is just an illusion and creates conflict with other minorities. As Takaki states in his last paragraph, “Most Asian Americans know their ‘success’ is largely a myth. They also see how the celebration of Asian Americans as a ‘model minority’ perpetuates their inequality and exacerbates relations between them and African Americans.”
    The method Ronald Takaki uses to persuade his audience is by bringing into light that the way Asian Americans are perceived are inaccurate. He does this by giving us statistics of the reality of Asian Americans. For instance, in paragraph 13 Takaki “For all their hard work and long hours, most Korean shopkeepers do not actually earn: $17,000 to $35,00 a year, usually representing the income from thelabor of an entire family

    Reply
  11. nevzad

    Ronald Takaki’s argument explains that using the term “model minority” could cause resentment towards Asian Americans. Despite how the Asian American community is viewed, it is basically another stereotype. By explaining the income inequalities between a Caucasian family and an Asian American family, and also mentioned that too earn as much they would need more workers within the family or have more education. Showing the “behind scenes” of an Asian American family he is able to persuade the readers.

    Reply
  12. Nicholas Pynchon

    Ronald Takaki’s overall argument in his essay, “The Harmful Myth of Asian Superiority,” is that media portrays Asians as being naturally gifted and successful in American society, a “model minority,” even though this is far from reality. For example, Takaki explains that popular news mediums often broadcast deceptive statistics which serve to paint Asian Americans as being more capable than other minorities and sometimes even majority groups. To dispel these unrealistically positive statistics, Takaki presents his own statistics, many of which concern specific ethnicities from East Asia. In doing this, Takaki is showing his audience that Asian Americans are much more diverse than just being “Asian,” and that each subgroup is faced with different challenges in America. From the statistics Takaki presents, his audience is able to glimpse how much Asian Americans struggle to live and prosper in America. Takaki hopes that by doing this, his readers will not perpetuate the harmful stereotype that Asian Americans are the “model minority.”

    Reply
  13. Bryant Tong

    Explain Takaki’s overall argument and describe the method he uses to persuade his audience.

    Takaki’s overall argument, in his article, argues against the idea of branding Asian Americans as the “model minority”, after the Korean-African American riot during 1992. His intentions within the article was to emphasize that Asian Americans struggle as well to make a living and have put as much effort as all the other ethnicity to survive. Takaki understands that many Asian Americans have been able to live peacefully in America, but his stories focus more towards the Asian Americans who are stuck working low paying jobs because of limitations created by the U.S. government. After explaining the his point of view on the explanation, Takaki continues emphasize that Asian Americans have struggled to make it to where they are. In addition, Takaki’s point of view towards the “model minority” can be inferred as the harmful because every other minority has struggled the same to get where they are. By uncovering, the struggles Asians have faced, and relating it towards the riot in LA, he persuades others to continue fighting for equality.

    One can infer that Takaki uses a method of explaining neglected characteristics of the Asian American community. Using stories, aiming towards audiences of all different types of incomes, he provides more information about how Asian Americans were able to make it. The model minority has flaws in both sides, which Takaki’s method address because the model minority describes Asian Americans as superior to others, but lower than the majority. This is foreshadowed though Takaki’s diction of the “glass-ceiling”. With his methods of providing neglected characteristics of the Asian American society, Takaki strengthens his point of view towards the idea of the “model minority”

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  14. Shane Singh

    Shane Singh
    English 1A

    Ronald Takaki wanted to prove how the Asian Americans are not “model minorities” like the public believed. He accomplished this by not using the term “Asian Americans” and describing the various events like how some Asian Americans had college-level education but only became shopkeepers when they came to America. He also mentioned the African American’s resentment towards Asian Americans due to the expectation of “model minorities”. By exposing the inequality of “model minorities”, Takaki enlightened the readers the struggles and difficulties most minorites faced.

    Reply
  15. Ti HighStreet Faotusia

    Ti Faotusia
    English 1A
    Professor Keeble
    10/19/2017

    Takaki’s overall argument is that Asians are negatively affected by stereotypes, although they may be portrayed in a positive sense. He explains how Asian-Americans are deemed the ‘model minority’ yet reasoned that they do not differ from other minority groups as much as they seem. Takaki provided multiple stereotypes and revealed their reality by using many statistics and key facts. Following, the author reasoned that the habits of praising Asian-Americans and giving them ‘good/positive’ stereotypes actually set them up in a rivalry against other minorities, specifically the most negatively stereotyped: African-Americans.

    Takaki built his argument by debunking every idea that makes Asian-Americans ‘model minorities’. Also, with each subject matter he was able to express his reason with different Asian groups. His differentiation between Chinese, Tao, Korean, etc. stereotypes allowed the audience to further understand that its impact is applied to all Asian cultures.

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  16. Rosemarie Compton

    In the first paragraph of the article, Takaki poses questions to his audience right after stating that Asian Americans are the “model minority”. This leads readers to think about the questions, allowing Takaki to make his claim.
    Takaki’s overall argument for why the myth of Asian Superiority is harmful to Asian Americans is that the things that they are being congratulated and praised for only reinforces the inequality that make them unable to change their position in society.
    As Takaki gives examples, the once questioning audience realizes the point of his claims and understands that to be a “model minority” not only widens the gap between all minorities and equality. The term “model minority” also allows for fighting between minorities and blaming each other for their hardship, while the real culprit is racism and the economy that is designed to work against them.

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  17. Presley Cheng

    Takaki argues that the phrase or, moreover, the idea of “model minority” with regard to the Asian American community is merely a mirage. Asian Americans are not better than any other ethnical group, and perhaps, they have never been. By providing various statistics in relation to the financial status, as well as the workload of Asian Americans, Takaki reveals that it is just another case of inequality and stereotyping hidden in the darkness. The author further illustrates a series of comparisons and contrasts to strengthen his argument, showing the income equivalence of a standard Caucasian family and an Asian American family who has a relatively larger amount of investment in education and work. Despite this issue, the profession of an Asian American can also have high risks of being downgraded, for instance, an engineer in Korea can potentially be a shopkeeper in America. Lastly, upon uncovering the struggles between minority groups, such as the conflict between African Americans and Asian Americans in the 1980s, Takaki unearths the hardships of every individual group within the “model minority” community as a sign of sympathy and showing the magnitude of this devastating state.

    Reply

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