Culture Before Stereotypes
If you have ever heard the saying “all Asians are good at math” or “Mexicans are lazy and drug dealers”, those are ethnical stereotypes. Even today, past stereotypes utilized to demonize or demean enemy countries during war are used today as facts for individuals of that specific ethnicity. However, it is important to note that ethical stereotypes are assumptions, not facts. Most stereotyping comes from either recurrences or rumors that have been conjured by observers or onlookers. Before we solidify these sort of stereotypes as certified facts, we have to first develop an understanding of the cultural identities of these national communities, because it often those aspects that help explain the reasoning for these opinionated patterns.
When people see me at first glance, they have a tendency to assume that I am a natural mathematician because I appear as an Asian. Although yes, I am someone of Asian descent, that does not justify any indication that I have the prodigious ability to solve mathematical problems. In fact, I am terrible with calculations and rarely do I ever receive a perfect score on any test, even the simplest ones. To share some personal insight, Asian families often endorse and push their children to pursue studies in math because of the common belief that it guarantees success. For people who come from traditional Asian families, it is not uncommon to see such protocols. For example, in my family, my parents have pushed me constantly to pursue math above my other subjects, emphasizing that it will become something that I need for life. To them, math can be used in any place, any situation - at the grocery store, the bank, even daily routines such as driving. See, it is because of what happens within Asian families that the common stereotype that “all Asians are exceedingly good at math” is used consistently by spectators of society. Again, I want to reestablish the validity of understanding ethnical culture before going ahead and stereotyping others. It is crucial to consider that not all families of that specific ethnicity embrace the “established” traditional values that their community so often embrace. Many stereotypes are formulated based on repeated occurrences, not because it is a fact that has been established.
Next time you encounter a stereotype, consider its validity before taking it for granted.
