Propaganda is the means of communication used to influence the community. Propaganda affects everyone as a whole, and can influence people on just about everything. The effects on people’s daily lives that result from propaganda can be really serious, I think it’s becoming so powerful that we have little control on freedom, and freedom of thought. It has the power to influence what we like or dislike. People often compare what they see on TV to reality. If the standard created by the media isn’t like reality, then it must be wrong. A lot of people think this way, and i really hope that people snap out of this type of mentality.
Growing up as a Chinese-Filipino in California, I experienced some stereotypes but not enough to really have a huge impact on my life...I think. Honestly, if someone were to ask me, “How has racism affected you?”. At first, I would say that racism hasn’t affected me at all. I cannot say that I have been a victim of a “hate speech”.I think part of the reason of the decline of “hate speech” in American is because Americans as a whole has improved. People who take the effort into putting people down according to the differences of other people are frowned upon by society. I never experienced a time where I have been really scared of my life because of threatening verbal abuse. I’m thankful of this. Maybe part of the gradual acceptance of diversity is part of the function of propaganda. In reality, there is however still some sorts of racism, but people would agree when I say that the world is a better place a few decades ago and maybe, the media is to get the credit for the gradual acceptance of diversity.
The gradual evolution of society has improved the state of living in America. I think people overall, feel more safe. I’m not saying that racism doesn’t exist, I just think it’s not so dominant than it was back then..from my experience anyway- I have experienced stereotypes like I noted earlier, but didn’t really take it personally. Maybe it suggests that my experiences are lacking and I have yet to see reality and I am living in a shell of innocence that has yet to been popped by the evil prejudicial attacks. But from my experiences, I have been a part of few minor incidents where most of the time, the stereotypes come in a rather light-hearted fashion and it doesn’t become too personal. For example, my friends always say, “Dude, you’re Asian! These math problems should be no problem for you!” If you haven’t heard of that stereotype...the stereotype suggests that Asians are superior in math and its innate to them. Or maybe you’ve heard, “What kind of Chinese are you?” This stereotype, i have to admit, is rather dumb and it can rub me the wrong way but it usually does not send me to a state of anger and impulsively attack the ignorance of another person, but instead I laugh and correct them. I don’t know where people get the notion from where Asians automatically means your Chinese by default. Maybe the rise of martial artists in America, Bruce Lee, Jet Li, Jackie Chan were all Chinese so therefore all Asians are Chinese.
No not every Asian person has to be Chinese, and not every Asian person can do back-flips. Like I said, these stereotypes do not offend me at all and I think racism won’t die as long as there is people that are not willing to accept variance and diversity. Maybe the media is partly to blame to the rise of stereotypes but it’s not as bad as it was back then.
Zar, I too have not been a victim of hate speech. I have been yelled at multiple times throughout my life, but not because of my race, ethnicity, ect. However, I too have been stereotyped. I used to live in Alaska, and whenever someone would hear that statement they automatically assume something ignorant. The most popular has to be “Did you live in an igloo?”. No, I have not lived in an igloo, have you? When I was younger I even convinced friends that there is a popular Alaskan language that dominates English, but there is not, it is English. There is a language other than English among the natives of Alaska, although the majority of Alaska’s citizens speak English. Alaska is a civilized society, and it has established housing, heating, and grocery stores. Anything we have here in California, we have in Alaska, considering the basics of course. Much like how you hate the stereotype dealing with your ethnicity, I hate the stereotype of the region I come from. However, we must forgive these people and their statements because they simply do not know any better. They have not lived in Alaska. Thus they do not know what it is like. In your case most people just hear “Chinese” all the time, and not “Asian” and that is why they confuse the two. We must correct them, and they shall not falter again.
ReplyDeleteIt is so true about Asian prejudices that you mention. I have always had a difficult time trying to explain myself to friends of other races. I always feel harassed or shy that I have to even explain myself. At work, because Filipinos always look either Asian or Latino, people would often guess or prejudge my actions. If I’m nice to Latino customers then I must be Latina; if I correct a Latino/ Latina customer, then I must be Asian. I hate all these prejudice judgment from customers but there is really nothing I can do being that I am at work. People would also think or assume that preteens to teens are the worst when it comes to these unfair assumptions but it is worse with adults. In middle school, I remember rebelling from all the stereotypes of an Asian. I felt that being Asian and acting Hispanic or Black (and maybe White) was better than being simply Asian. Despite the good reputation that Asians might have (smart, skinny, physically active), I always felt some hatred hidden in them. Growing up and experiencing these stereotypical reactions always made me cautious of liking things that are too “Asian”, for that I am ashamed. Sometimes I feel that my personal effort for impartiality doesn’t even really matter, because there are still people that are too judgmental.
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