How a Disney Movie Made Me Hate Being Chinese...

Summary

The speaker shares a personal journey of self-discovery, beginning with a childhood desire to fit in by rejecting his Chinese heritage after being influenced by Western media. He recounts his disappointment with the reality of high school compared to the idealized portrayals in movies like High School Musical. This leads to a period of self-hatred and attempts to assimilate into white culture during university. However, through learning Mandarin and embracing his cultural roots, he eventually finds pride in his Asian identity, realizing the value of his unique background and the 'coolness' of being multilingual and multicultural.

Takeaways

• 😔 The speaker once felt inferior for being Chinese and tried to reject their heritage to assimilate into a white culture.
• 🍜 As a child, they were self-conscious about bringing traditional Chinese food to school, desiring the 'cool' American lunch options seen on TV.
• 🎬 High School Musical and other movies greatly influenced the speaker's perception of high school life, leading to disappointment when their real high school experience didn't match the glamorous portrayals.
• 🏫 The speaker's high school was predominantly Asian, which was a stark contrast to the diverse and 'cool' high school experiences depicted in movies.
• 📚 The academic focus of the speaker's high school, including the pursuit of the 'Asian six-pack' of advanced courses, was far from the party-centric high school life idealized in films.
• 🗣️ The speaker's identity crisis led to a period of disassociation from their Chinese culture, including avoiding the Cantonese language and trying to hang out with non-Asian peers.
• 🎉 Influenced by movies like Project X, the speaker sought a wild and party-oriented college experience, which further distanced them from their Asian roots.
• 🏛️ Despite initial resistance, the speaker ended up attending an engineering-focused college, which was more Asian and academically rigorous than they had hoped for.
• 🤝 Feeling out of place trying to fit in with white peers, the speaker eventually returned to the Asian community where they felt more comfortable and accepted.
• 🌐 Learning Mandarin and embracing Chinese culture led to a newfound appreciation for their heritage and a realization that being Asian was something to be proud of.

Q & A

What was the speaker's initial feeling towards their Chinese heritage?

Initially, the speaker felt inferior and rejected their Chinese heritage, wanting to become a white guy and disassociate from their culture.

What Disney movie had a significant impact on the speaker's self-perception?

High School Musical had a significant impact on the speaker's self-perception, making them aspire to a lifestyle that was not reflective of their own experiences.

Why did the speaker feel that their high school experience was different from what they saw in movies?

The speaker's high school was almost all Asian and focused on academics rather than parties and social events, which was different from the portrayal in movies like High School Musical.

What was the 'Asian six-pack' mentioned in the script?

The 'Asian six-pack' refers to the collection of advanced courses typically taken by Asian students, such as calculus, vectors, Advanced functions, chemistry, physics, and biology, all in one semester.

How did the speaker's perception of being Asian change over time?

Over time, the speaker's perception of being Asian evolved from self-hatred and rejection to embracing their heritage and culture, realizing the value in being multilingual and enjoying diverse cultural experiences.

What role did the speaker's mother play in their decision to attend university?

The speaker's mother convinced them to attend a prestigious engineering school instead of a party school, which initially the speaker was reluctant to do.

Why did the speaker initially want to avoid hanging out with their old friends in university?

The speaker wanted to avoid their old friends in university because they believed hanging out with white kids would help them become 'cool' and fit into the lifestyle they thought was desirable.

What was the turning point for the speaker in embracing their Chinese identity?

The turning point was when the speaker started learning the Chinese language, which led them to dive into the culture and eventually embrace their Chinese heritage.

What was the speaker's initial attitude towards learning Mandarin?

Initially, the speaker viewed learning Mandarin as a necessary task for future career prospects rather than something they were interested in or passionate about.

How did the speaker's experience in university differ from their high school experience?

In university, the speaker initially tried to distance themselves from their Asian identity but eventually found a sense of belonging and coolness in embracing their Asian heritage, unlike their high school experience where they felt inferior.