Summary
The author is referred to as a white. This is because of the lifestyle he had adopted (Liu, 34). The author listens to national public radio, is married to a white, and takes his vacation in luxurious hotels. The reference of being white is because of the background as a successor of Asians who have lived in America. He is said to be a white because of his lifestyles. He prefers the American life to the Asian background. He perceives himself to be better off than the rest of his counterparts. Time has however changed. This is seen by the revolution of the Americans. There is the issue of class, color, and culture. The author was once proud of his identity as a Chinese. Currently, he is not sure of his identity. This is because of people’s perception towards him and his confused feelings. According to him, assimilation did not start with his generation, rather it began before he was born (Liu, 37). His Chinese parents desired the American lifestyle. He is largely analyzed from his looks, mannerisms, and love. This affected his adolescent life, as he could not openly enjoy his life without any forms of criticism.
There was a time when whitening implied assimilation. The Hispanics are racially segregated that they are willing to trade their true identity with the joy, lifestyle, and American comfort. They seem not to have a major challenge with the issue of assimilation (Flores, 144). This comes at the expense of hard work and silent evolution. Privately they are happy and proud of their identity, background. However, publicly they feel confused and wish to hide from the reality and the public perception of their race.
To the writer, racial segregation was real and imaginable, especially to the African Americans (Caponi, 3). They are comfortable with their own kin but silently they desire to live the white man’s lifestyle. What is more distasteful to the whites is the skin color, success in areas such as sports and the African American general lifestyle. The writer emphasizes the need to accept, adopt, and incorporate the varying cultures for peace and appreciation of what life creates.
Personal Response
Racial segregation is a difficult cultural element to be changed overnight. This is because of the time it takes people to different cultures. I agree with the author that the whites find it offending when a person fails to appreciate their efforts. Likewise, the other cultures find it tiresome to adhere to the white’s lifestyle. From the adolescent life of the writer, the issue of imagined segregation comes into view. He at times imagines what the rest of the people would be thinking of him yet his white friends are comfortable with him. He feels as though he is a misfit yet these people are comfortable with his presence. The girls in his junior high school view him as this good funny and enjoyable fellow. In his mind, he sees himself as a downcast. This is the issue that keeps troubling many people with varying racial backgrounds. They need to accept themselves, appreciate what life comes with, and live to their dreams.
Another issue is the cultural acceptance among the racially segregated people. These groups have rich cultures. This is seen by the adoption and appreciation of their culture in their residents. The world at large has come to appreciate the variation through music, dances, and sports. I strongly agree with the writer that the desire that burns within the socially unique people is an assurance of a sense of belonging. This is depicted by the black American people who have accepted themselves and their culture. They are not shy of their background; spread their culture through music, dances, and sports. This is appreciated even with the whites and other races.
Works Cited
Caponi, Dagel, Gena. Signifying, Sanctifying & Slam Dunking: A Reader in African American Expressive Culture. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. 1999. Pages 1-47. Print
Flores, Juan. From Bomba to Hip-Hop: Puerto Rican Culture and Latino Identity. NY: Columbia University Press. 2000. 141-163
Liu, Eric. The Accidental Asian: Notes of a Native Speaker. NY: Random House. 1998. Page 33-56. Print