Mood: meh
Listening to: 'Losing Grip' by Avril Lavigne
Hungry for: foooood...
I'll say it loud and proud here: I don't care what they try to brainwash us with at school, but AUSTRALIA IS RASCIST.
I mean, I grew up here, and I'm Asian. Believe me, I know.
At school, Asians were seen as either being good at math or good at nothing. If they were good at sport or English, or any other subject that is officially branded 'white', then they were not recognised, or if they were, the white parents would complain that the teachers were playing favourites with all the Asians. It's just a sad fact that many Australians, particularly teachers and the Australian Government, have tried to brush over and brainwash us to think otherwise - Australia is very, very prejudiced against anyone who isn't white.
Lately the TEE - the exams you take at the end of high school to decide which course in university or TAFE you can get into - results have just come out, and people have been criticizing that, despite the Beazly winner being a white girl, most other award winners were not Anglo-Saxon Australian, and say that is discrimination against the white community. And that is just ridiculous.
Firstly, academic excellence is not really a huge part of Anglo-Saxon Australian culture - and there's no point denying that sport and the surf is a much more valued cultural aspect. In *general* - and I know there are many, many exceptiongs - white Australians either think that a) they're too dumb to do well at school, so there's no point studying or b) they just think a pass will come out of nowhere when the time comes.
On the other hand, a good education and academic excellence is valued in Asian cultures - almost to a point, in some places, that it becomes a very unhealthy obsession. Even Asian people who are not so extreme drill into their children the harsh reality - you have to work your ass off to get what you want. So if you study, you'll end up on the papers. If you don't, then don't blame all the Asians who end up in the 99 club. Because academic achievement is not based on whether you're black or white, or what religion you are, or how pretty you are - it's based on what you give up, what you sacrifice, and the effort you put in to make your dreams come true. The standards here in Australia are so low that anyone can scrape a decent pass if they study - I mean, they say that I 'just don't try hard enough' when it comes to sport, which I fail, but when all those white kids fail English and see Asians take the prize in a language that probably isn't even their mother tongue, don't say it's because 'English isn't my thing' (surely you know how to speak it?) or 'the judging was unfair'. Your colour won't get you anywhere in life - I don't care if you're as white as Edward Cullen, if you don't work hard then don't expect to reap any rewards.. Because race and religion doesn't play a part on what you are and what you can be - that is all up to you.
That's what I say.
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4 comments:
Because academic achievement is not based on whether you're black or white, or what religion you are, or how pretty you are - it's based on what you give up, what you sacrifice, and the effort you put in to make your dreams come true.
Very true.
And at times I do think that you may underestimate systemic discrimination that you may not necessarily have experienced.
If Australia were a meritocracy, then what you would say is true. And would stay true.
But it seems to celebrate the mediocre rather than the merit. At least in some areas.
Australia is definitely not a meritocracy - I've had first-hand experience of that. As a child I was passed over for prizes and opportunities because I wasn't white and pretty. My teachers in primary school loved all the average students and didn't know what to do with the students who aimed high and scored - so instead of being rewarded and valued, we were treated with varying levels of disdain. Which really sucks.
I've read somewhere it's actually partly genetic-- as to how your brain works. So, as you said, the Asian culture heavily supports the studying side of things, and as this continues through generations, it became genetic, and thus this consitent belief that Asians are nerds come through. Of course, ALL genralisations are dangerous. So, as a generalisation, white people are good in their fields-- but remember that there are many white cultures to look at, who held different things dear to them. Italy considers food an art, and Australia has some of the greatest actors and scientists ever.
Nice one LR!
But I'm not exactly sure what you're talking about in the 'primary school' disdain watever. I thought you were being valued enough and as much as everyone else.
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