Asians!!!

[Bend-it]

Honestly, I hate the term. It's such a broad generalisation of people that it really is unhelpful for anything apart from gross generalisations, often derogatory and almost always wrong.

- Asians are bad drivers
- Asians have squinty eyes
- Asians are geeky math geniuses
- Asians know kung fu

Which Asian you talking about? Chinese? Japanese? Korean? North or South? Malays? Indians? Thai? Cambodians? Hmong? Shan? Karen? Khmu? Khmer? Indonesian? Indonesian Chinese? Dayaks? I could go on for awhile, but you get my drift... Each of those people groups have populations larger than the entire NZ population!!

Ok, my main beef is that each time someone says, "An asian driver did [insert bad driving behavour]." What they are implying is "so watch out for asians on the road". Why else would you include the person's racial description (however broad and inadequate)? Same applies to women and old people. If it was an average whitey (what is that anyway?), then people would just say "An idiot cager [insert bad driving behavour]."

Everytime someone makes a generalised statement like that, it just adds to very unhelpful racist feelings.

I'm all for general ribbing and piss-takes, but it's quite clear at times when it's not a piss-take and reveals underlying prejudices.

Okay, rant over

Happy again

[John Banks]

Fair enough. I shall be referring to them AZNS ^___^ from now on.

[carver]

Honestly, I hate the term. It's such a broad generalisation of people that it really is unhelpful for anything apart from gross generalisations, often derogatory and almost always wrong.

- Asians are bad drivers
- Asians have squinty eyes
- Asians are geeky math geniuses
- Asians know kung fu

Which Asian you talking about? Chinese? Japanese? Korean? North or South? Malays? Indians? Thai? Cambodians? Hmong? Shan? Karen? Khmu? Khmer? Indonesian? Indonesian Chinese? Dayaks? I could go on for awhile, but you get my drift... Each of those people groups have populations larger than the entire NZ population!!

Ok, my main beef is that each time someone says, "An asian driver did [insert bad driving behavour]." What they are implying is "so watch out for asians on the road". Why else would you include the person's racial description (however broad and inadequate)? Same applies to women and old people. If it was an average whitey (what is that anyway?), then people would just say "An idiot cager [insert bad driving behavour]."

Everytime someone makes a generalised statement like that, it just adds to very unhelpful racist feelings.

I'm all for general ribbing and piss-takes, but it's quite clear at times when it's not a piss-take and reveals underlying prejudices.

Okay, rant over

Happy again

I would employ an asian any day, From where i stand they ae hard working reasonably honest ppl (despite some having fake/no lisences(?))
Fasians are the ones who i know (aka bannana asians), and they are as kiwi as anyone who has been here a while.
I have worked with them in shite jobs whilst a student, most of them show a good friendly open minded smart attitude to life, and they could stick at things.
it still mildly annoys me to see groups of them all speaking their native tounge rather than intergrating though.

[Bend-it]

it still mildly annoys me to see groups of them all speaking their native tounge rather than intergrating though.

That's 'coz they've experienced many kiwis who won't talk to them, or talk down to them when they do.

I have spent considerable amounts of time working with intl students for whom English in a 2nd language, and in many oriental cultures, the practice is for the host to initiate contact with the visitor, making them feel welcome etc. However, in kiwi culture, it is largely the visitor's role to initiate contact and introduce themselves.

Not saying that either is correct, but unless one of them breaks their social norm and initiates contact, that gulf will always be there. It is true that being in Rome, do as the Romans do etc... however, most of the time people don't know this and therefore take each other as being unfriendly, when in fact, it's just different social norms.

How long did it take you to learn English? "integrating" is much harder than it sounds... Even coming from Singapore, where English was my first language, the humour and accent were huge things to overcome. People still look at me strangely when I come to the punchline of a joke, so I don't think anything's changed there.

Combat Ignorance, get informed!!

[carver]

That's 'coz they've experienced many kiwis who won't talk to them, or talk down to them when they do.

I have spent considerable amounts of time working with intl students for whom English in a 2nd language, and in many oriental cultures, the practice is for the host to initiate contact with the visitor, making them feel welcome etc. However, in kiwi culture, it is largely the visitor's role to initiate contact and introduce themselves.

Not saying that either is correct, but unless one of them breaks their social norm and initiates contact, that gulf will always be there. It is true that being in Rome, do as the Romans do etc... however, most of the time people don't know this and therefore take each other as being unfriendly, when in fact, it's just different social norms.

How long did it take you to learn English? "integrating" is much harder than it sounds... Even coming from Singapore, where English was my first language, the humour and accent were huge things to overcome. People still look at me strangely when I come to the punchline of a joke, so I don't think anything's changed there.

Combat Ignorance, get informed!!

Yes, i think the next gen of kiwi's will be interesting, as for being informed, that I am.
I do know what your saying, but if some can intergrate, why not others?
some make the effort, but others appear to like to stay in "chinatown"
It could be us kiwi's, it always saddens me to see teen's yelling "coons" etc.. at asians or anyone else minding their own buisness on the street.
English was my first language (i still struggle )
the effort to intergrate leads to intergration.

[John Banks]

It is true that being in Rome, do as the Romans do etc...

Pity that's not quite true, because Romans were extremely hospitable hosts.

[Joni]

In South Africa there are not many people of Asian decent... so when I got to NZ it was quite a learning curve for me, getting to know their culture and me trying to get used to their accents just as much them getting used to mine.... it was great fun. However I never had any close contact until recently - I met a young guy called Kai - he has been in the country a while, highly educated, but had been working at macDonalds of all places since he graduated... man oh man what an amazing young guy, so sweet and gentle and very appreciative of the work I have done for him. Proud to say he is now working for one of the larger banks... how he thanked me? - with a bottle of Moet

Now I know you cant judge everyone from one experience, but Kai has been amazing, loved his charatcer which came from a very traditional chinese upbringing... great people judging from one little fella.

I always wonder why always look at the bad stuff first... sad huh! but hey I know I am niave about people.

Sorry was this off topic? oops...

[bobsmith]

How long did it take you to learn English? "integrating" is much harder than it sounds... Even coming from Singapore, where English was my first language, the humour and accent were huge things to overcome. People still look at me strangely when I come to the punchline of a joke, so I don't think anything's changed there.

Combat Ignorance, get informed!!

Well, depends.... many "asians" I know (when I say "asian" I mean, Koreans, Chinese and Japanese as that's what I grew up referring to as asians when I grew up in south Korea) find it very easy to "integrate" not to say that it's a good thing but I for one speak in English primarily and I have never felt that I was disadvantaged or discriminated in anyway because of the fact that I'm an asian (except for one english teacher I had in highschool but that's a long time ago and she probably didn't like the fact that I knew english grammer better than her)

Infact, when I first came to New Zealand, I found most New Zealanders with european decent to be most welcoming rather than other fellow Koreans, which is probably why I ended up with friends who are all New Zealanders with european decent and my girlfriend is half irish and half New Zealander. When people so often complain about discrimination, etc, I wonder if some over-reaction and hostility along with pre-condition of mind which seems to forever look for any tiny hints of discrimination is at work... but that's just me.

Damn it! I do have squinty eyes and I am rather good at math.... now only if I was some Kung fu genius as well.........

[edit] - since you asked, it took me almost half a year of being in new zealand to be able to converse with people confidently... then took me 1.5 years for everyone to think that I am an american (due to my accent gained from watching too much american tv) then now people just scratch their head and wonder where the hell I came from.... (I'm happy as long as no one says that I sound like a fucking brit....)

[Lou Girardin]

After being cut up by them far too many times, I'll go with the stereotype.

[SpankMe]

hmmmmm, asians

[Joni]

Hehehe - Spank I knew that was coming... scarey when I can predict your actions...

[Maha]

DAM, thought this was a vote thread....please tly again rater....

[bobsmith]

hey carver, what's an "Fasian"? or "banana asian"???

[Sniper]

Im with Lou. 32% of our cars that have been damaged in accidents were hired out by asians. Of that 32%, 87% was the drivers fault and of that 32%, 40% of the cars were write offs.

I'll be happy stereotyping when it comes to asians in cars

[skelstar]

What percentage of the cars hired out were hired by Asians Sniper? That stat would help us with your point.