Week 2 - Katrina Estrella

Katrina Estrella

Section A03

Week 2

    The stereotype of Asian Tiger Mom has been apparent since an increase of Asian American students in elite colleges, sometimes overpowering the white majority. I understand as an Asian American that it is merely a form of dedication and love from the parent to be involved and improve their children’s lives. As a result, an “institution’s academic reputation, family approval, affordability, and career plans [became] the most important factors to Asian American college choice processes” according to Survey Monkey (Poon & Byrd, 2013, p. 26). I can relate to the overpowering necessity to be accepted into a prestigious university due to parental influence, as the common perception of getting into one meant immediate success for the future. It was almost an irrational train of thought, but its presence stayed strong in the minds of Asian American families across the nation. One reason for this is an extensive systematic design of our society called “Social Engineering”. Taking one special case and amplifying it through the media, then suddenly a group of people are thinking of the same idea that is rooted by generalization and naivieté. This is a practice of social engineering and its results are powerful. Stereotypes form, and in the case of Asian Americans, it makes it harder to be thought of as a person with flaws and differences. These stereotypes have their consequences. From irrational expectations from society and family, I was considered “special” and was expected to outperform my peers. Inside me, however, is a cry to be able to live my life by my own rules.

Question: There are smart people and “Tiger Moms”, within every ethnic and racial group, but why does the stereotype of being outrageously smart only stick with Asian Americans? The same goes for “Tiger Moms”? 

 

References:

Poon, O. & Byrd, A.  (2013). Beyond Tiger Mom Anxiety: Ethnic, Gender and Generational Differences in Asian American College Access and Choices. Journal of College Admissions, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2017

[Cartoon]. (2011, March 8). Retrieved October 1, 2017, from https://cdn.torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/jan-wong-parenting.jpg