Week 3: Alexander Soong A03

Alexander Soong
ASA2 A03
October 8, 2017


As I read about the Hmong families and their backgrounds in Hmong Does Not Mean Free: The Miseducation of Hmong Americans, I found myself noticing parallels between the Hmong people and other asian ethnicities, such as my own: Chinese. In my culture, or in the way that I've experienced it,  education is really what many of us think to be the path to financial security. Growing up, I remember countless times when my dad told me that I must go to university so that I could make a better living for my future family, than he could for us. Just as in the article, I was constantly reminded of how much my parents had to sacrifice for me to have this education, and how without it I would not be able to survive in the States. 

In regards to the difference in expectation between gender, I can not relate to it personally as I grew up in a family of boys. However, I've seen it happen with my cousins. To me it's interesting to note that, although the pressure seems to be on the males in the family, the result is not always what you'd expect. My male cousin was aware of the parental and familial pressure on him to do well, because his dad and grandfather were all quite successful businessmen. His sister was never exposed to this kind of pressure, but nonetheless  pursued academic excellence and will be graduating from the UC Davis Veterinary School, which is the best in the nation. In the meantime, the brother always looked for the easy way out, avoided AP classes and now can't find a job out of college. To me, success is not really rely on or depend on what pressures your exposed to. In the end, it is up to yourself to put in the work, and develop a level of discipline and dedication that will allow you to succeed. 

Question:
Does this academic pressure and expectations on the males always produce the results that you would expect.  Also, why is it that for many people, the more you're under pressure, the more you look for the easy way out?

Mouavangsou, K. N. 2016. Hmong Does Not Mean Free: The Miseducation of Hmong Americans. Retrieved October 8, 2017.

“GHC 16 Conference Overview.” Anitab, ghc.anitab.org/2016-attend/conference-overview/.