We Are Not Being Microchipped

I normally like to write my posts in a calm and neutral tone, but I'm honestly just frustrated, sick, and tired of this tin-foil hat conspiracy nonsense. I've been hearing for YEARS that we're going to be microchipped by the government and that it's a sign of the coming of the anti-christ, and it just frustrates me to no end that perfectly rational and intelligent people are confusing their beliefs with this madness.

Should Tipping Be Necessary?

Tipping at restaurants is a practice that involves rewarding a server for their excellent service. Here in the U.S., it's a social convention you get crucified for not following. So, at the risk of being judged, I'm going to go ahead and say that I'm not a huge fan of the gratuity system. Now, when I say that, I am in no way claiming that waiters shouldn't be paid for their services. I'm critical of the current system, which is to say that waiters should not have to rely on public charity to earn a living. 

Examining Asian Stereotypes

As an Asian American living in the United States, I find myself dealing with prejudice and stereotyping on a near-constant basis. It's a weird thing with Asian people; despite my being completely American in terms of culture, I'm still viewed as a foreigner. I've learned to tolerate it over the years, but there's the occasional person who just doesn't seem to have a care about being ignorant.

We can't just tell these people to stop generalizing, but what we can do is feed them the knowledge they need to stop assuming the wrong things. In order to shed some light on the origins of Asian America's most prominent stereotypes, I thought I'd try my hand at explaining them one by one. By doing so, I hope to help people understand why certain stereotypes exist, and why they couldn't possibly apply to everybody.

Don't expect anything too in-depth; these are just my thoughts. If you are a fellow Asian American, feel free to contribute. Also, note that I'll mostly be discussing stereotypes associated with East Asians. Now, to begin with...

Pokemon: Old Gen vs. New Gen

I grew up with Pokemon, just like every other human being from my generation. At its peak, it was just about the biggest thing ever. Everybody with a Gameboy played the games, and everybody with hands and feet had a collection of Pokemon cards. It got so ridiculous that by the second year of the craze, my elementary school banned Pokemon cards from school property. Nowadays, most people look back with extremely fond memories of the early days of Pokemon. Then there are people like me, who never lost their childhood spirit and still play the games.

Now, as an adult Pokemon player, there's one thing that never ceases to bug me.

Does Batman Need a Robin?

I'm no long-time fan, but I absolutely love Batman. I love the comics, the animated series, the games, and the movies. There's a lot to like about Batman, from his dark, psychological inner-battles to his enormously intriguing gallery of rogues. But mainly, it's his humanity that sets him apart from other heroes. The fact that he accomplishes what other superheroes can't without actual superpowers just appeals to me. But...this post isn't about Batman.

The MSG Allergy Myth

Chances are, if you've ever had MSG come up in a discussion, it was about how bad it is for your health. It really gets a bad rap, especially in the U.S. This reputation is completely undeserved, however. Next time, take a moment to question whoever thinks MSG is bad for you; can they even name any specific reasons for why it's unhealthy? Most likely, the answer is no.

Sweden: Socialist Paradise

Some of you may shake in fear at the sight of the word "socialist", but no worries: Sweden's economic system is not entirely socialist. Just like every other country on Earth, it is a mix of everything. However, many cite Sweden as being the ideal socialist paradise. Before you start pointing your patriotic missiles at me, let me tell you a little about life in Sweden.

What Causes School Shootings?

School shootings are a topic of much fascination in the U.S. They invoke such an impetuous media circus of 'why's' and 'what's' that there's often little time to even mourn for the victims. Perhaps it's the immense shock that comes from the idea of our youth shooting up their peers indiscriminately, but it is a fair question nonetheless. What causes school shootings?

"Finish Your Food", or Overeat?

I'm not sure if this varies from culture to culture, but the general rule at the dinner table seems to be "finish your food". Your parents encouraged (or strictly enforced) it from an early age so it's likely been ingrained into your eating habits like a tumor. As a result, you've probably had numerous meals where you forcibly shoved food down your throat just to clear your plate. The main reason behind this form of parenting is obvious: wasting food is inconsiderate to those who are less fortunate. This is a perfectly acceptable cause, but being who I am, I couldn't help but question it a bit.

Gun Advocates are Delusional

The U.S. is still shaken by the Sandy Hook Elementary shootings, which took place on December 14, 2012. It involved a lone gunman who shot and killed 20 elementary-aged children and 6 staff members at a Connecticut elementary school. The impact of this incident was enormous, which is why the nation is still shocked and confused. The main thing that this tragedy stirred up was the inevitable gun-control debate. Quite frankly, I find it amazing that we're still having this debate as a nation. We've faced nothing but senseless innocent death day after day, yet we still feel inclined to give people the right to own guns. It's ridiculous.

But you know what left me absolutely speechless?

Aging Japan and the Herbivore Male

Japan has been at the forefront of technological advancement and wacky creativity for decades. Their feats are made doubly impressive by the fact that they transformed themselves from a war-torn nation into what is now the third largest economy in the world. What all their modern flair hides, however, is the pervasive aging crisis that's slated to lower Japan's population by 38 million. They're aging faster than any country in history, and it's reported that by the year 2050, four out of ten Japanese people will be 65 or over.

Jeremy Lin: Linsanity

Unless you're a basement shut-in with no interest in sports, you've probably heard about the biggest thing in basketball right now. Jeremy Lin, a relative nobody who was undrafted, booted off two teams, and benched for the majority of his career, came exploding onto the scene as he helped the Knicks win 7 games in a row. Remember how the Knicks kind of sucked? Lin has single-handedly made them a relevant team again, and has increased NBA viewership like no one has ever done before. Anyway, what is so special about him, you ask?

Dog Meat is Not Korean Traditional Food

If you don't know by now, I'm Korean. If there is any negative stereotype Koreans are known for, it is that they eat dog meat. Now, is this some sort of elaborate lie? Of course not; it's absolutely true. I remember walking through a street market when I was a kid, and there were slaughtered dogs ready to be sold. What you have to understand though, is that dog meat is NOT a common food. Just because it exists, doesn't mean people consume it regularly. Saying "all Koreans eat dogs" is like saying "all Americans are Latino gang members". Nowadays, it's just as unpopular in Korea as it is in any country in the world, mostly due to the younger generation being used to keeping dogs as pets.

Kindness = Weakness

If there's any quality that I've been associated with the most while growing up, it's that I'm "nice". I never thought much of this, since honestly, what could be bad about being nice? But as I moved on through each step of childhood and ultimately reached adulthood, I noticed the immediate effects of being a "nice guy". This reality is merciless to the weak, and being nice is only an extension of weakness. I know this may sound like a dystopian cliche, but its a conclusion I've come to realize through personal experience and the experiences of others like myself. I spent time analyzing every aspect of what being "nice" is, and they all point to a correlation with weakness. 

Why Text is a Crappy Form of Communication

Our generation has grown up with and become completely accustomed to this rise of digital communication. We praise its availability everyday, citing common advantages such as "it's faster for me to text than to call them" and "I don't really feel like talking to this person, I'll just IM them". These things are what make digital communication so convenient, and sure, it's easy. You can send people mass e-mails or texts to let them know about that meeting tomorrow night, and it will all be done in just a few seconds.

Unfortunately, there are obvious disadvantages, and these disadvantages stem from its misuse. People these days have become accustomed to using it in place of face-to-face contact.Teenagers are texting constantly, and most of the time spent on the computer involves an instant messaging program open in the background. What people don't realize is that these faceless forms of communication lack the ability to convey emotion, and do nothing to further relationships and more often than not cause problems due to misunderstandings.