# Do have we asians have the most variety of stereotypes? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 18, 2002, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469 "2002-12-18T02:23:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![non-native](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@non-native](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/non-native)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/1 "2002-12-18T02:23:44Z")
No, this is not some sort of rant. I was discussing stereotypes with a friend of mine the other day (actually we were trading insults in a light-hearted manner, and i ran out faster than he did) and it occured to me that there’s a lot of asian stereotypes. I’ll try to compose a list. -Quiet, studious asian student. -Grinning short asian businessman. -Whore-loving asian businessman. -Engrish speaking schoolgirl with flashing lights. -Asian vegetable shop owner. -The venerable old martial arts master. -The ninja. -Dog eater. -Whore (me love you long time) -Obedient mail order bride. Maybe this is because i’m an asian myself and are more aware of these, but I was hard-pressed to find another minority group with as many stereotypes. Care to add to the list or theorize why this is? ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/2 "2002-12-18T02:31:23Z")
Most inscrutable post… ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/3 "2002-12-18T02:35:30Z")
Asians are not a minority. Asian-Americans are, but a few of those stereotypes do not apply to that group. Ninjas? ---
**Author:** ![non-native](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@non-native](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/non-native)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/4 "2002-12-18T03:03:05Z")
My bad. But these are asian stereotypes, thus associated with asian americans. Or not. Oh, nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/5 "2002-12-18T03:23:56Z")
The british have more stereotypes for themselves than almost anyone, I reckon. Hundreds. It’s what Monty Python and Terry Pratchett use that make them so brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![lee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lee/32/7455_2.png) [@lee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lee)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/6 "2002-12-18T03:35:08Z")
You also forgot several. There seems to be more ways Asians have entered America and the American conciousness than other ethnic minorities. We also have watched some Asian movies and learned some stereotypes from there. There have been many immigration paths for Asian, not to mention so many different parts of Asia for Asians to come from, while in contrast most African-Americans took one of just a few paths to America, the main one being slavery. Also Asians could appear in movies to generate these stereotypes you see and the movie could still be shown in all of America. Back in the bad old days, if you showed a black in a role outside of certain sterotypes, the movie would have to be altered to be shown to southern audiences. There seems to have been fewer restrictions in depicting Asians. If you totaled all the European steretypes then you would get as many as the stereoptypes of Asians, the difference being that not as many American confuse Germans and French as they do Japanese and Chinese or worse yet, Koreans and Vietmanese. Many Americans think of Asians as one group and Europeans as a bunch of groups. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/7 "2002-12-18T04:18:54Z")
How many stereotypes can you come up with for, say, white males? Ozzie from the Outback So. Cal. surfer dude London banker Minnesota farmer Little Italy homeboy San Francisco hippie Texas oilman Afrikaaner Railroad bum Espanola lowrider Big Hair metal guitar player Catholic priest (_in the Rectory basement_) Infomercial real estate tycoon French chef German policeman Dutch Moderator blah, blah, blah… I’d actually take the opposite view from **lee** and surmise that most Americans don’t think of “Asians,” but rather _do_ percieve them as Vietnamese, Japanese, Indonesian, etc. ---
**Author:** ![non-native](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc8723/32.png) [@non-native](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/non-native)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/8 "2002-12-18T05:27:05Z")
But those are white american stereotypes of whites, the majority. But i was thinking more in terms of the majority’s stereotype of a minority group in america. I’m quite sure where i’m going with this. Maybe i’ll just shut up before i embarrass myself a little bit more. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/9 "2002-12-18T05:49:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by non-native \* > \*\* I’m quite sure where i’m going with this. Maybe i’ll just shut up before i embarrass myself a little bit more. \*\* Don’t, okay? You aren’t embarrassing yourself. You posed an interesting–and coherent–question. It’s the nature of the place to wander _way_ around, chasing ideas back and forth. **Moderator’s note:** : And **happyheathen**? Knock off the bullying. The post was fine. Your cheap shot wasn’t. Consider yourself warned. TVeblen, IMHO Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/10 "2002-12-18T05:49:40Z")
What about stereotypes among Asian Americans themselves? ABCs, FOBs, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/11 "2002-12-18T06:23:01Z")
**TVeblen** , how was HH’s post bullying? It seemed to me like a jokey way of responding to the invitation to add to the list. Did I miss some background? The [“inscrutable oriental”](http://www.illuminatedlantern.com/fumanchu/index.html) is the granddaddy of all asian stereotypes. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/12 "2002-12-18T06:23:16Z")
I too think this is a good question. I’m sorry if I gave a different impression. I asked my friend and found another one for your list: - Dry cleaners ---
**Author:** ![happyheathen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5e925/32.png) [@happyheathen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/happyheathen)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/13 "2002-12-18T06:31:04Z")
Sorry - Most of the asians I know play the “inscrutable” stereotype for laughs. “A gentleman never gives offense unintentionally” - maybe I slipped on this one? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/14 "2002-12-18T06:32:49Z")
Dragon Lady (Madame Chiang, Madame Nhu (sp?), Madame Mao) Ballbusting kung fu babe (Zhang Ziyi) And Jackie Chan probably defines a category of his own. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/15 "2002-12-18T06:34:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TVeblen \* > And **happyheathen**? Knock off the bullying. The post was fine. Your cheap shot wasn’t. Consider yourself warned. > > TVeblen, > IMHO Moderator I agree with Larry Mudd, **TVeblen** –your problem is that you didn’t get the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/16 "2002-12-18T06:45:27Z")
non-native, that was an impressive list. I would add one to that list. In the city where I live, many people stereotype Asians as bad drivers. As a Southerner, I know how you feel. There is a long list for us too. I hate stereotyping and generalities. It perpetuates myths. ---
**Author:** ![TVeblen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@TVeblen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVeblen)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/17 "2002-12-18T07:07:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doghouse Reilly \* > \*\*I agree with Larry Mudd, **TVeblen** –your problem is that you didn’t get the joke. \*\* **Mod note:** Maybe I didn’t. It’s hard to know, with print. (And don’t anybody take that, _for one second_, as an endorsement of smilies, the fleas of written communication.) I went with the overall tone of the OP, and tried to interpret in context; how the response fit into the question. The OP seemed sincere, and intimidated by the response. FWIW, I read the post the same way. It’s borderline, but on re-reading, maybe **hh’s** pointed irony _does_ fall on the other side; only fair to void the warning. TVeblen, IMHO Mod TVeblen, IMHO Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/18 "2002-12-18T07:31:10Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TVeblen \* > \*\ ***Mod note:** > > Maybe I didn’t. It’s hard to know, with print. > (And don’t anybody take that, _for one second_, as an endorsement of smilies, the fleas of written communication.) > I went with the overall tone of the OP, and tried to interpret in context; how the response fit into the question. The OP seemed sincere, and intimidated by the response. FWIW, I read the post the same way. > If I got it wrong, my apologies–and I retract the warning. > > TVeblen, > IMHO Moderator \*\* You’re a good mod, and it reflects well on you that you are quick to defend a relative newcomer from intimidation. Thanks. 🙂 😉 😛 😃 :wally ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/19 "2002-12-18T08:13:37Z")
> [@](#): > > …smilies, the fleas of written communication. That’s brilliant. Of course, spoken communication has its _own_ parasites: verbal ticks. **Zoe** , good call on the bad-driver stereotype. I’ve heard people go so far as to claim that the epicanthic fold gives asians a smaller FOV, so they can’t tell what’s happening in traffic. _Riiiight._ Another one that goes way back– –Smuggler. Especially drug smuggler. (Early in the last century, anything remotely connected to China was code for heroin. Few people remember the original reason it was called [“Junk”](http://www.wordsmyth.net/live/home.php?script=search&matchid=22452&returnFields=PRO%2CDEF%2CSIC%2CDER%2CCRF%2CINF%2CEXA%2CSYC%2CSYN%2CSIM%2CSYL%2CPHR)) ---
**Author:** ![cherry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cherry)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2002, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469/20 "2002-12-18T08:16:40Z")
Doghouse Reilly what is an abc? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-have-we-asians-have-the-most-variety-of-stereotypes/143469.md?page=2)