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AG's avatar
Mar 23Edited

Regarding how Asian-Americans haven’t internalized the rise of China in their own self-conceptions, I think this is only partially true. Where it’s most true is among the Asian-Americans that are assimilated into elite or middle-class society, which means assimilation into liberal globalist society, in where racial identifications that are too strong are either a sign of low-class deplorableness or anti-Asian wokism. Also, if you’ve already spent so much effort to assimilate, then reaping the benefits of an identity you’ve disavowed feels false in a self-serving way, so there is perhaps some intentional self-denial in order to minimize regret for actions that can no longer be changed.

It remains to be seen for the next generation of Asian immigrants, but it should be noted that status doesn’t really accrue from national GDP or military might, but is currently more a factor of per capita GDP or cultural cachet, which is why historically Japanese and now South Korean heritage is higher status than Chinese, which is itself higher than South East Asian.

Finally, from a game-theoretic viewpoint, angling for more political power of status results in a U-curved utility function depending on your current political power: if it’s obvious that you will win then everyone will get out of your way; if you're small enough that you aren’t a threat, you can be incorporated into someone else's a coalition; but anywhere in between start a fight and results in backlash and repression.

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Jee Young Park's avatar

I’ve think you’ve hit the nail on the head on most though I would say the west begrudgingly consumes Korean and Japanese goods when it affirms their dominance and specific things at the suggestion of mostly white men. Asian women’s bodies being the most popular suggestion.

I cycle through the pitfalls you mentioned on a regular basis. But as a Korean American, they are somewhat different - our delusions of grandeur are naturally limited by geography and history reminds us to walk a fine line.

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