Feedback: Cultural Clash

Dear Better Asian Man,

I’ve been reading your blog and have followed the discussions about your website on The Fighting 44’s website for a while and have to say that I’ve been really fascinated by some of the almost visceral responses to your website at both places.

I’m not decided on whether I agree that this kind of coaching is something that will improve the status of Asian American men, but I give you kudos for saying things on your website that I’ve never heard said anywhere else by any Asian American man. As far as I know, no Asian American male has identified the possibility that some aspects of Asian culture and social expectations might affect Asian American men negatively and might actually hold us back in some ways (in terms of expanding their dating and romance options).

For me, that realization itself is the biggest step. I think that this aspect of your philosophy (for want of a better word), if you were to expand your thoughts on it, would actually be more powerful in getting Asian men to realize the choices they have.

-SGA

Dear SGA,

Thanks for the feedback, and for visiting this website. In each of the entries under the One Asian American Man’s Life blog category, I include references to various traditional Asian values that have shaped the way I lived my life (when I had lots of hang ups and social anxieties), so that you can get some insight into what I went through and I how I got to where I am now. Here’s one particular entry I wrote a couple of weeks back that has had a lot of hits. In it, I talk about how

Merit-based recognition is more important than individuality and personal-expression based recognition

under the traditional Asian mind-set. Now, this blog entry is just one particular case of how my life was affected, and there are many more. I will be sharing these as I continue to write new blog entries, and I hope that you’ll send me your feedback on those too.

Again, thanks for visiting this website and for providing your candid feedback!

-William