Orientalism and the Model Minority Myth

In the American fashion industry, many Asian products are placed on a pedestal. From Japanese silk to Mongolian cashmere, many Americans will pay top dollar to companies for a chance to own such coveted materials. However, there is little regard for the workers that give Americans the chance to own such products. In an age where unethical consumerism is expanding, from Nike to State Cashmere, it seems as if many customers do not question the morals or backgrounds of the products that they purchase. According to a peer-reviewed paper by Mike Featheringstone, the extensive advertisement present in the United States has created a culture in which “taste in cultural goods functions as a marker of class”[11]. This has allowed consumers to develop a mindset of  “as long as I can get it, it does not matter how”[12]. And Asian Americans are at the brunt of this mindset.

Orientalism, as stated above, does little to capture the complete nature of Asian culture. It instead picks and chooses which elements of Asian culture to sensationalize and profit off of. This harms Asian Americanss in their self-confidence, subliminally creating a false idea or notion of inferiority to others. According to a peer-reviewed paper by Damir Skenderovic, “In the Western imagination, the oriental “Other” is a construction that hardly corresponds to any kind of reality, but is strongly influenced by concrete geopolitical interests.[13]” This statement is certainly true in the example of State Cashmere, but also contributes further to the idea of inferiority. The idea that Asian commodities and benefits to society are only to promote Western culture creates racist ideas and stereotypes, which contribute to the perpetuation of the model minority myth in Asian Americans.

The “Model Minority Myth” is one that has harmed Asian Americans for generations. From stereotypes about Asians and academic performance to Asian American economic success, the Model Minority Myth results in unrealistic expectations of Asian Americans in everyday life. In a peer-reviewed journal by Lata Murti, frustrations about expectations of Indian-American doctors are expressed. A short excerpt about Dr. Cheepak describes him showing his doctor’s coat to police officers, in order to 

‘Subconsciously’ use signs of his occupational status to ‘try to be more’ of a model minority and less of an angry brown man in the eyes of white America. Deepak is distancing or fragmenting himself from black and Latino masculinities, and displaying his affiliation with white and Asian masculinities.[14]

Cultural Appropriation from Orientalism has led to numerous protests across America (8)

Video Explaining the harm that the Model Minority Myth causes (9)

This example, although very saddening, is not uncommon. According to a paper by Jean Wing, many of these experiences of Asian Americans begin in early schooling. She states “Although Berkeley High School's Asian population is small, it has not escaped the stereotype. Reports on the D and F rates contain statistics on the differential achievement of white and Asian students on the one hand, and African American and Latino students on the other.[15]” This paper, which continues to dive into the stereotypes of the high school, shows one thing: Asian students are generalized on every level. From what they provide to the school district in terms of grades to their work as doctors, and even to the quality of cashmere that they produce, it is made abundantly clear that the United States has created a culture that removes much of the individuality of the Asian American population.