Essential factors for personal development and success in the United States of America - Essay Example

This essay will describe the factors that attribute to success within the American setting as reflected by Yang in his article. According to Yang, Asian Americans are having a difficult time within the American setting. Asian Americans grow up with Asian intrinsic values that prove very different from what the American culture upholds. Children born of Asian families in America have a unique set of values that defines the personality that they adopt. It is evident that culture plays a critical part in personality development, explaining why Yang describes how the Asian culture has molded them into individuals that exhibit significant differences from the Americans within the class setting, workplace and in relationships (Barrios, 2013). . However, Yang (2011) highlights that the impact of the Asian culture in their personality development has served them little good.

In real sense, he laments that the Asian culture has led to the development of multiple stereotypes that serve as setbacks for people of Asian descent to succeed. Yang highlights that most of the Asian American score good grades and secure position in prestigious institutions within America. He highlights that the Asian culture of hard work and devotion makes them successful in school. However, multiple stereotypes associated with the Asian Americas have served to deny them chances in the workplace that conform to their academic achievement, making them, ‘paper tigers’ with impressive certificates but lacking opportunities.

He highlights that such stereotypes have only served as a ‘black ceiling’ preventing many Asian Americans that they rightly deserve from their academic qualifications. He present nine examples and profiles of Asian Americans, and reveals how Asian attributes and stereotypes associated with the Asian American have denied them chances in the workplace and in relationships. Yang describes Asian Americans as ‘bananas’, highlighting that they are Asian on the outside and white in the inside, but is keen to mention that the two sets of cultures are incompatible.

However, if circumstances are to prove different for any of the Asian Americans, they have to follow the advice that the author presents of having the willingness to do things differently. A change of attitude for the Asians, and their determination to overcome the stereotypes that pull them can serve help them become outstanding individuals. It is possible that the strength of ties described by Malcolm will be of critical importance to Asian Americans (Yang, 2011). Yang’s critique has given rise to a heated debate in the society.

It becomes questionable what Asian Americans should do different in order to succeed. Apparently, they are doing well in academics, but are not securing jobs as expected despite their qualifications. Should Asian Americans abandon Asian values and adopt attributes defined by then dominant American culture? Gladwell Malcolm mentions in his essay ‘small changes’ that one should try to be different. Asian Americans are yet to experience full integration into the American culture. Although they live and school in America, their Asian aspects have remained evident.

Evidently, Asian Americans can work together towards developing ‘strong ties’ as defined by Gladwell. Such strong ties will help them overcome the black ceiling established by the lack of complete integration into