Racial Distancing and Racial Alignment In Migrant Domestic Workers' Stereotypes - Essay Example

1. Give a critical discussion of why Sun Tzus Art of War has survived to the present as a manual for strategy and is still being applied to the “realworld" by consultants, military commanders and cyber warfare experts today. Can you apply it to your own life? If so, how, and, if not, why not? Although it might appear as if an ancient Chinese text that discusses tactics and strategy of warfare may neither be relevant nor useful to individuals within the current era, the fact of the matter is that this particular text is still referenced and relied upon by both military strategist and individuals that seek to order and define their own lives. One of the underlying reasons for why this particular text, known as “Art of War” has survived so many centuries is due to the fact that it seeks to apply tactics and strategies that specifically undermine and highlight weaknesses of one’s adversary. Within such a context, military strategists, cyber warriors, consultants, and even individuals utilize this text as a means of defining the problem in seeking to attack in a situation from the most effective angle possible. Essentially, Sun Tzu denoted that superiority in numbers, wealth, and many other aspects of superiority were not in and of themselves sufficient to guarantee that victory can be obtained. Whereas it is true that Sun Tzu specifically applied his knowledge and writings to the act of warfare, these very same writings are applicable to the way in which an individual orders their life and seeks to accomplish key goals. Whereas prior methods of war and engagement, at least those used within Europe, has the military fate of entire nations or empires arrest upon pitched battles between two opposing sides in a given field of conflict, Sun Tzu promoted the understanding that such a form of conflict was essentially wasteful and did not guarantee a positive outcome for an individual that may have a superiority or inferiority of forces, money, or more owl. Instead, Sun Tzu promoted the understanding that alternative approaches towards weakening the enemies row, attacking the when least expected, utilizing guerrilla tactics and a litany of other nonlinear approaches were the most effective means by which victory can ultimately be achieved. In many ways, the old English expression that there is more than one way to skin a cat or any other statement that denotes alternative mechanisms of achieving a goal was the main focus upon Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”; illustrating the fact that approaching a situation directly might not yield the same positive result of an individual or group of individuals, the patient, might hope to affect the field of conflict. A quick review of the way in which the United States intelligence community, military, and defense industry operates illustrates the fact that Sun Tzu’s writing is not only relevant; they are in fact studied and taught to potential officers and soldiers alike. Within such an understanding, this text is not only relevant to the act involved in war; it is relevant to the way in which decisions are made in life and situations are approach; not only from the most direct standpoint – but from the standpoint in which the individual stands to gain that which they are attempting to effect in the easiest and most efficient manner. 2. Describe two contrasting attitudes/perceptions of Chinese people and culture commonly held among Americans at some time between the late 19th and mid-20th centuries. Pay particular attention to (a) what these attitudes were based upon, (b) how these attitudes manifested themselves in daily life, news,mass media, fashion, intellectual life, etc., etc., whether attitudes toward other groups (Japanese, Native Americans, African Americans, etc.) mirrored attitudes toward the Chinese or were distinct from them, and (d) whether these attitudes are still present in original or evolved form today. One of the first and most pervasive attitudes that was evidenced with respect to Chinese people within the United States has to do with their association with manual labor and the near subhuman isolation that they experience. After the end of the Civil War, the practice of slavery was effectively outlawed throughout all states and territories of the United States. Yet, the incessant drive to develop and industrialized the nation created a need for cheap labor that was a defining aspect of the American economy for many decades. Even as African-Americans experienced a second-class level of citizenship, the drive for even cheaper labor than African-American labor was represented. Industrialists responsible for building canal systems, railroads, tunnels, bridges, and other aspects of the rapidly developing American infrastructure required influx of workers that they could rely upon to work extraordinarily dangerous, difficult, and low-paying jobs. As a direct result of this tacit need, tens of thousands of Chinese immigrants were brought in; especially to the American West. Whereas the system under which these individuals work was not necessarily slavery; it was hardly any different – at least in terms of overall treatment and conditions. Been a differential between slavery and the experience of these early Chinese immigrants with the fact that they were at least eight some paltry sum of money as a function of the labor they performed. Not surprisingly, as more and more Chinese immigrants came to the United States and were absorbed into these industries, stereotyping and generalization came to take place within the United States; specifically with regard to the way in which these individuals should be understood and/or defined. The pervasive understanding that was exhibited was one in which these Chinese immigrants/laborers were viewed as second-class citizens; surprisingly, even lower on the social pecking order as compared to Latinos, or African-Americans. Even though Latinos and African-Americans were of course second-class citizens themselves, at least within this particular period of time, the cultural differential between Chinese and Anglo-Saxon was enough to convince most individuals within society that these immigrants were so dissimilar that they were almost unworthy of inclusion into the United States society and/or any of the rights or privileges that an American might otherwise hope to experience. This representation was brutally displayed within mass media and journalism; specifically with respect to the caricatures of the way in which these Chinese immigrants and laborers were represented. Moreover, as a result of fact that the language differential provided such a difficulty of communication, at least with the first generation immigrants, this impediment was oftentimes lampooned and used as a scapegoat for not allowing these individuals the same rights and privileges that other Americans might necessarily be afforded. Within the same line of understanding, the extraordinarily high death toll that was related to the types of industrial work that these immigrants were oftentimes involved in was not reported in the same way that deaths were reported for white Americans in similarly dangerous fields. Whereas hundreds of Chinese immigrants might die during the course of building a specific branch of a railroad or within a mine collapse, these deaths were almost invariably disregarded as insignificant; indicative of the racism and hardship that this particular group faced as compared to others. As a means of understanding just how bad racial and societal understandings of the Chinese immigrants were the early 19th century, it is necessary to understand that even Japanese and other individuals from lesser-known parts of the world that immigrated United States and were indicative of an extraordinarily small minority were afforded a better overall understanding and greater potential for social mobility; at least as compared to these Chinese immigrants. As time went on, it became clear to almost all individuals within society that the prior stereotypes and understandings that had been directed towards the Chinese were no longer effective or reasonable. Seeing them as dirty, subhuman, and ultimately useful only for manual labor was antiquated; as first and second generation Chinese began to apply themselves more completely and fully two different aspects of the economy. As a result of this, a new stereotype developed that sought to envision these Chinese immigrants and second-generation Americans as “dirty”, “brainiacs”, or overachievers. Due to the fact that these individuals were in open competition with white Americans, these negative stereotypes were understood as a means of helping to diminish the fear that was exhibited within white America that these talented individuals would necessarily redefine the economy and take the existing positions and opportunities away from them and their progeny. As it became clear that the social hierarchy that had been developed throughout much of the 19th century, at least with respect to Chinese immigrants, was no longer viable, the stereotype and generalization of Chinese as overachievers and focused only and entirely on work came to be something of an excuse that Americans could utilize as a means of explaining why these individuals were achieving such a commensurately high level of success; as compared to the white Americans that had preceded them in settling the United States. As more and more of these Chinese immigrants opened their own businesses, successfully managed small industry, and organized resources to affect a profit, the tacit and innate concern that was exhibited throughout the United States, and clearly manifested within the media and newspapers was that these individuals merely have lost sight of what was most important and life and were now focusing mainly upon the process of making money and gaining “worldly” success. Surprisingly, the level of stereotyping and generalization it was directed towards the Chinese immigrants, at least as far as what has been described within this particular analysis, is not much different as compared to the type of stereotyping and generalizations that were levied against the Jews of 20th-century Germany. Whereas it is of course true that the propaganda and the exhibition of the Holocaust definitively separates the third right from the United States, the means by which society came to understand that a certain group of individuals had their priorities skewed and were focused only on monetary gain is “worldly success, even at the expense of others, was clearly and manifestly represented with regard to the way in which individuals within the United States came to understand Chinese immigrant populations and their subsequent offspring. This comes as something of a surprise; due to the fact that the hatred and visceral anger that was directed at the Jews ultimately culminated in the attempted extermination of this particular group – whereas the stereotypes and frustration/disdain that was directed towards Chinese did not create ethnic strife in a violent context. For the most part, this particular stereotype is still alive and well today. For instance, even within a relatively diverse elementary or middle school, it is common to hear of situations in which Asians, specifically Chinese, are referred to as overachievers and labeled as “nerds” (Paul 1175). To a large extent, the same level of insecurity and threat that individuals feel based upon the high scores and achievement of this group is the result of why these stereotypes have persisted well into the current era. Whereas it might be convenient to assume that racism of the United States is something that can be defined within the past tense, the fact of the matter is that it is still alive and well; with individuals regularly referring to Asian-Americans, specifically Chinese, as somehow having a natural or innate level of ability with respect to STEM; subjects related to science, technology, engineering, and math. By much the same token, it is generally recognized, at least in terms of the existing stereotype, the very same individuals that are from the Chinese community, regardless of whether their first or second generation, that excel within science engineering technology on that necessarily struggle with abstract concepts and non-number assignments. For this very reason, is not uncommon even today to witness a situation in which a particular company might hire a large number of Chinese Americans and yet when it comes to positions of management or leadership ensure that a non-Chinese still remains at the helm of the firm. This is not only the result of the fact that the desire to protect the existing status quo exists, is also born as a result of the fact that individual still tacitly believed the Chinese are unable to handle situations that involve non-numerical tasks and that these should best be left to a non-Chinese. Work Cited Paul, Anju M. "The Other Looks Back: Racial Distancing And Racial Alignment In Migrant Domestic Workers Stereotypes About White And Chinese Employers." Ethnic & Racial Studies 34.6 (2011): 1068-1087. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Oct. 2014. Read More