One could argue that a banana is a banana as an act of insecurity. I would argue, however, that “true” Asians are equally insecure about their ethnicity as any banana. Exhibit A: growth clinics.
Right now in South Korea a whole lot of parents are spending thousands of dollars a year on growth clinics for their kids. Using acupuncture, herbal medicines and “special” exercise machines, these growth clinics try to help Korean kids reach such staggering heights as 5’10”. As most people know, Koreans are not noted for their rapping skills or height. It’s a fact of life that is part of the cultural psyche (there’s some old Korean saying about the hottest peppers being the smallest). Apparently Koreans have become so self-conscious about this (the height thing, not the rapping), they now see their lack of verticality as a sign of inferiority; that not being tall enough to ride certain rollercoaster rides can affect one’s ability to find a suitable mate or land a good job. But wait, there’s more to this Asian appearance profiling.
Unlike Sheryl Crow, many Asians do not want to soak up the sun. The backwards thinking: having darker skin means you’re probably a laborer who works some menial outdoor job. Conversely, having a pastier complexion means you’re the proud owner of a prestigious, indoor office job. That’s why it’s not surprising to see Asians on a sunny day sporting umbrellas to protect themselves from the evil sun’s darkening rays.
Believing in equal-opportunity mockery, I have to point out that people in this country will spray orange “bronzer” on their skin to look like they spend a lot of time outdoors. Then you have someone like Sammy Sosa, the ex-Chicago Cub and Dominican who uses some strange cream that makes his skin lighter. My point: stupidity is color blind.
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