Youtube Video Culture: British Born Chinese or Asian?
Asian in the UK means South Asians . i.e Indian, Pakistani's.
Asian in America basically means the same as pan-Asian, anyone of Asian descent. Indian's as an ethnicity also fall under Asian American because of India's geographical location -which in Asia.
Pan-Asian, is an expression of cross-Asian ethnic political, cultural unity
So if BBCs are now calling themselves 'Asian', what exactly are they implying?
Take a look at these Youtube performers- the first is a Canadian Vietnamese.
The Chengman
The next three are BBC.
Chungj5
The Fellow Yellow
rikehtube ( brother of bubzbeauty)
Are BBCS trying to reclaim the word from the South Asian's? Are BBCS trying to Express pan-Asian unity? Or are BBCS simply jumping on the Asian American cultural wagon instead of developing a BBC culture? And if so, is this a good idea?
Wait, what?
ReplyDeletewhat you cant read?
DeletePerhaps clarification of the article is required, maybe you should have written something along the lines of this in your article...
ReplyDeleteAsian in the UK means South Asians . i.e Indian, Pakistani's etc.
Asian in America basically means the same as pan-Asian, anyone of Asian descent. Indian's as an ethnicity also fall under Asian American because of India's geographical location -which in Asia.
Pan-Asian, (if I'm not mistaken, although I maybe wrong) is an expression of cross-Asian ethnic political, cultural (etc) unity
So if BBC call themselves Asian, what exactly are they implying? Are they trying to reclaim the word from the South Asian's? Are they trying to Express pan-Asian unity? Or are they simply jumping on the Asian American cultural wagon?
Okay thanks for clarifying that. Ive just copied and pasted what you wrote and reedited it above.
DeleteI think it's just an Americanism.
ReplyDeleteYou seem to be over-thinking a lot of issues on your blog. Just chill.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI believe this is a uniquely British thing, with a hint of Americanisation going on. Let me explain.
ReplyDeleteLike with all things British, they - we - like to do things differently. See Myanmar for example, we call that Burma. Britain's past history with South Asia and various nearby countries have meant Britain calling Asians means exactly the above - Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis etc... see the BBC Asian Network, 99% South Asian content, though there was ONE series by Madame Miaow, a British Chinese lady who raises up British Chinese issues in her blog. She's one lady to be proud of.
Anyway, it doesn't help matters that recently (for a few years) BBC have started dropping Asian when referring to Chinese related articles... casually swapping Chinese/Japanese etc. with "Asian", just to confuse us further. Either that... or
Americanisation. If you go around the world, not just North America, we are referred to as Asians. Not Oriental. Not Chinese. Not Far Eastern or East Asian. Just Asian. Ask a non Chinese in Singapore, Australia, South America what we are. Asian, most likely (the polite answer anyway). I can't help but feel that this is due to ethnic Chinese reading and being influenced by US press and media more and more, so instead of being Chinese or Japanese 9country_, or even East Asian (region) we are simply Asian - we have been generalised into 1 of 3 billion. The power of US media.
So yes, when you have a FOB Chinese immigrant who gradually becomes British by staying here for a while, they are still confused over the terminology, because everywhere else s/he is Asian, but now s/he associates themselves with a different community entirely.
Without a doubt. I had never heard of a Chinese person calling themselves Asian in the UK until Youtube and social networking came to the forefront in the noughties thats when I started receiving jokey questionnaires entitled... “How Asian are you?” or “You know you’re Asian when.....” ....you spend hours downloading Asian drama etc.”
DeleteThese lists were created by Asian Americans and found their way to the UK via the internet. Pan-Asian culture is also something that grew around the same time, but I don't think it works too well in the UK as we don't have the same level of East Asian diversity in terms of numbers. British Jap's and Koreans are tiny in number the UK and don't mix with Chinese.
‘Asian’ in having multiple meanings or usage, in this case is also used colloquially to mean East Asian/Oriental too.... as ‘East Asian’ is now the replacement term for ‘oriental’ (considered un-pc), however no one uses the term ‘East Asian,’ have you ever heard a Chinese call themselves East Asian in the UK?
Exactly - the internet is responsible for Asian American-isms and has created this short-cut mentality. In American it was called Azn-pride that started way back in 2000 in american and seems to reinvent itself every 10 years.
DeleteYes Its nice to be part of something bigger, but as BBCS are the biggest majority in the UK with Korean and Japanese born/FOBS keeping to themselves, and probably not mixing with BBCS we need our own BBC pride first.
How can you be proud of a whole East-Asian sector when you have no confidence in your own Chinese culture?
Trololol, yes, China is SO peaceful.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they are 'equal'.
DeleteI strongly disagree with the Iraq war, and even the recent NATO intervention in Libya. But, I also disagree with China's jailing of political non-conformists and jailing of journalists - and so do many in non-mainland Chinese areas like Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is not a contradictory position to take - criticising China is not synonymous with supporting US imperialism (yes, I have read Chomsky).
I'm not China bashing, I'm merely pointing out that China is hardly a great example of a 'peaceful' country.
Also, I'm saddened that you would play the race card and 'accuse' me of being white. Of course, it's not possible for a 'Chinese' to disagree with another Chinese, is it? I must be white. The Hong Kongers who protest every year against 6/4 must be white.
The original debate is secular - Chinese v Chinese, we have secular debates most of the time, however when we have a White vs Chinese debate, as it was switched, we need to be careful, as a minority in the west if we attack China to a white audience. In similar fashion to the invasion of Iraq etc, Muslim's were not openly supporting the US/UK even though liberation would arguably benefit the Iraqi people long time. Muslims support a Muslim solution, not a western solution. China recently vetoed the US back Sec Council over Syria and backed an Arab League solution instead.
DeleteHowever I criticise Chinese/China all the time as a secular Chinese debate. Hong Kong can protest all they like about 6/4, its secular Chinese issue to them, just like Locust v Dog is a secular debate.
Indeed by virtue of defending/promoting/expressing China/Chinese pride does not mean its synonymous with supporting human rights abuse in China either.
The difference is that I have not read any comment from you that criticises Non-ethnic Chinese nor support Chinese in 'Chinese vs White' issues, instead you post these bland comments denying all forms of racism by Whites on Chinese as non-racist, trivial etc, which are very 'white' comments to make.
A common tactic for most trolls such as BBC Alex is to deviate away from the point - in this case discrimination against the Chinese - and put the blame on the victim group itself.
DeleteIs BBC Alex one those yorkie bar supporters?, anyway glad people can see through it. If trolls real point is taking the mick on the sly to BBCs, or to undermine BBC discussion, this BBC blog and BBC bloggers with real BBC interests. good to remove or edit them unless they have a point, which i don't it has.
ReplyDeleteThis is best BBC blog going I think is progressive and the topics raised are the ones I thinking aswell, I don't it be spoilt by trolls.
OK
ReplyDeleteWhat sort of BBC culture are you talking about!?
Maybe this is a new culture. just cos it has similarities with American Asian culture, why is it less legitimate. Can you start posting a video and provide some suggestions? So what if the BBC culture is something YOU guys don't like?
When BBCZeitgeist makes a youtube video and provides US with a real alternative, a BBC culture that is relevant to an already culturally diverse BBC body, then maybe I'll listen.
BTW Fellow Yellow was born in Germany. PAWNED.
Start reading more about real issues that affect British Chinese community, and use that as material rather the usual juvenile wannabe asian american lite crap that is put on youtube to pander to white and multicultural audiences.
DeleteWhats that? You cant?
Forget, you are all about being 'accepted'by mainstream. OMG PWND