Dan Carabas's blog

Appearance or Truth?

This week’s readings were probably the most fun because they are so different. At first glance it seems as if both pieces are going to talk about how the Chinese are a “model minority,” but the information could not be more contradictory.
   

While Chinatown is usually seen as a place that signifies lower social status, it is commonly believed that Chinese students are obedient and very well performing. While the U.S. News and World Report seems to sustain these perceptions, Peter Kwong could not disagree more.

Segregation in New York?

While New York was segregated throughout most of the 20th century, it was still better than many other parts of the country.  As the Whitmans said, they liked New York because it was more liberal in the sense that they had more freedom and less prosecution. Despite having more freedoms, non-whites still struggled economically, and most segregation was seen in the job market and in education.

Perceptions

BUBBLE TEA!!! I have to admit, the first thing that pops into my head when i hear Chinatown is bubble tea. I see Chinatown as an almost unreal place where people of all races go to eat, shop, and have a good time. Chinatown is one of the few places where you can find all sorts of people coexisting in what appears to be perfect harmony. Well, perfect harmony behind the thousands of tourists, overcrowded streets, and less than pleasant smells; but then again that is what makes Chinatown so remarkable. My idea of Brighton Beach is totally different.

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