Robert G. Lee’s article, “Making the Model Minority Myth” resonated with me since I can relate to the article as an Asian-American. The article mainly discusses how Asian-Americans are very successful because of traditional values and their hardworking nature. I can relate to most of Lee’s argument, but not all of it.

Lee argues that Asian-Americans are seen as self-reliant, especially from the statistic that although 15% of Chinese families in New York City had incomes below the federal poverty level, only 3.4% enrolled to receive public assistance. This might be the case, but another common trait of Asian-Americans is refusing to admit to failure, which might also be the reason for the small percentage of Chinese families enrolling for public assistance.

Lee also describes the “traditional Asian American family” from David Bell’s 1985 essay in the New Republic.

The traditional Asian American family [is] an “intact” family, significant in three ways: It provides a secure environment for children; it pushes those children to work harder; and it fosters savings.

I believe my family is a “traditional Asian American family,” but it’s not necessarily the reason why I am who I am today. Obviously, as immigrants, my parents had to work so much harder in America to build up their income and provide a stable environment for my sister and me. However, it’s not really something I’ve kept in mind at all, because my parents don’t talk about their time in America or even about their past in China (my dad) or Hong Kong (my mom). Thus, two out of the three ways are valid for my family, but the second way, that it pushes me to work harder, isn’t true. I do have a good work ethic, but it’s built more upon the fact that I want to succeed in life.

I consider myself self-reliant as well, but I don’t think it relates to me being an Asian-American, or to the environment in which I was raised. For my whole life, I’ve built my own morals and values from the people around me and my experiences. This self reliance stems more from the fact that I want to be more independent and not want to rely on my family for the rest of my life.

Lastly, Lee states that the Asian-American “tradition is reduced to the values of obedience, discipline, and motivation enacted by the family.” In general, I can see how this would be true, since many of my Asian-American friends are pressured by their families to do well in school, and perhaps even to pursue certain career paths. However, my family is more lenient. My parents were stricter when I was younger, and I used to be worried whenever I received a bad grade in middle school or the beginning of high school. Now, good grades are just expected from me, and my parents don’t even ask about school anymore, and I feel less pressured. Perhaps I was more obedient and disciplined in the past, but that’s not how I am now, and I don’t really have any family pressures.