Victims of "Microaggressions"

[mike029]

I came across this article today and I think it everyone should give it a read. Finally there's a word to describe the everyday monotonous conversations that wear us down. My favorite is the Simplified vs Traditional conversation. I've got that one down perfectly and don't have to think at all.

It's called "Yes, I can use chopsticks: the everyday 'microaggressions' that grind us down", and it hits the nail on the head. This article's about Japan, but the exact same things apply here, as well.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/fl20120501ad.html

Ironically, I found this article while sitting on the train in Yilan just after a group of Uni students "welcomed me" to Taiwan with some awkward group attempt in English, to which I replied in Chinese that I've lived here for three years, met with outrageous laughter from the group because omfg the "Indian" can speak Chinese. I wasn't gonna tackle the fact that I'm not Indian and just walked away, disgusted, yet again. It's not my job to teach geography and educate this whole damn island on appropriate social norms. It's our job as foreigners to deflower the locals, obviously. That's been our role for centuries.

[Indiana]

Interesting, insightful, and very true of experiences in Taiwan as well. It really does wear you down...it wore me down anyway. It was refreshing to move to the UAE where I NEVER get questioned / treated like that.

[Belgian Pie]

or leaving the only empty train seat next to them

That's because they don't want to bother you with their presence ...

[tomthorne]

While Dr. Sue's suggestions are interesting, the major flaw with transferring the results to Taiwan is that the "cultural representatives of all Taiwan" are a handful of posters on forumosa.

[EddieG]

1. I live in Yilan at the moment. I get this kind of experience daily, not just on the train.

2. Wait until you marry a Taiwanese woman and eat with her extended family often. That takes the annoyance of the chopsticks thing to another level. You think they should know that after five years that I do know how to handle them sticks...

[creztor]

Just don't eat with her extended family then. Problem solved

[tomthorne]

Don't take any more shit than you are prepared to deal with in your home country. Why is this so difficult?

[Confuzius]

Seriously

[mike029]

Don't take any more shit than you are prepared to deal with in your home country. Why is this so difficult?

Resistance is not futile; it is in fact counterproductive.

I think this line is interesting. I can't keep explaining to every single person that Americans don't have to look like Anglo-mix blonde hair, blue eyed lacrosse players and that it's a multi-ethnic society. I can't keep saying ABCs are not 回来ing TW because they are not Chinese/Taiwanese by nationality, just ethnicity. I now just say I'm from a country that I "look like" because trying to teach them about the world outside of TW takes too much of my energy and time and they really didn't care to learn in the first place otherwise they would have already known. Also, it makes that monotonous conversation I already had twice that day last longer than I wanted it to.

I don't treat a Chinese/Hispanic/Indian/not-white person in the United States with that amount of disrespect asking them why they are in America, how long they are staying, fumble at their 'native language' because there's no way they can speak mine, and be amazed they can use a fork every single time I see them just because I'm "curious to learn about them". It's just tiring to have to deal with the same shit all the time. I try to mix it up to keep from going crazy. Last week I was Italian, and this week I'm going to be Argentinian. Also, I'm a masters student at NTU studying....international relations or something.

Anyone who doesn't believe at least some part of this article is living in complete denial.

While Dr. Sue's suggestions are interesting, the major flaw with transferring the results to Taiwan is that the "cultural representatives of all Taiwan" are a handful of posters on forumosa.

This doesn't make any sense. ??

or leaving the only empty train seat next to them

That's because they don't want to bother you with their presence ...

I wish they would have that same courtesy when they hold my food hostage to chat with me.

[tomthorne]

While Dr. Sue's suggestions are interesting, the major flaw with transferring the results to Taiwan is that the "cultural representatives of all Taiwan" are a handful of posters on forumosa.

This doesn't make any sense. ??

Where else are you getting your representations of Taiwan from?