Are we Asians?

Seriously. Are we Asians?

I suppose you could answer that two ways. One way is to answer that question based on geography. Geographically speaking, there’s no denying that we’re situated in the Asia-Pacific region.

But the more interesting approach - to me at least - is to look at that question from a cultural perspective. And with that point of attack, I’d have to say NO, we’re not Asians at all. For one thing, our values are different; seems we have more in common with our former colonial masters than with our closest neighbors.

And from this difference in values I think can be traced the roots of the differences between our present circumstances and those of our neighbors. Take public transportation for instance.

We take after the American model that stresses individual car ownership. As a result, successive governments have all but ignored the need to modernize mass transit, while allowing individual car ownership to go unchecked. End result: congested roads, an archaic public transportation system, and one of the worst levels of air pollution in the world. Compare that with Singapore, for instance. It’s incredibly difficult to get your own car, and when you do, you can hang on to it for only a few years. But that’s okay. Their public transportation system is first class, and so many prefer to take the buses or the trains. And to think Singapore has been independent just about half-a-century.

As another example, consider human relations. In nearly all Asian countries, the collective good occupies a very high position in the individual’s priorities. Westerners used to deride that as a kind of hive mentality. Here at home, the collective good rests somewhere between the sole of your feet and the mud. We cling to our individual claims of personal entitlement against everyone else, the needs of the more numerous be damned. And as an offshoot, we cannot abide the thought of someone getting ahead of us. At the first hint of someone else rising above the mediocrity we’re comfortable in, we go all out trying to undermine his success, and gloat mightily when he falls back into the muck with us. But we rejoice to high heavens when his fall becomes the springboard for our own ascent.

On the positive side, we are more frank than Asians. Like our American role models, we usually say what we mean. Asians try to save face - either for themselves or for the one who might be embarrassed or put in a difficult position. In Japanese corporate speak, “No, I cannot help you” virtually does not exist. Instead, they say “I’ll think about it (in perpetuity).” That could be either cool or not. But the bottomline is, most Asians are prone to stress generated by unexpressed frustration or anger. Which is why, back in the late 80`s, restaurants in Japan often had rooms where you could vent your anger at your boss by hurling plates at his picture.

I’m sure there are lots more ways that can be cited to support the proposal that Filipinos are not Asians. When I’m done documenting them (it’s a hobby, so don’t hold your breath), I’ll post it. But here’s an interesting homework assignment for anyone who’s interested: If Filipinos are not Asians, what are we?