Comments on: Fraternal competition for the almighty dollar http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2004/08/28/fraternal_compe/ All that flavorful brownness in one savory packet Sat, 30 Nov 2013 11:11:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: prakruti http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2004/08/28/fraternal_compe/comment-page-1/#comment-502 prakruti Sun, 29 Aug 2004 16:32:48 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=296#comment-502 <p>I agree with u Manish. Again this is my humble opinion as a first generation desi. First gen indians are a lot tougher mentally/goal oriented than others. Wonderful oppurtunities/technologies available career wise which we donot have in india, thirst for learning, Immigration filtering, attractive dollars we earn here to support our families in india are all reasons behind that competitive spirit/ goal oriented psyche. An american friend of mine asked me sometime back why Iam always smiling and cheerful despite all the problems we first gen indians face and he said he needs a prozac to be as cheerful as me everyday. I told him come to india with me and I will show u poverty, hard life out there and u will realise what a blessing ur life in US is.Its the perspective. People who grow up here dont realise what they have and take things for granted. And first generation indians like me and others do not take anything for granted and value every lil oppurtunity. But emotionally - first generation indians like me and others are more vulnerable and immature interms of issues like relationships, being away from families etc., as compared to second generation indians/american girlfriends of my age who are used to the concept of nuclear families/broken relationships/families. I feel second generation indians handle things better in emotional issues. Culturally - we are equally confused as second generation desis holding on to some indian values which make sense and leaving the others and specially for indian women living in US for sometime its a lil hard to accept some of the indian family values where women are not considered equals,not allowed to work, have no economic freedom,issues like dowry,arranged marriages, bride burning, have no liberty to speak or express their opinions etc.,</p> I agree with u Manish. Again this is my humble opinion as a first generation desi. First gen indians are a lot tougher mentally/goal oriented than others. Wonderful oppurtunities/technologies available career wise which we donot have in india, thirst for learning, Immigration filtering, attractive dollars we earn here to support our families in india are all reasons behind that competitive spirit/ goal oriented psyche. An american friend of mine asked me sometime back why Iam always smiling and cheerful despite all the problems we first gen indians face and he said he needs a prozac to be as cheerful as me everyday. I told him come to india with me and I will show u poverty, hard life out there and u will realise what a blessing ur life in US is.Its the perspective. People who grow up here dont realise what they have and take things for granted. And first generation indians like me and others do not take anything for granted and value every lil oppurtunity. But emotionally – first generation indians like me and others are more vulnerable and immature interms of issues like relationships, being away from families etc., as compared to second generation indians/american girlfriends of my age who are used to the concept of nuclear families/broken relationships/families. I feel second generation indians handle things better in emotional issues. Culturally – we are equally confused as second generation desis holding on to some indian values which make sense and leaving the others and specially for indian women living in US for sometime its a lil hard to accept some of the indian family values where women are not considered equals,not allowed to work, have no economic freedom,issues like dowry,arranged marriages, bride burning, have no liberty to speak or express their opinions etc.,

]]> By: gc http://sepiamutiny.com/blog/2004/08/28/fraternal_compe/comment-page-1/#comment-501 gc Sat, 28 Aug 2004 22:11:51 +0000 http://sepiamutiny.com?p=296#comment-501 <p>most notable part of the article:</p> <blockquote> And earlier this year, officials at <b>Harvard pointed out that the majority of their black students - perhaps as many two-thirds - were African and Caribbean immigrants or their children, or to a lesser extent, children of biracial couples.</b> Sociologists say foreign-born blacks from majority-black countries are less psychologically handicapped by the stigma of race. Many arrive with higher levels of education and professional experience. And sociologists say they often encounter less discrimination. </blockquote> <p>I think the "higher levels of education & professional experience" have a lot more to do with it than nebulous and unprovable discrimination charges. Somehow I doubt that a genuine racist is going to make much of a distinction between a Ghanan-American and a descendant of slaves.</p> most notable part of the article:

And earlier this year, officials at Harvard pointed out that the majority of their black students – perhaps as many two-thirds – were African and Caribbean immigrants or their children, or to a lesser extent, children of biracial couples. Sociologists say foreign-born blacks from majority-black countries are less psychologically handicapped by the stigma of race. Many arrive with higher levels of education and professional experience. And sociologists say they often encounter less discrimination.

I think the “higher levels of education & professional experience” have a lot more to do with it than nebulous and unprovable discrimination charges. Somehow I doubt that a genuine racist is going to make much of a distinction between a Ghanan-American and a descendant of slaves.

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