podeamracial brouhaha
Today’s Today (times like this, I wish the tabloid had a different name) carried this article on a new programme by the government to foster closer racial ties.
Said Associate Professor Paulin Straughan, a National University of Singapore sociologist: “One question we must ask ourselves — do we just co-exist harmoniously and get along with each other, without really knowing and understanding each other?
Yes, indeed, there need be better socio-racial cohesion within Singapore; what we have isn’t so much racial acceptance but racial tolerance intermingled with racial indifference. We get along perfectly fine with our neighbours because on most part, we pretend that they too are Chinese/Malay/Indian/Eurasion/Others (as seen on various paperwork). This may be useful in the prevention of racial tension, but is it beneficial in the long run?
It is ironic? sad? amusing? that a later article in the very same edition of Today carried a side-bar (which was not reproduced in the online edition, as far as I see) which contained the following:
A common mistake that Asian women make is blindly choosing foundation shades in ivory tones. As our skin tends to be more yellowish (...)
Woman I may not be (despite claims by Digital Life), but I tried looking for the yellow tint that required shades of ochre; nay, all I found in various reflective surfaces were shades brown.
Petty it may be, lumping Asians under the umbrella term “Oriental” erks me; I am Asian, but I’m not of far-eastern (japan/china, not orchard) heritage. And if the word refers not to that select group of people, why the blanketing of Asian women with small eyes and single eye-lids as done by the same piece? Yet another article in the same issue mentioned the large assets of Indian women (eyes, of course).
This ignoring of cultural identity simply resonates of worse things to come; sure, I’m glad you don’t ostracise me because I’m Indian (and incase you were wondering, I am Indian), but I resent the fact you accept me because you forget I’m Indian.
Many a time people around me lapse into speaking Mandarin. When I object, they do apologise; ‘tis the apology “Oh, we forgot you’re Indian” which rankles.
It is true that I don’t want racial discrimination, it would be insane to wish for that. What I hope for though, is racial distinction. We are not all the same; ignoring that fact in a superficial attempt at “racial harmony” simply lets misconceptions brew beneath the surface.
It is extremely difficult to understand the rationale behind others’ customs and beliefs – superimposing our own expectation on them simply exacerbates the situation. Instead of expecting similarities between you and I, seek instead the differences; similarities may crop up, but if they don’t, it wouldn’t negate your understanding of the other. I guess racial education should begin with clean slates; over-emphasising similarities (as perhaps is done in classrooms) in an attempt to foster that harmony would simply alienate unfamiliar practices when contradistinctions occur.
Well, an Indian woman can have small eyes if she comes from one of the eastern provinces of India. I see a problem when people start seeing bigger countries like China and India with the map (mostly based on physical appearance) they have learnt in Singapore and Malaysia.
Preetam Rai | Feb 13, 10:52 AM | #