Journal - Winter Snow, Dream of Spring

>>> MY VIEW OF ASIAN HERITAGE GROUP AT WORK

I’m an equal-opportunity striver. My personal American experience has made me into a “social Darwinist” – I want to be the best at what I do (being the best business decision scientist, the data-driven strategist, and middle manager.). I want to be judged on my own merits without regard to my race or class.

At the company where I work, we have 450 (~10%) Asian employees out of 5,000 in the US branch. All Asians are not the same. There is no need for preferential treatment from our employer; we don’t need to be categorized into one cultural group which tends to promote stereotypes and group psychology of self-pity (and incite unwanted suspicion and resentment, or reinforce prejudice.) We shouldn’t ask the system to lower its standards to accommodate our inadequacies. In a competitive work environment, Some, but not all, of us Asians are perfectly capable of adapting, rising up to the challenges and succeeding within the system, whereas others may fail, and that’s just fine. This thinking makes me a “Social Darwinist” - I am for an organic growth and natural selection (of the fittest) process. Although painful at times, this process ultimately results in an enduring improvement of our conditions.

I support the idea of establishing an Asian Employee Resource group at my workplace only to offer customized assistance/resources for the Asian strivers to become successful at work, but not to offer life-support help to keep those un-prepared, uninitiated, lazy, stubborn Asians alive (they are not worth the trouble saving; and they make the rest of us look bad in the long run.)

“We’ve all grown up differently. That’s why we are different…I like the way just you are.” - Fred Roger

I’ll push the idea a bit further: We are all different and unique in our own way. So, let’s celebrate our diversity as humans, and learn from each other, rather than patronizing one group while neglecting others.

>>> SPEAKING OF FAITH – LISTENING TO ELEPHANTS AND WHALE, AND OUR MORAL CONFLICTS

Elephants and whale are the most social and intelligent (and huge) mammals on earth. They use constantly changing sounds (in the case of elephants, sub-sonic) to communicate with each other.

Interview with Katy Paine of Cornell ornithology in bio-acoustics (her book is “Silent Thunders”), “If we can restrict what we want to what we need, then there will be more for everyone. After all, this is the only planet we have to live in the universe.”

We can all do our own part. For example, if the newly rich Chinese can stop desiring ivory tusks (one of their ugly cultural traits), then there won’t be poaching in poorer countries to satisfy the insatiable appetite of the rich at the expense of destroying bio-diversity. Humans need nature to make their lives richer.

>>> CANDIDATE’S VOICE

As eyes are the window into one’s soul, so is voice the window into one’s heart. A leadership voice should convey authority, passion and empathy.

For a women leader, it poses a difficult dilemma. People seem to approve of only two kinds of traditional women voices, both non-threatening: (1) A little girl’s voice (which conveys helplessness and neediness, like that of Jackie Kennedy.) (2) a siren’s voice (conveys a woman’s sexuality and mating call, like that of Lauren BeCall.) So, what should a women leader sound like? With authority and that elusive connectedness (?)

John McCain – an old voice, warm but trembling
Obama – preachy
Hillary Clinton – an angry mother (which makes her children feel insecure).

>>> HOW TO DEAL WITH TRAGIC LOSS IN LIFE

You’ll never get over it, but you’ll get used to it.

>>> WAR

Why were American soldiers failing in the war in Afghanistan? American army was too fascinated with technology, and neglected to fight the war at a political, cultural and human level.

>>> MAINSTREAMING OR BALKANIZATION – AN IMMIGRATION PARADOX

Americans have a tough time making up its mind about immigration: Republican politicians don’t want immigration, not because the immigrants take the jobs away from ordinary Americans (which they don’t), but because the bulk of the immigrants (especially the less educated Mexicans) don’t integrate well with the rest of the society. Democrats are counting on the immigrant votes, and businessmen want the cheap labor that immigrants bring.

Immigration should be more than economics. The issue is a complex one, beyond just mainstreaming or balkanization of the Mexicans. What if we mainstream all the Mexicans in this country; and they all become better educated; and they all want what Americans want; with prosperity comes plights like those facing Americans today, the Mexicans would no longer be able to insulate themselves from the societal ills, and they will suffer the same fate as the rest of the Americans (subprime mortgage debacles, manufacturing decline, lowering of living standards.)

For me, the priority of the immigration policy should be concerned with border security and national sovereign. I have never seen any country with such a confused policy and lax control of its immigration as America.

>>> HOW TO COMPETE AGAINST CHINESE CHEAP GOODS

To differentiate your product from the cheap knockoffs from China is through superior quality and smart marketing.

Put money into R&D, quality control, and marketing, and you are likely to win over your competition. It may take a while to work, but it is not impossible. Examples: 1 in 3 of the world’s saxophones are produced in a small place in the middle of Taiwan (manufacutring high-quality products priced for the mid-range consumers, rather than the bargain hunters or luxury goods market); Toyota is noted for making quality cars with superb value.

Happy New Year!

Susie Li
February 25, 2007