One of the things that have always astounded me (and has been indeed, an immense source of pride) is the amount of work that us Chinese have accomplished over the ages just from the use of brute physical manpower alone. The industriousness of most Chinese, especially those who emigrated to other lands to shoulder the kinds of jobs that no one else wants, helped to build such historic things as the American rail system. Slowly sipping coffee, I sat this morning looking from my kitchen window, at two 'Amigos' (what many Chinese in NY call any of the poor low end labor Hispanic immigrant), with shovels in hand offering to dig out vehicles who's drivers awoke to find their cars snow bound. The $10 or $20 USD per car wasn't a tremendous amount, but calculated at the 3 or 4 cars per hour that they could do, is a honest day's wage not to be ashamed of by any means. In the span of my coffee, they dug out three cars and then trudged up the street, presumably looking for more opportunity. I put my empty coffee cup into the sink, and walked back to my bedroom. On the way I pass my sons' bedroom, where the both of them I can hear, are loudly snoring through their open door. I'm instantly reminded of Erik Erikson's 4th stage of psychosocial development (aka Industry versus Inferiority), and a general feeling of sadness washes over me. My kids are really more American than Chinese, after all. ***Sidebar*** BTW, if your car is stuck and buried in snow, please ensure that your exhaust pipe is cleared of snow first before you start the car. If not, the carbon monoxide backs up into the vehicle and you (or anyone else sitting in the vehicle) can actually asphyxiate or die from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Wow .. those morning coffee wisdom .. lol I think most Azn kids borne in the US have everything at their disposable; unlike immigrants whom have to work extra hard to get even the simpliest thing.
One of the things that I've been talking to the missus about is the sense that our kids are so pampered, that it would cause them to come to ruin. They have little in terms of hardiness, character, or ability to suffer genuine hardship or harshness of venue. If there wasn't a war on, I would kick them into the military to get them to man up. Of course, the fault is all mine for allowing Mrs Ralph to talk me out of the strict disciplines that I had wanted them to adhere to. Her soft touch left us with soft sons; both of which are averse to physical labor and less than 5 star hotel conditions. How I wish it was them out there shoveling snow, damn it.
indeed, but the Chinese population has worked hard to earn the ranks of the "white man's luxuries" we started off the same, as immigrants but yet the average Asian American income, what once was on par with the Mexicans has grown at an exceeding rate and has come on par to the White Man while the Latino community is still clinging onto the bottom tier.
