Supermarkets, Media, Gimmicks, Rants, and Asians

The other day I was out with my family doing our weekly supermarket shopping at the Safeway supermarket in Daly City. I'm browsing around the aisles, picking and choosing food I want to eat for the upcoming week when I truly take the time to look in Aisle 9, the aisle dedicated to Asian, Hispanic, and Kosher items/meals. Usually, I would often pass by this aisle because my family and I all knew that we wouldn't get any authentic Asian and Asian American food from a big chain company like Safeway. My family instead goes to places like Ranch 99 Supermarket, Pacific Supermarket, and other Asian-oriented supermarkets to get our fix of Asian food. However, I felt the urge to see how Asian American culture and food is seen in our society. I entered the aisle with low expectations as Safeway originally called this aisle the "Oriental" food section, a term that is derogatory towards Asians and Asian Americans. As I walk through the entire aisle, I find that all my assumptions were true; there were all these stereotypical Asian-looking fonts, as well as "True Authentic ______ (name of Asian country/identity) Food" all marked on the boxes.







Honestly, what's up with the way Asian Americans are portrayed and grouped together in America today? At times when I see things like this at the supermarket with the big name companies using "Asian" fonts and the phrase "Authentic Asian Food" to persuade customers to purchasing these products, or in media today with Asians being seen as permissive, nerdy, conniving, or goofy, it makes me feel that our society is taking a step back. To me it seems like being Asian is a gimmick with stuff like the Harajuku/Gwen Stefani fad going on. Harajuku fashion was originally made for Japanese youth to express themselves through fashion! Also, why are Asian Americans, better yet, minorities grouped together into one category? I thought now-a-days people are more open and understanding to other people's cultures and struggles. Ideally, I wish our society could work to understand other people's cultures and values. Asian American people are not always about the ching-chong, anime-loving, sex-slave, nerdy people some might think we are; we are people just like you. I guess I'd like to live in a world where we could judge people purely by character and not by grouping them with others who look like them. But then again, that's asking for people to not be bias and prejudice towards others, something will never be possible. But we can all try to understand one another.

Just my random rant.