Analyzing the Myth of the Asian-American Income
From Abagond:
“Asian Americans have a higher median family income” than whites is something that White Americans like to point out. It is repeated so much that it seems to be a stock part of the white racist imagination – like black rapists.
Median family income in 2000:
* $59,000 Asian American
* $48,500 white
* $36,000 Latino
* $33,300 black
* $32,240 Native American
So it is true!
See that: Asians come to America with nothing and, pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, they pass not just blacks but whites too! Whatever is holding back blacks, Latinos and Native Americans it is certainly not racism!
And look how well it falls in line with IQ:
* 106 South Korea
* 105 Japan
* 104 Taiwan
* 101 White America
* 87 Mexico
* 85 Black America
Proof that American society is not racist! For all its faults, it manages to reward people according to merit regardless of race. Blacks need to stop complaining and grow up! Besides, how can whites be racist if they think Asians are better?
As it turns out, “Asian Americans have a higher median family income” is very carefully worded.
Change “family income” to “personal income”, for example, and look at what you get:
* $24,000 whites
* $23,000
* $22,000
* $21,000
* $20,000 Asian American
* $19,000
* $18,000
* $17,000
* $16,000 blacks
* $15,000 Native Americans
* $14,000 Latinos
Asian Americans top whites in family income only because Asian families have on average more people working. It has nothing to do with IQ.
And now break down “Asian American” by nationality:
* $26,000 Japanese, Asian Indians
* $25,000
* $24,000 whites
* $23,000 Filipinos
* $22,000
* $21,000
* $20,000 Asian American, Chinese
* $19,000 Pacific Islanders
* $18,000
* $17,000
* $16,000 blacks, Koreans, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians
* $15,000 Native Americans
* $14,000 Latinos
“Asian American” covers such a broad range that it is next to useless.
And so much for bootstraps: Most who fled Indo-China after the Vietnam War and came to America with next to nothing are still at the bottom, making less than blacks on average.
Even Korean Americans, despite their supposedly high IQs, have not clearly passed blacks, much less whites: they are the same as blacks in terms of median personal income ($16,300) and rate of home ownership (a bit over half).
Middle-class whites mainly just know middle-class Asian Americans. Unlike black poverty, they rarely see Asian American poverty on television.
Whites are paid more for the same level of education: Asian Americans, like blacks, have to stay in school longer to get paid the same as a white person.
Increase in yearly income for every year at university:
* $550
* $525 whites
* $500
* $475
* $450 Japanese
* $425
* $400
* $375
* $350
* $325 Chinese
* $300
* $275 blacks
* $250
So “median family income” was picked not because whites are simply “seeing the world as it is” but because it is one of the few numbers that supports the white stereotype about Asians as a model minority, which in turn makes it seem like American society is not racist.
That is just how stereotypes work: they are self-serving beliefs that lead one to notice the facts that fit them and overlook those that do not. It is called confirmation bias.
Like with crime statistics, whites will pick and choose and twist the numbers till they come out “right” and support what they want to believe anyway.
“Asian Americans have a higher median family income” than whites is something that White Americans like to point out. It is repeated so much that it seems to be a stock part of the white racist imagination – like black rapists.
Median family income in 2000:
* $59,000 Asian American
* $48,500 white
* $36,000 Latino
* $33,300 black
* $32,240 Native American
So it is true!
See that: Asians come to America with nothing and, pulling themselves up by their bootstraps, they pass not just blacks but whites too! Whatever is holding back blacks, Latinos and Native Americans it is certainly not racism!
And look how well it falls in line with IQ:
* 106 South Korea
* 105 Japan
* 104 Taiwan
* 101 White America
* 87 Mexico
* 85 Black America
Proof that American society is not racist! For all its faults, it manages to reward people according to merit regardless of race. Blacks need to stop complaining and grow up! Besides, how can whites be racist if they think Asians are better?
As it turns out, “Asian Americans have a higher median family income” is very carefully worded.
Change “family income” to “personal income”, for example, and look at what you get:
* $24,000 whites
* $23,000
* $22,000
* $21,000
* $20,000 Asian American
* $19,000
* $18,000
* $17,000
* $16,000 blacks
* $15,000 Native Americans
* $14,000 Latinos
Asian Americans top whites in family income only because Asian families have on average more people working. It has nothing to do with IQ.
And now break down “Asian American” by nationality:
* $26,000 Japanese, Asian Indians
* $25,000
* $24,000 whites
* $23,000 Filipinos
* $22,000
* $21,000
* $20,000 Asian American, Chinese
* $19,000 Pacific Islanders
* $18,000
* $17,000
* $16,000 blacks, Koreans, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Laotians
* $15,000 Native Americans
* $14,000 Latinos
“Asian American” covers such a broad range that it is next to useless.
And so much for bootstraps: Most who fled Indo-China after the Vietnam War and came to America with next to nothing are still at the bottom, making less than blacks on average.
Even Korean Americans, despite their supposedly high IQs, have not clearly passed blacks, much less whites: they are the same as blacks in terms of median personal income ($16,300) and rate of home ownership (a bit over half).
Middle-class whites mainly just know middle-class Asian Americans. Unlike black poverty, they rarely see Asian American poverty on television.
Whites are paid more for the same level of education: Asian Americans, like blacks, have to stay in school longer to get paid the same as a white person.
Increase in yearly income for every year at university:
* $550
* $525 whites
* $500
* $475
* $450 Japanese
* $425
* $400
* $375
* $350
* $325 Chinese
* $300
* $275 blacks
* $250
So “median family income” was picked not because whites are simply “seeing the world as it is” but because it is one of the few numbers that supports the white stereotype about Asians as a model minority, which in turn makes it seem like American society is not racist.
That is just how stereotypes work: they are self-serving beliefs that lead one to notice the facts that fit them and overlook those that do not. It is called confirmation bias.
Like with crime statistics, whites will pick and choose and twist the numbers till they come out “right” and support what they want to believe anyway.
