Originally posted by: BlipBlop
This is an extremely interesting thread, and as an Indian male, I am glad to put in my two cents.
Work Ethic
As has been said, Indians generally have a strong work ethic. The basis is simply the lack of opportunity to be had in India, and the recognition that almost anything can be achieved in America with some hard work - this, however, is nothing unique to Indians, and you will see most immigrants offering a similar sentiment when asked about their own reasons for coming here.
What I think seperates Indians (but can be extended to include most "Easterners") from the rest of the immigrants in this country, is that Indians have come, not as refugees from oppressive governments (Africans, for example), or as the disenchanted underclass of society (late 19th and early 20th century Europeans, for example), but as educated and opprtunistic people, well aware of what they have to do and what they can achieve here in America - the result has traditionally been a quick rise to the top, or at least a respectable rung on the socio-economic ladders. However, in more recent times, along with the traditional educated "elite" of India, there has been an influx of lower class indians - these, I believe, are responsible in large part for the "desi" gangs, the desi homeboys, and the other nefarious characters not normally associated with the Indian stereotype - without as good a breeding, their kids fall more quickly in with "the wrong crowd". Admittedly, there are some american-born indian children who have fallen in as well, but I'm willing to bet, that 9 times out of 10, they shed that attitude and go on to sucessful endeavors after the teen years.
Much of the Indian riff-raff you see, aren't even directly from India, but from the West Indies - these people have almost fully lost their culture, and as such don't live up to the Indian standards of educational and financial ambition.
Stinginess
Indians can be very stingy. Many Indian immigrants have lived their whole lives in economic struggle, even the educated ones, and the success in America is viewed, rather than the chance to now live well, as merely providing the financial "security" necessary to maintaining their frugal lifestyle. You will often see Indians haggling prices when inappropriate to do so, or refusing to pay for items that are clearly affordable. Why? The modus operandi is utilitarianism - if you don't NEED it, then there is no point buying it. Getting a Chemlawn to mow your lawn? NO WAY! Eating out at a nice place? WHAT's THE POINT?!.
Me?
I'm an American-born Indian. I had the fortune of having to VERY progressive parents, both of whom came to America while they were quite young themselves (my grandparents worked for the governments, and were posted here.) I've had the fortune of retaining the best parts of my culture, and as such, being able to adopt and assimilate with the best parts of American culture. As an example, I don't buy into the media, into MTV, or into the Abercrombie-dictated life as much as my caucasian friends do, well, perhaps, because as an Indian, I don't _fully_ relate to white America, but at the same time, I don't buy into the often severe gender inequity that is rampant within Indian culture, because I don't fully connect to India. It's been hard, and I've had a very difficult time coming to where I am, but such is the fate of being in a country where most people don't look like you, nor can fully relate to your bagkround and life experiences, ESPECIALLY when your race is essentially INVISIBLE to those around you. Black kids have heroes on TV like Michael Jackson, Jordan, countless singers. Hispanics have had Selena, Rico Suave, and countless others through the years. Can you name ANY indian recognized in the media? Apart from the recent Deepak Chopra, who is essentially playing the modern-day version of the Indian Swami caricature? In the early 90s? In the 80s?
Lecture mode off. 🙂
