The Dangers of the Model Minority Myth

The myth of Asian Americans as the model minority is alive and well. The myth posits that Asian Americans are highly successful and upwardly mobile because of their innate ability and cultural norms (such as hard work).  The myth goes largely unexamined, and it is easy to dismiss concerns about the stereotype, since it presents itself as positive. And yet this stereotype is harmful to Asian American Pacific Island (AAPI) individuals themselves. It creates pressure to live up to highly impossible standards that can cause anxiety and lower performance. Teachers are less likely to notice when Asian students are struggling. And social programs for Asian communities are more likely to be overlooked or cut due to assumptions that these communities need less support than other disadvantaged groups.

The myth is harmful to other disadvantaged groups as well, especially African Americans. To understand why, it’s helpful to look at the history.

The roots of the model minority myth are found in the period following World War II. In the Japanese American internment camps, those in the camps were trained in English, patriotism and how to fit into white culture. Upon release they were instructed to avoid returning to their communities and to instead assimilate into white society. However, after decades of anti-Asian policies and propaganda, white Americans had to be persuaded that Japanese Americans were no longer a threat. The US government therefore sponsored a media campaign to elevate the public’s perception of Japanese Americans. Asian Americans were cast as obedient and respectful citizens.

Later on, an article in the New York Times coined the phrase model minority, not only describing Japanese Americans as being “exceptionally law-abiding,” but also lauding their “achievement orientation,” describing the community as “better than any other group in our society, including native-born whites...by their own almost totally unaided effort.” It contrasted their success with the failure of African Americans to “overcome the structural barriers in their way,” since African Americans did not have a similarly strong, foreign culture like that of the Japanese that they could leverage to rise above their circumstances. (New York Times, Success Story: Japanese American Style, January 9, 1966)

And so Asian Americans and African Americans were pitted against each other, a hierarchy of minorities established, and African Americans portrayed as inferior. We see the effects even today. Indeed, many Americans today point to Asian Americans as the example of how anyone can “make it” in America if they just try. This point of view ignores the systemic discrimination and massive barriers to success for African Americans (and other disadvantaged groups). And it blames disadvantaged communities, especially African American communities, for lacking the internal fortitude to overcome the discrimination and barriers that devastate their communities.

While the myth of the model minority may seem almost flattering on its surface, it is ultimately harmful for so many people. Let’s remove this construct from our analysis. There is no model minority and no problem minority – just people trying make a better life for themselves and their families.