Can you tell the difference?
12
July
This is BGE signing in again from across the South China Sea…well not exactly, I am writing this entry in my hotel room in HK preparing for another boring train ride into the heartland of the “made in China” tag. I will be travellng into Donguang to a factory full of Chinese workers who are producing retro Australian memorablia for a project I am working on.
Anyway, while going through the blogs over here, I came across a gem from Sinosplice and thought I’d put the authors and readers at beezhouse to the test.
“How to spot a Jap” was a Pocket Guide to China, produced by none other than the US War Department in 1942. (Oz, do you think this would fit into the ’shit other people are doing that’s inconveniencing us’ section?) It includes a comic book-like section titled How to Spot a Jap. The goal of the section is to teach American soldiers how to differentiate the Chinese from the Japanese. It covers differences in the face, feet, stride, and pronunciation of English. For those of you who have studied the Chinese language, you would probably find the attempt at Pin-Yin (pronunciation of Chinese words with the use of the English alphabet) hilarious. Now if you thought Monkeyboy’s last post on sexist advertising was appealing in its inquisitive approach to PC, I’d love to hear what you think of this!
Being Chinese myself, I thought I had it down pat when it comes to differentiating between the number of Asian nationalities. With a solid understanding of the Chinese language, it would be safe to say that if I could hear the words being spoken, I would be correct in identifying the origin 80-90% of the time. I have not however, tried doing it on just appearance until today. Let me just say I suck!
To me Chinese and Japanese look quite different, however with the recent antics of Chinese A-listers like Zhang Ziyi, an obvious Han Chinese woman (to me anyway) playing Japanese Geisha, it is a little easier to understand how the west could get it mixed up.
If you’re reading this post, then you have to go to ALL LOOK SAME and take the test. Just for the record and as a benchmark, I scored 8.
1. The DayDreamer | July 12th, 2006 at 17:27
I got 6 (out of a possible 18). Not quite sure what that says about me…? At the end of the day, it’s all bullshit anyway. We are ALL members of the Human Race. If you are ignorant enough to judge somebody on their appearance (or ethnicity, religion etc.), then that’s your loss. You are missing out on everything that is on offer from the great melting pot that is humanity! (Cliche I know, but hey, it’s true).
2. MonkeyBoy | July 12th, 2006 at 17:29
Information or propaganda?????
Very interesting topic BGE. Like it!
I find it fascinating that most “whites” I know always think that all “asians” look the same. (Interesting title - ALL LOOK SAME)
I honestly have always diagreed with this. FOr me asians look as similar to one another as whites look similar to one another and blacks look similar to one another. There are differences.
However, since being in Japan many years ago I have always tried picking out the various nationalities amongst asians I meet. It has been like my private little hobby! And I always thought I was pretty good at it.
Well hence my result on your ALL LOOK SAME test was “pretty good = 11″.
Back to the Poster (How to spot a jap). I would like to know in what instances this information/propaganda was used? Would an allied soldier stand in front of an asian, quickly look at the picture and on his own will decide whether or not to shoot him?????
Scary thought! Scary propaganda…….
But this will all be irrelevant in years to come. I read somewhere that in the year 2050 the majority of new born babies will be “mixed race” or maybe as the South Africans like to say “colored”.
And maybe one day we will finally all be one race - “earthling race??????”
3. Jade | July 12th, 2006 at 22:12
I got 3 right….you all look the bloody same to me!!!
My husband is Chinese, however I only know this because he told me so!!!
I can’t believe I only got 3 :) O God…
4. Jimmy James | July 12th, 2006 at 22:48
Only 8, but I want paternity tests done on some of the ones I got wrong.
I dated a Chinese girl and a Korean, and I thought I could tell the difference.
People are all pretty individual I guess. Someone mistook me for Indian once, and if you know what I look like, that’s way out there.
Except for the black hearted right-wingers running the world at present, we all bleed red.
5. Oz | July 13th, 2006 at 20:11
Heeheehee… I was really bustin’ it in the first six (four right) but then fucked it completely with three in the last twelve for a massive total of… seven!!! Incidentally, this will in no way affect my enjoyment of sweet and sour pork. You can keep the chicken feet.
BGE, I think this one fits squarely into the ‘the shit we don’t like about different people and summarily call unamerican’ section of the paper.
6. BillyGoatEric | July 13th, 2006 at 21:51
I think the results speak clearly. The only thing that is common and that matters is, as Jimmy eloquently puts it, the colour of our blood.
The fact that we are all having this discussion shows how far we have come in terms of sensitivity and awareness of a global home.
7. Shelleebean | July 13th, 2006 at 23:02
I scored 8/18 which is pretty bad considering I’m of asian descendent myself.
I should know better not to think that I was able to distinguish someone from being either Korean or Chinese because I myself am victim of being told that I look Chinese when I’m not (not just by anglo’s or celtics or caucasians etc but by asians as well).
I am in fact half Korean and half Vietnamese. I guess Korean + Vietnamese = Chinese.Anyway, historically I pretty much descended from China so who cares.
This ‘All look same’ website instantly reminded me of my days when I worked for the clothing brand Benetton in Sydney and we would stock their controversial but amazing magazine called ‘Colors’. This magazine had some of the best yet shocking advertising I have seen, from the priest kissing a nun to multicoloured used condoms to express that AIDS was a risk for people from all races not just for Africans. I’m thinking of subscribing to them now if only I could get my boyfriend’s credit card..hmm..anyway check the website out…only if you’re interested : )
P.S personally it’s worthwhile to have a geez and I think Daydreamer and possibly BGE may take to it…maybe???
http://www.benettongroup.com/en/whatwesay/colors_magazine.htm