Photo by Alexander Mills on Unsplash
Given the recent uptick in the production of media regarding Asian communities, one should take note of the public’s blatant pandering in regard to whom, or in this case, which (minorities) it should tend to gravitate towards. Such inherent preferential treatment is apparent in its consumeristic biases, which, though not inherently bad in themselves, prove to be a contending factor in the unnecessary consumption of substances by the general public (which in itself has its own set of regulatory norms).
When focused, the gaze of the public eye proves itself to be a valuable resource/motivator for all who wish to contribute to consumerism as a whole. Such instances may be perceived when taking notice of any major social media platform, especially in light of the trending “performative male epidemic.” Such social minorities typically have varying defining factors attributed to their outward perception, in this case (given the guise of the ‘performative male’) —such mediums would present themselves in the form of matcha, a green tea, typically perceived to have hailed from Japan (though originating from China). Presented with this mass generalization of substances so dear to them, many Asians/Asian Americans on platforms have been openly advocating against the ‘gentrification’ of such matters, contending against its mass production. Referencing such contentions, mass producers have been seen to ‘strip’ the substances of their traditional/cultural roots, reducing them to mere ‘trends,’ thus further substantiating this claim of their obsolete, voided respect towards such demographics. Prevalent as the perceived gentrification of matcha may be, given this anti-consumerist mindset, it falls short of reigning in isolation when it comes to such matters. ‘Ube,’ a purple yam hailing from the Philippines, has also proven its popularity when presented in the media. Though the media (most of it, at least) has indeed proven time and time again, its blatant preferential pandering towards certain Asian demographics—Japan, Korea, China—such demographics serve as the ‘face’ of sorts, for such minorities. Given such abnormal contentions, one begs the question: why?
In light of such not-so-gatekept contentions, one could argue a myriad of contending factors capable of sustaining such claims. Could it possibly be a byproduct of the media’s limited stereotypical worldview attributed to those belonging to minor Asian countries? Or perhaps it’s the media’s superfluous demand for ‘aesthetically pleasing’ substances, further driving the negligence exhibited towards said minor countries. Throughout the turmoils and disputes of the media’s subject conformities, one specific aesthetic certainly stands to stay at large, that of the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic. A prevalent factor attributed to those conforming to this very mainstream aesthetic would obviously be the foods meant to be consumed by this demographic, many of which include matcha. As a result of such, prices of these substances (including, but not limited to, matcha) have been seen to skyrocket as of late. But why? Why should people feed into such blatant propaganda? Why are people feeding into such abject consumerism? To answer such queries, one would need to circle back to a time before Asians were so widely accepted—a time in which they were instead effaced for their racial status. Before this generally acknowledged acceptance of such races, Asian minorities were ostracized from social and political circles (for example, certain members of my family) for being too ‘exotic’ to conform to Western standards of beauty and publicity. Though as widely accepted as they are today, such standards and stereotypes of ‘exoticness’ are still attributed to such demographics, which, as a byproduct, would surely evoke some sense of curiosity in those not belonging to such cultures. These standards, paired with such mainstream advertising, would surely, in turn, encourage others to feed into the consumption presented by such ‘exotic’ products, further substantiating the outrageous tax brackets provided by such consumerism. Referencing previous contentions, these conformities grant companies leeway as to further ‘mass produce’ such substances, given their superfluous demand. It truly is a cycle. So, maybe such superficial gentrification and exclusion isn’t as racially motivated as it’s thought to be—perhaps, it’s just a ruse, a ploy, exemplified by companies as a means to promote not only their product, but also consumerism as a whole.
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