Viewpoints Boiled Frog Syndrome | Boiled Frog Syndrome |
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Scientists sometimes refer to a phenomenon called the "Boiled Frog Syndrome". You put a frog into boiling water, and it will feel the heat and try to escape. Or, more probably, it will be trapped in the name of science, and die. However, if you plop a frog into lukewarm water and gradually raise the temperature, the frog will just happily sit there, until, at 100C, the water boils and, er, it dies. Now you may think scientists should have better things to do with themselves than experiment with boiling frogs. Curing cancer and heart disease are obvious candidates for starters. But the Boiled-Frog Syndrome is a useful analogy to many things elsewhere in life. As I was surfing the web one day looking for a cheap holiday in the Mediterranean, some cheap DVDs and simultaneously attempting to chat with five different people, I came across this website, Dimsum.co.uk. Holiday - DVDs - Dimsum - it's amazing what connections the web can weave for you these days. As a (groan) British Born Chinese I was obviously interested in and excited about what the website had to offer. Dimsum, I learn, has been pivotal in the development of the Chinese voice and identity in British politics. This is interesting, since I never knew there was a Chinese voice and identity in British politics. But you must pardon my ignorance. Such issues, after all, have never been at the forefront of my mind. And anyway, isn't this what Dimsum is trying to address? So with my appetite whetted, my interest aroused, and that cheap holiday becoming more elusive than ever (a couple of cheap DVDs were winging their way over, though), I began to read some of the articles. Oh dear. In a way, it was comforting that the old chestnuts of racism, ethnicity, culture, mixed-race relationships (or should it be mixed-ethnic now?), stereotypes and so on are all there. But I had a niggling cynicism about all of this. Surely these are already issues that have been debated past the point of exhaustion? Any more arguments will add as much value to the issue as alcohol would help an already-drunk alcoholic who is about to collapse due to unnecessarily-excessive alcohol abuse. How many teenage BBCs among us have spent the early hours of Sunday morning, after the mandatory Saturday-night shift in the takeaway or restaurant, talking about such issues and wondering what it means to be a Chinese living in Britain? Do we really need another sounding-box about the so-called problems we experience here? Do we really need another Jerry Springer of the BBC community? Should I just close the window and concentrate on that holiday instead? Now, don't get me wrong. There are many areas of the site that I find enjoyable to read, educational, and useful for those of us not exposed to Chinese culture. So before you start accusing me of being some kind of killjoy intent on annoying as many readers as possible, let me bring you back to my Boiled-Frog analogy. My point is that the Chinese in Britain are like the frog that's dipped into the lukewarm water. We have assimilated into our adopted society, taken on its traditions, allegiances, enjoyed its culture and interacted with its people. We are not like the frog that's dipped into boiling water, reacting violently to differences between ourselves and Britain. I concede the point that I may be the lucky one: I have never been subject to harsh degrees of racism or discrimination. I am comfortable with who I am: I don't try and fuss myself over the English/Chinese conundrum for I like to take the best of both cultures. I feel this is my home - and I thank God, because it is. But I also have a sneaking feeling that I'm not in the minority out there. As an article here recalls, even a National Front member remarked, "your alright you lot". If that's what extreme racists think of us, then we must have done something right along the way. I look at my parents, and their Chinese friends here. As far as I'm concerned, they are without exception, model immigrants. Unemployment is an unknown quantity to them for they have slaved every waking hour to etch themselves a living and raise a family. Just as they have been welcomed, they welcome their English friends into their houses; they adopt their mannerisms and quirks and go on holiday with each other. They are treated as equal citizens, and they know their place in society. Sure, there will always be incidents of aggravation between Chinese and the British, but so there are between the British themselves. Find me a random group of people that get on all the time and Ill show you the nearest mental hospital. Heck, even the Teletubbies had their disagreements. And if you compare us with other ethnic groups in this multi-cultural society of ours, I think we would be justified in awarding ourselves a satisfied grin: weve done well. Which is why complaining about the problems we face here can be dangerously counterproductive. The more we moan, the more we will carve ourselves a separate voice and identity, and the more that happens, the more problems we will face and the more we will moan. I've always thought it bordering on the hypocritical for people to demand equality, and then demand a separate voice for their own interests. Well, is it one or the other? If we all act and are treated as equal, why should our needs be any different? And if we're not equal, does complaining like a brat endear ourselves more? I'm rambling now. My point is that we should not ignore the issues we face growing up and living in a Western society with a blatantly Oriental appearance. Ive been through the trials and tribulations myself, so we should provide support, education, advice and counsel where necessary. But we should not overdo the negative bit, and not only that - we do not need to. In fact, we should focus more on what has made the Chinese here so successful, so respected, so welcome, for that is a far richer and rewarding debate. We have something here that we can be proud of, so lets shout about it. Life here can be so enjoyable, the marriage of our cultures so fascinating, the contribution we give to Britain so great. I look forward to reading more upbeat articles on this website after I come back from holiday. Oh, and in case you're interested, it's a week in Barcelona, full board for 349. Bargain. Derek Lin |
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