American Born Chinese was a very good book. Stereotypes and jokes are sometimes seen as racist and sometimes they are. “The Office” is seen as a racist or very stereotypical show, but many people actually enjoy it. People like a lot of things that are offensive, but also like to get triggered about other things that are “offensive.” So why are people offended by some things but not offended by others, why do people make such jokes are the truly just for bad or do they have some sort of truth to them, and what truly makes something racist, and who gets to decide what truly gets to be and what is racism.

     The term offensive was a term that originally was meant toward military purposes, but it turned toward a second meaning over time to what we see today. Offensive had originally meant an attacking force and in sports is the team driving the ball, so in a way one could say that a joke that is meant to hurt somebody is attacking. You could say that a joke about a hurtful thing about you is offensive, but should people really just forget the past and embrace the future. When people see jokes that are racist about others why don’t they do anything and why do they laugh, it must be then that they are racist too right? Well, I believe that many of these memes may have possibly been made for bad reasons, but we don’t take it for a bad reason but rather relate it to ourselves and others possibly the people it’s talking about from experience. 

     Jokes are, in a sense, a way for us to relate to each other in a humorous way, but sometimes in many different ways. Nevertheless, some of those jokes are going to be considered bad and others good, but what makes this fine line between what is good and bad? Humans in the past were living in a sort of tribal society for hundred of thousands of years. We see many examples of this Indians, African Tribes, Empires, and more that just express this notion of separation between people. Although, we have this separation it also very vital to see that we are all equal and if not it is considered racist. 

     People come from many different places and speak many different languages. This separation sets us apart in many ways such as culture, behavior, and beliefs, but doesn’t make any more or less equal. Stereotypes can be seen as racist and to the person it is being directed can be very hurtful depending on how they take it. Many people can see this in the novel “American Born Chinese.” One of the characters in the book Chin-Kee is the epitome of stereotyping toward Asian people. Chin-Kee is a Chinese boy who is cousins with a boy named Danny and visits once a year. Chin-Kee is a stereotype of a Chinese person who comes to America as suggested but the author makes sure to take it to the next level. What makes this a bad thing though? One could argue that it puts an image on everybody else that is like him,but then why do the rest of us laugh at it sometimes? I think in some ways it is very wrong to make stereotypes especially if it’s made to harm and hurt somebody, although sometimes it is showing a truth. Stereotypes can be racist and offensive and a lot of times are while showing some truth, like Chin-Kee. Chin-Kee however, is a different context that needs to be understood before making assumptions like we like to do.

     Racism is a very intolerable and terrible thing to have a bias. Stereotypes can sometimes be a little racist but also show some truth and relation to things. So are stereotypes bad or justifiably true? Well, for many it is easy to just see the bad side of things and in modern society it’s easy to get offended. This kind of thing though is hurtful to many though because of the truth that they see behind it that they aren’t able to comprehend or rather handle. Is stereotyping a bad thing to do, well it’s a complicated question so be careful when you see these kinds of things and understand the context in which they are spoken; and remember it is up to you to decide on this opinion.