Jeremy Lin and the Paradox of "Asian Athlete"
The gap that separates a globally known superstar and the endless queue of nobodies waiting to get their shot at fame, in professional sports at least, is a matter of a few stellar performances dished out in the most unexpected way. The "unexpected" factor goes up further if the amazing performances come from those who are least expected to make those amazing performances. And for the minimally perceptive public to list those with the least likelihood to "make it big," it rarely takes more than a few stereotype-based "criteria."
As far as basketball, a sport requiring physical explosiveness and agility, not to mention height, physical appearance by itself is enough to make certain predictions regarding potential success. The easiest of those "physical appearance" classification is race, by which East Asians, with statistically proven lowest average height, not to mention worst records for every sport and activity testing endurance and speed, without a doubt comes at the heavily disadvantaged very bottom for predicted success in basketball.
Sure, in every classification there would be outliers with freakishly "un-Asian" characteristics, as in the case of Yao Ming with abnormal height when it comes to basketball. In such circumstances, success can be understood, but in terms of DESPITE the racial disadvantages. And then came Jeremy Lin. His presence in basketball, not to mention success, is an enigma by itself, considering a family background completely unrelated to sports (both parents are very much average height, working as computer engineers).
To put it in a highly racially-stereotyped way, while the African-Americans in the NBA were busy honing their skills on the street playing street-ball since a very young age, Lin, like many other Asian kids growing up in strict upbringing of a Tiger-mom style parenting, probably did not...or at least, not nearly as much as non-Asian players in the league. And surely enough, having gone on to play for a Harvard basketball team not known for producing professionals probably means equally concentrated and consistent academic efforts.
Asian, Harvard, not particularly tall (Lin is 1.91m), normal Asian family background, and indeed unprecedented (never have there really been a successful Asian point guard in NBA history) are all factors that make the sudden breakout of Jeremy Lin unexpected, even for those who do not particularly pay attention to sports like myself. What his sudden fame illustrates is not really anything about NBA or sports in general (he could just be another outlier with regard to a factor that no one has really considered).
But it does say plenty about what it means for one to step out of a "socially predefined role" based on existing racial (and any other crudely put yet widespread) impressions held by the general populace. The "wow"s Lin earned in the last week is may be characteristic of an America where prevalence of individualist principles leads to respect for those who are and seeks uniqueness at a personal level. But even in a conformity-obsessed Asia, the Jeremy Lin phenomenon is receiving serious and highly positive attention from the public.
Essentially, every single shot Jeremy Lin sinks in a game, for those paying attention to his endeavors (basically at this point, everyone), he is creating some sort of hope for more permanent breakdown of a self-fulfilling prophecy: no longer will the Asian simply takes it for granted that they have certain unchangeable limitations, such as their biological build hampering performance in sports. And the resulting "hope" is not simply limited to Asians. All, of any physical diversity, would come to realize the power of later-day efforts in suppressing the disadvantages of "nature."
That hope, as the rapidly growing commercial and media value of Jeremy Lin demonstrates, has been aggressively and pleasantly absorbed by large number of people across the world. What he represents is not just a successful sportsman, but a belief, a force that breaks down unseen emotional and socio-cultural barriers that constrains both horizontal and vertical social mobility of a wide range of people. It is not simply about race, it is about everyone who is now coming to realize the folly of their own self-restraints in life. And that, ultimately, is the meaning of the Jeremy Lin phenomenon.
As far as basketball, a sport requiring physical explosiveness and agility, not to mention height, physical appearance by itself is enough to make certain predictions regarding potential success. The easiest of those "physical appearance" classification is race, by which East Asians, with statistically proven lowest average height, not to mention worst records for every sport and activity testing endurance and speed, without a doubt comes at the heavily disadvantaged very bottom for predicted success in basketball.
Sure, in every classification there would be outliers with freakishly "un-Asian" characteristics, as in the case of Yao Ming with abnormal height when it comes to basketball. In such circumstances, success can be understood, but in terms of DESPITE the racial disadvantages. And then came Jeremy Lin. His presence in basketball, not to mention success, is an enigma by itself, considering a family background completely unrelated to sports (both parents are very much average height, working as computer engineers).
To put it in a highly racially-stereotyped way, while the African-Americans in the NBA were busy honing their skills on the street playing street-ball since a very young age, Lin, like many other Asian kids growing up in strict upbringing of a Tiger-mom style parenting, probably did not...or at least, not nearly as much as non-Asian players in the league. And surely enough, having gone on to play for a Harvard basketball team not known for producing professionals probably means equally concentrated and consistent academic efforts.
Asian, Harvard, not particularly tall (Lin is 1.91m), normal Asian family background, and indeed unprecedented (never have there really been a successful Asian point guard in NBA history) are all factors that make the sudden breakout of Jeremy Lin unexpected, even for those who do not particularly pay attention to sports like myself. What his sudden fame illustrates is not really anything about NBA or sports in general (he could just be another outlier with regard to a factor that no one has really considered).
But it does say plenty about what it means for one to step out of a "socially predefined role" based on existing racial (and any other crudely put yet widespread) impressions held by the general populace. The "wow"s Lin earned in the last week is may be characteristic of an America where prevalence of individualist principles leads to respect for those who are and seeks uniqueness at a personal level. But even in a conformity-obsessed Asia, the Jeremy Lin phenomenon is receiving serious and highly positive attention from the public.
Essentially, every single shot Jeremy Lin sinks in a game, for those paying attention to his endeavors (basically at this point, everyone), he is creating some sort of hope for more permanent breakdown of a self-fulfilling prophecy: no longer will the Asian simply takes it for granted that they have certain unchangeable limitations, such as their biological build hampering performance in sports. And the resulting "hope" is not simply limited to Asians. All, of any physical diversity, would come to realize the power of later-day efforts in suppressing the disadvantages of "nature."
That hope, as the rapidly growing commercial and media value of Jeremy Lin demonstrates, has been aggressively and pleasantly absorbed by large number of people across the world. What he represents is not just a successful sportsman, but a belief, a force that breaks down unseen emotional and socio-cultural barriers that constrains both horizontal and vertical social mobility of a wide range of people. It is not simply about race, it is about everyone who is now coming to realize the folly of their own self-restraints in life. And that, ultimately, is the meaning of the Jeremy Lin phenomenon.
Largely agreed, though Lin did indeed play a lot of ball when he was young. It might have not been in the street, a la Rucker Park, and it might not have been in terms of pick up games that we like to associate with the more "urban" type of basketball, but it was constant drilling by his Dad regardless. And I think another reason why we all love him so much is similar to adulation over Tim Tebow - it's hard to root against an athlete who's incredibly humble, devoted to his teammates, and who references God in his interviews and tweets, instead of constant trash-talking and macho partying exploits.
ReplyDeletedude, I played so much pick up games back in high school I should have gone into the Yale team, heh
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