Is it considered racism when you say to a Japanese that he/she is "smart"?

Question

we all know that a Japanese is very smart so would it be considered racism if you called them so? I told that in one of my previous questions and they seemed to get offended.

Answer 1

if you called an individual smart then its not
but if you called a whole race smart then yes it is and it is also not true, there are smart and dumb people in all races

Answer 2

hmm.. I think racism tends to be more negative.

I am asian and I have no problem with people saying asians are smart. In many cases it is true, through in many it is not. Alot of it depends on how they were raised. Many asian families are very strict about studying and grades and such, so of course, if you are raised in a family that cares so much about school, then you will be smart.

Just like how a person who plays sports from a very young age will probably be good at sports later on.

But yes there are exceptions to every steriotype and this one is no different. There are by all means, non smart asians, and this I would say is not racism, but steriotyping, which is not always something negative but a statement of generalizing groups of people by a trait.

Answer 3

I is only racist if you're saying they're smart BECAUSE they are Japanese. Japanese are people like any other. Some, like with all races and nationalities, are smarter than others. So, if a particular Japanese individual happens also to be smart, I see no racist fault in admitting or stating the truth.

But since you've classified ALL Japanese as smart solely because they are Japanese, you were not only racist but ignorant. Japan's culture reveres perfection, dedication, determination, hard work, good work ethics, and excellence. These are some of their Ideals as a people; but as with any other population, their are those who follow a different drummer, those who live a modest life, and those who aren't as smart. They have their geniuses and visionaries; but they too have their criminals, their prostitutes, their mentally and physically handicapped, and a percentage of their population whose IQ are average at best. They have their scientists, computer programmers, and architects; but they also have their waiters, ditch diggers, homemakers, musicians, movie stars, and store clerks. The Japanese are a nation composed of INDIVIDUALS, just like all other nations and peoples on earth. No one likes to be stereotyped, particularly since stereotyping usually is a blatantly false description to begin with.

Answer 4

The Japanese have a, to us, curious way of looking at compliments. It goes to their old belief that the gods get jealous of any human who seems better than most in any way and that being jealous they will try to cause harm to that person. If you compliment a Japanese, no matter how westernized they think they are, that old fear will rise up and they will pooh-pooh your words and even get angry at you for speaking them. They don't want the old gods getting jealous and messing with them.
If you wish to say nice things about them, do so in a very roundabout way. Don't make a flat-footed compliment, like, " You're smart." Thank them for being able to see something that you missed. Don't compliment them directly. Instead, tell them to thank their parents for the job they did raising them.

Remember, Japanese has nine different ways to say thank you and every one of them is a veiled insult. Gratitude is a threat. When they are or do well, that is merely their duty to the ancestors. Accept it as such. And do your duty by them; be polite.

Answer 5

Racism deal with only one format of the Human pysche, the ignorance of RACES, hence the term Racism. To call a Japanese person smart is only being correct!

Answer 6

Just because we are Japanese, doesn't necessarily mean we are smart. We may have higher standards when it comes to education, therefore giving the general stereotype that all Japanese are smart. It can be quite offensive when you aren't the "brightest star in the sky."

And when you say, "you're Japanese, so you're smart" that would be racist because you are basing their level of achievement on their race.

Answer 7

Not all Japanese people are smart. If someone is smart, regardless of race, and you call them smart, that is not racism. It is the truth about an individual.

Answer 8

It's a bit cliché. No, it's not strictly wrong, but I'd use tact when saying it. You could be like, "The majority of Japanese people have a better education than Americans, so in general they seem to be more intelligent." But strictly saying they're smart is kind of offensive to them.

Answer 9

How much more politically correct are we going to become? Christ...I remember a time when someone said you were smart you took it as a compliment.

So what do you say? You're not smart...but you're not stupid either? Does that sound any better?

Answer 10

Not all Japanese are smart. I just got back from Japan and saw some pretty stupid folks over there. Your comment isn't really racist, but is prejudiced.

Answer 11

Probably he misunderstood you or Japanese are so tender-hearted, that you should learn first the special vocabulary you can use with them. But if they are outside Japan, then they should be tolerant with the others, because we can't know their traditions.