"Hi, I'm the Alpha Asian..."
Recently MaSir Jones of the blog Destroy and Rebuild decided to call it quits. Sort of sad, really, because there aren't too many blogs devoted to the Asian American male (AAM) perspective. Now there are plenty of AAM bloggers. Guy Kawasaki is probably the most popular. But there just aren't a lot bloggers who talk about and advocate for respect for the AAM.
Plenty of AAM bloggers who talk about other things. Plenty of AA bloggers who talk about Asian American issues in general. But very few advocate for the Asian American male. Ben Efsaneyim is really one of the few AA bloggers out there talking honestly and meaningfully from the AA male viewpoint.
The fact that another blog bites the dust shouldn't come as a surprise. The AA blogosphere is coming to an end, in my opinion, and we're going to be left with just Angry Asian Man. Phil Yu has been doing an awesome job all these years, but frankly he is just one guy.
I wanted to call it quits too, but something prompted me to come back. At that time I wasn't at liberty to publicly discuss what prompted me to come back to blogging. But now I can discuss some of the details.
Shortly after I quit blogging on the Alpha Asian in 2010, I was notified of a PUA site titled...
"The Alpha Asian"
The site started shortly after I decided to call it quits. The people who ran this PUA site trademarked the name "Alpha Asian." Now perhaps these guys had come up with the name on their own, but I found it hard to believe they didn't do an internet search and come across my Alpha Asian blog, my Twitter account or the Alpha Asian Facebook page.
Anyway from what I understood, this other Alpha Asian site was owned by a white guy. He was using an Asian front man (two in fact) to take advantage of Asian guys with low self esteem and exploit them for as much money as he could. This guy was simply in it to make as much money as he possibly could without any regard for the social consequences or benefits to the Asian American community.
Needless to say, I was pissed off. Frankly, I don't care if people use the term "Alpha Asian," because I invented the term to spread an idea virus, an ideal that Asian Americans should live up to their potential.
However, I was upset that these guys had taken the Alpha Asian brand, which I've put a lot of work into promoting, and were using it to exploit the insecurities of young inexperienced Asian men. So I decided to come back to blogging and keep posting videos of Alpha Asians. I wanted to CRUSH the other website by attracting more traffic to mine.
A year and a half later, and the other site has now dropped out. Mission accomplished.
Question is: do I want to keep doing the Alpha Asian blog?
I'd like to, but I am quite busy with family, work and personal projects. I will refrain from saying that I'm quitting the Alpha Asian blog entirely. Otherwise some other wiseguy might pop up and say, "I'm the Alpha Asian! Follow me and give me your money!"
But as far as posting videos, podcasting and writing up my observations on the state of the Asian American male image: I'm going to retire... for now. I hate being a wishy-washy flake, but as soon as I say I'm done for good, something is going to happen to pull me back in. Kind of like the Mafia.
Besides, a new generation of Alpha Asians will take my place. I'd like to thank Tommy and Mojo Rider for contributing to the blog. I've valued your insights and perspectives.
Until next time.
Comments
Thanks for that shout out! I hear what you say about life taking you away from your blog - I am lucky to be in a position (for now) in which I am able to have a decent amount of free time to think and compose my ideas, but even then it is a struggle to post as regularly as I would like.
Having said that, I'm bummed that you're quitting (or semi-retiring) the business. I hope you have a change of heart!
Moreover, I think that blogging is kind of a young person's thing to do. I'm in my late 40's now and as I'm starting to crash headlong into 50, things take on a different priority. Age and experience gives you some kind of perspective on life and you direct your energies toward other things. That isn't to say the general media images of Asian males is insignificant, but at the same time, we cannot let it hold us back from getting on with the business of living our lives.
I'll try and post when I can, but honestly---this blogging endeavor is hard!
Anyways... maybe it's a good time to re-promote your t-shirts...?
Wait... scratch that. It's worst than a difficult job. Because at least you get paid for a job. You blog a good blog post, and you may get a positive comment.
I feel just like you Mojo, in that we are just talking amongst ourselves. And that's part of the reason for bailing out. Because quite frankly I am tired of being one of the few trying to develop a positive Asian American consciousness. I'm kind of tired of advocating for others when they really should be advocating for themselves.
It's really annoying that I'm aggregating these vids and stories before anybody else, and it just gets reposted somewhere else without any acknowledgement saying, "Hey check out the Alpha Asian blog. He's got some cool stuff."
It's also really aggravating that I keep getting emails from other bloggers, musicians, filmmakers, authors asking me to post their link, video or a review, and they don't offer a reciprocal link or write up. It's always about them, and never about helping others.
So don't post if you don't feel inspired, Mojo.
Believe me, things get better as you get older. You're not going to care what others think, and that frees you to do what you want and to seek out what you want. There is a certainty honesty that you can have with yourself, once you don't care about what others think.
I think Asian men care too much about what how others think of them. This is normal, because we were raised to conform to the family and to society and to think of others. This is normally a good thing, but Asian cultures have taken it to an extreme that stifles creativity and individuality and independent action.
Once you understand that failure is not bad, that other people perceptions don't matter as much, then you're free to do whatever you want and that very few things can truly hurt you. Boundaries and limitations are mostly arbitrary and mental.