For those who are fans of my Strength and Physique books, you will find a chapter in The Alpha Asian Mindset on strength training with a training program. The book is available now through Amazon.com.
All sales of The Alpha Asian Mindset will go to an Asian American cause. I'll provide you the causes, and you the reader will vote on which cause the profits go to. Causes will change every so often. And yes I stole this idea from Kev Jumba.
For this round of causes, I've chosen the traditional non-profit organizations. Take the time to vote on the poll on the side. Here are the links for each of the organizations:
80-20 Initiative
APA's for Progress
Asian Law Caucus
Asian American Justice
Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund
Media Action Network for Asian Americans
I've been playing around with some exciting ideas for other causes which address Asian American images, which I'll reveal later. But for now, spread the word about The Alpha Asian Mindset challenge and the cause you'd like to advance. Buy a copy for yourself and buy a few extra copies and give them out as Christmas gifts.
I started the Alpha Asian blog a year ago, because I felt that although Asian Americans had a presence on the Web, nobody was using it to aggregate positive and confident portrayals of Asian Americans. Sure, there were plenty of Asian Americans creating positive images, but nobody thought of compiling these images. Most blogs and forums compiled videos and articles about Asian Americans without any sort of standard. Just being an Asian in public light seems to merit progress.
But it's not just about representation. It's about respect for the Asian American image. I didn't want to start a blog commenting about yellow guys doing yellowface and call that activism. Asian Americans have to be damn fucking good as actors and performers. So fucking good that people of all colors will see someone remarkable that they can relate to, not just an Asian person. Getting respect from other people means we have to respect ourselves and that means holding ourselves to a higher standard.
Blogs, forums, Facebook and Twitter are just tools. Phil Hartman once said, “You give one guy a computer, and he invents the space shuttle. Give it to another guy, and he plays ‘Doom’ all day.”
Some guys use the Internet to make money and learn new skills, while other guys use it to wallow in self-pity in forums and clamor for page hits and comments for their blogs. Blogs and forums are great tools for self-expression, but they have so much more potential than that. Whining and venting about issues is fine, because we all need an outlet where we can vent in anonymity and without fear of repercussion. But being a badass on the Internet means just that: you’re a badass on the Internet. If you’re angry about the situation our communities are in, then what the fuck are you going to do about it?
The Internet gives us the power to create our own images and spread our unique views of the world. It gives us the power to control our reality. So why not close the gap between reality and perception?
Over the past year, I think my blog has helped spread some rather unique idea viruses: Develop an Asian American Consciousnes and Be Damn Good at Something, The Kubler-Ross Model Applied to Asian Americans. I feel like Tyler Durden when I read other people on the Internet parroting my statements and ideas. But idea viruses without action just die. Which is why I’ve decided the blog needs to earn its keep by generating some income for Asian American causes. So buy The Alpha Asian Mindset, accept the challenge and let’s spread this virus around.
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