On TikTok, I watched AsianBoss refuting rumours about them faking their videos. I was winding down for the day.
I looked through the comments. “Okay, but you guys legitimately make all Asian countries look terrible and bigoted” a user wrote.
This triggered my Asian DNA, and I went on to gain a deeper understanding of the word “bigot”.
What does bigot truly mean?
Admittedly, I didn’t have to do much digging to understand the word “bigot”. And what I found was quite interesting. What bigot means by definition:
Oxford
a person who is obstinately or unreasonably attached to a belief, opinion, or faction, especially one who is prejudiced against or antagonistic towards a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular group.
Britannica (slang meaning)
a person who strongly and unfairly dislikes other people, ideas, etc
Cambridge
a person who has strong, unreasonable beliefs and who does not like other people who have different beliefs or a different way of life
Merriam-Webster
a person who is obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices
A bigot is someone who is
- devoted to a set of ideas and;
- hates others who don’t share the same ideas
The latter is very important. Without it, the word means someone who is devoted to an idea. You can’t be a bigot if you don’t unreasonably hate the difference in others.
I repeat. You cannot, be a bigot, if you do not hate, someone who is different from you.
The origin of the word bigot
The word bigot can be traced back to the late 16th century and it is of French origin. The French use it to pronounce someone who is a religious hypocrite, usually a woman.
Where does the word come from? No one etymologist (people who study the history and origin of words) can agree. There are a few differing theories but not enough evidence to back them up.
What’s proven is the earliest recorded use of this word, “bigot”, is to pronounce someone who is a religious hypocrite.
Piecing it all together
Bigot is someone who is devoted to a set of ideas, whose devotion becomes irrational, only because of an inability to accept differing ideas and who deeply hates different ideas.
And it evolved from the meaning: someone who is a religious hypocrite.
With these in mind, let’s reflect upon human history and reality today, to identify who widely fits the bill.
When Westerners land upon the East
Colonising isn’t uniquely Western. But it’s undisputed that they excel at it.
Westerners would arrive on Eastern shores and upon measuring their might, they would decide to either impose their rule or take everything by force.
The Westerners did not come to seek differing ideas. Or to accept a new way of life. No, they were there, mostly, for personal glory.
Often, they would impose their beliefs and ideas upon the indigenous. Western colonisers believe, fanatically, their ideas are the only acceptable ideas in the world.
The West is modern. And the West defines what is modern. It must sound, look, and feel like them.
Had they stumbled upon any ancient empire in the East, they would still believe the kingdom and people to be inferior. Despite the immense wealth, culture, hygiene, and happiness.
The modern West allowed various diseases to breed and thrive. It’s well known that taking a bath or washing their hands after delivering babies, were ideas they hated.
And those who proposed it, among them, were shunned and ostracised.
Asia is bigoted. According to who?
When you put the pieces together, it’s obvious.
Westerners are intolerant of different ideas. Unreasonably so. And this is proven by the many Eastern lands they’ve colonised, the people they’ve massacred, and the way of life they’ve extinguished.
It sounds like bigotry to me.
When the West has forcibly spread their ideologies across the globe, through politics, trade, governance, and entertainment, then those who may hold different ideas and not accept the Western way, may seem bigoted.
Funny how that works right?
The opposite is the truth
Asians tolerate differing ideas. It is why most of us choose to coexist.
Anthony Blinken, US Secretary of State, recently said “If you don’t have a seat at the table, you’re on the menu.” This is America’s view on foreign relations. China’s response to that?
The world is big enough for everyone to sit together and work towards mutual benefit.
Videos on AsianBoss, shed light on the general mindset of Asians. We don’t have any desire to force our ideas on others.
The vibe is: Believe what you want, just don’t force it on me.
Westerners don’t have this vibe.
I’m sure you heard of stories of Westerners spending their holidays in Asia, and demanding that Asians speak English.
If a country with a different set of ideas, were to govern itself accordingly, the West would criticise them. Through media, funding local protests, and other covert means, the West would paint that country as hell on earth.
If it is not a Western idea, then it is a bad idea.
Conclusion
It’s time we critically think about popular ideas from the West. Do they benefit us? Or do they undermine our ideas here in the East?
Western ideas practically focus on maximising the individual at the cost of others. Eastern ideas focus on achieving harmony between the individual and benefiting others.
The former sounds eerily close to what the word bigot means.
