Jews are the Best Lawyers
What’s wrong with positive stereotypes
About ten years ago, a kind, 18-year-old Korean kid sat next to me on an airplane. He was moving to the United States to attend college in Kansas City, Missouri. Curious and excited, he bombarded me with question after question. About America, about politics and about me personally.
I was happy to answer his questions, but one statement, which came after he learned I was Jewish and a lawyer, caught me off guard.
“Jewish lawyers are the best lawyers,” he said matter-of-factly, as if to pay me a compliment.
“How many have you met?” I asked half laughing.
He had never been outside of South Korea, and I already knew his answer. He had learned from popular media, news and entertainment that Jews were supposedly great lawyers.
I decided to flip the tables.
“Do you know any Asians who are bad at math?”
My new friend looked confused. “Why? Of course I do.”
“Well, I know some bad Jewish lawyers, too. In America, there’s a stereotype that Asians are good at math. That someone being born of Asian descent makes you somehow genetically better at math.”
