>After my apartment was vandalized, I got to meet with the student to whom Senior Laowai sent my columns and whom he manipulated into attacking me.
Senior Laowai exploited her worldview of Divine Chinese versus The Hellish Hordes of Humiliation to drive her to cull from my columns only what reinforced her preset beliefs: that I am racist and discriminatory against China. And this occurs only in her limited understanding of English.
Needless to say, the results were…interesting.
Her: You said Starbucks is upper class!
Me: Yeah…
Her: Ugh. But you said most Chinese people can’t afford it!
Me: Okay…
Her: You can afford to go to Starbucks. You must think you’re better than us.
If you’re a toxic enough prick to FUCKING TELL YOUR STUDENTS that another teacher hates them and abuse their trust of you for your own personal gain, this is what happens. Since they trust you, they will go to great lengths to prove you right and will basically defend you, even in the face of solid evidence.
They will sacrifice themselves on the altar of dignity to prove you right, and you, knowing full well what you’re doing, sit back and let them. Just to score a victory in the battle of Wounded Ego.
So who’s really racist against the Chinese?
I did manage to settle the issue with the student. A few days later, I’m walking down the street to the bus stop and some girl calls my name.
It’s her.
Student: Hi. It’s so early. Where are you going?
Me: (without thinking) Starbucks.
…Oh….shit…
