There are already so many stereotypes about Chinese parenting methods, about chinese parents, and about chinese kids. An article like this makes things much, much worse. Now everyone is going to think that this is how chinese families work...
The core idea that western parenting ideals and asian parenting ideals are different is fine. It's true. But that's not what Amy Chua is arguing. She is arguing that the Chinese model is better. There is a fundamental problem with doing this. We are talking about two different cultures, which means we have to consider two entirely separate sets of values. There are things that Westerners believe in that Asians would condemn, and there are things that Asians advocate that would make Westerners shake their heads. I'm not saying that this issue can't be argued - of course it can. It's just tricky to do, and Amy Chua does a terrible job.
Even if the article did make any good points (which I don't think it really does), no one is going to notice because the whole thing is overshadowed by the fact that Amy Chua makes herself sound insane. Punishing your children with threats, insulting them, etc etc... I understand her logic. She thinks always believing your child can do better shows confidence in them. She thinks that it's all for the child's own good. She thinks that criticisms will just make a child do better. OKAYYYYY, let's pause for a second and consider the problems with all this. I believe that there are grains of truth in what she is saying, but she takes each idea to the absolute, very extreme, which is the problem. Her methods are the extreme version of everything.
You know, when she talks about the Chinese mentality that children are indebted to their parents, I have always kind of agreed with the concept. But I certainly don't believe it in the same way and to the lengths that Amy Chua does. The idea is not to be enslaved to your parents wishes - it's that you should always be thankful for how much they love you and support you. You work hard to make them proud not because you're obligated to, but because you want to.
Ahhhhhhh there's a lot more that I can say about this article. But mostly, when I was reading it, I was just thinking, "my parents didn't do anything like this, and JieJie and I are going to be very successful" ahahaha. You see, I think you and mama probably have the same basic values as Amy Chua, but that you did a GREAT JOB whereas she did an awful job. i don't know if i'm explaining my thinking properly, but we can talk about it more over our next phone call