"You'll need to have good mathematical skills for this job—but you're oriental, so you should have no problem with that."

I bit my lower lip. The first interviewer chortled. The second one, standing somewhere behind me, joined in. He slapped my shoulder.

"Well, Michael, you seem perfect for this job. We have a few more candidates to interview, but we should have some good news for you in a few days."

The first interviewer stood up and extended his hand. I shook it. The second interviewer smiled and escorted me out of the office.

I once heard the argument that this is a good stereotype for Asian Americans

What?! A good stereotype?

Now I know that the act of stereotyping is an instinctive animal trait; if you eat a red flower and get poisoned, you'll be prejudiced against other red flowers you see in the future. It's a basic defensive characteristic.

But I ain't no red flower. And I didn't poison nobody. Just because prejudice is an instinctive animal trait doesn't make it right. Animals kill other animals; that sure don't mean people can kill other people.

"So what?" some argue, "that interviewer was going to hire you because of your ethnicity. So that's a good stereotype."

Nope. Nuh-uh. A stereotype generalizes. I don't want to be generalized. Acting on prejudice means judging a book by its cover. If it's a red book, it must be one way; if it's a blue book, it must be another way, never mind what's on the pages, right? Bullshit.

Unless you're eating flowers in the jungle, stereotypes aren't good.

Besides, I failed Intensive Calculus in college.
When I received their acceptance a few days later, I declined.

. . .

Are you good at math?