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I’ve been reflecting on the concept of self-sacrifice recently. Growing up split between Chinese & American cultures (& being a woman), I can find it difficult to prioritize myself and my needs in a powerful hierarchical structure (such as that found in research & medicine). 1/12
When I was still living under my parents’ roof, a lab I was working in suffered a period of financial hardship. My parents insisted I needed to sacrifice my (incredibly meager) paycheck to help the lab. (The lab, of course, rejected this proposition without hesitation.) 2/12
Sacrifice of self for the group (usually in the form of lofty goals) resonates strongly in Eastern cultures. But the self-sacrifice I learned is layered. Self-sacrifice is meant to come with reward; the self-sacrifice is not completely selfless. 3/12
For instance, the person who self-sacrificed should gain tremendous esteem. In the (research & medicine) workplace, this can come in the form of recommendation letters, awards, promotions, & prestigious publications. 4/12
Essentially, self-sacrifice is an important part of climbing the ladder, in part because it demonstrates that you are an exceptionally good person & in part because you must barter for what you want (you cannot gain something without giving something of equal importance). 5/12
Eastern ideals aside, I am finding elements of this concept in research & medicine workplaces – this idea of sacrificing you & your needs to gain esteem (see researcher & resident work hours). I am also coming around to the idea that this concept is inherently flawed. 6/12
There is no enforceable rule that says self-sacrifice must be rewarded – and, frequently, it seems this trait is exploited more than rewarded. Anyone can be the sacrifice, and more painfully, there is no reward. 7/12
While I do not go out of my way to self-sacrifice, I do think I tend to self-sacrifice when the opportunity presents itself, with the expectation that the reward would be that much larger for doing so. I’m actively working on changing my perception of these situations now. 8/12
I recently listened to @SHARONMILGRAM’s @NIH_OITE workshop on graduate student & post-doc self-advocacy ( https://twitter.com/SHARONMILGRAM/status/1249672127609032704?s=20),">https://twitter.com/SHARONMIL... which offered great tools to practice being assertive & prioritizing myself & my needs. 9/12
I was particularly impressed with @SHARONMILGRAM’s attention to eastern vs western communication styles (especially given the number of Asians in research) & the acknowledgement that advocating for yourself can be incredibly scary in a powerful hierarchical structure. 10/12
There need to be more resources available for Asians & Asian Americans on how to advocate for ourselves and not self-sacrifice, especially when the American (Western) narrative focuses on Asian subserviency. 11/12
Although simply mentioning barriers within Asian communities is not nearly enough, I always appreciate those who broach the topic to the extent that they can. Thank you @SHARONMILGRAM for thinking of us. 12/12
Tagging #advocacy people I think may be interested in this thread: @Xiaofei_Lin @JenHeemstra @you2nice2me
