Gents, I would like to introduce you to the world of Asians (particularly Southeast Asian cultures) so you can understand more about how we roll here. Asia is a huge place, so I'll focus more on Southeast and East Asia.

Many of these things are interrelated, so even where it seems like I repeated myself it's really just me telling you more about a particular aspect of the culture.

Of course, some of you are going to say that your anecdotal evidence runs contrary to my anecdotal evidence. Well, I'm just giving you a rough overview of things here. So without further ado, let's go!

• In classrooms, we are encouraged to sit still and shut up. That's why many of us seem very robotic and afraid to speak up.

• We subscribe to a vague set of "Asian values" that include things like filial piety and chastity in contrast with "Western values" like speaking openly and bra-burning. Basically it's all things conservative and good contrasting against everything liberal and bad. Seriously, "western" things like disagreeing and speaking your mind and seen as negative, especially if you're directing those things at the government.

• Asian parents tend to be conservative and would balk at the idea of their children sleeping around. Most won't even tolerate their sons sleeping around (the Alpha Fucks idea is completely anathema) and would kill their daughter if they found out she was putting out.

• Asia, and Southeast Asia in particular, has a long history of colonization by western powers. Here's your Cliff notes: Philippines (Spain and USA), Indonesia (Netherlands), Singapore (British), Malaysia (British), Vietnam (French), Cambodia (French), Laos (French). Nationalists hate the West for this, but there are many urbanites who consume a lot of western media and dream of moving there. Many also end up studying in western countries.

• People who talk without knowing what they're talking about are shamed as show-offs. "Asian values" emphasizes things like keeping your nose down and being humble.

• We are very big on the whole idea of "minding your own business." That is why despite the high densities of some Asian urban centers you rarely see people interacting with each other. Their eyes and attention are usually glued to their phones. We are also usually really bad at small talk.

• We are expected to defer to a higher authority and respect them even if that authority doesn't deserve respect, which is a pain in the ass because our elders tend to like to offer unsolicited advice on everything to from our studies, job, love life, marriage, to life choices.

• Fear and shame are potent weapons in the culture to keep people in check. You can especially see this in our political and social discourse. Edit: We're quite a superstitious bunch too.

• We are generally not encouraged to be critical about others/others' beliefs. Or in other words, saving face is a big deal. This is due to the fact that many of countries in this region have had a bad experience in racial and religious relations.

• Asians are huge conformists. Whereas Europeans like to say they that are unique individuals (but are prone to groupthink and group behavior), Asians are bred from young to conform. I believe this is why Asian women are so good at feigning innocence.

• Although it is not unique to Asia, Asian parents absolutely would love for their children to either be engineers, doctors, lawyers, or accountants (The Best Four). Stability and prestige are very important to those in the older generation. (Which is why the idea of taking US$500,000 from Sequoia Capital to found Facebook would be seen as insane by most parents here.)

• The quick growth of the middle class and further widening between the have and have-nots affects cultural thinking. Many urban youth in Southeast Asia travel abroad to further their education and are thus impressed with many western, liberal notions. When they go back to their home countries (that is if they unfortunately were not able to get a job overseas) they will struggle to harmonise what they have experienced abroad and how life is back home.

• Many western-educated Asian girls put out during their time abroad, rack up a big n-count, but feign innocence when they come back.

• About 50 years ago, government leaders and the elites were likely to be the only ones in the whole country with a tertiary education, which is why many people would defer to their decisions, way of thinking, acting, etc. Although, as Bob Dylan sang, the times are a-changin', top-down leadership is still prevalent in politics and work.

• Paradoxically, although we're always taught to be humble and live a simple life, we're easily impressed by materialism and status.

• Asians may be minorities in your western countries, and may always be protesting about racism, but don't be fooled by this. Asians are huge racists even among themselves. Koreans are dissuaded from dating/marrying Japanese, Indians have their caste system, Chinese parents would be dismayed if their daughter wanted to marry a Bangladeshi, and forth and so on.