I'm shook - the truth about ASUS North America. PAX West 2022

[20220914]

I didn't expect to see this, but am now so disappointed I'm legit just going to never buy their stuff again. This is the senior manager of their OPBG division on his own personal Instagram making fun of the deaf community at PAX West. I have a deaf younger sibling myself, and the fact that this Ernest person stood there and filmed them to mock them is absolutely sickening.

 

What a disappointment and seriously what a scumbag. I hope this ends up on the WAN show and that they expose this guy

[Brooksie359]

So some employee is being an jerk on his personal account means you boycott the company he works for? Not sure that makes sense. I wouldn't be surprised if they end up getting I trouble or fired for this once Asus PR finds out about it. 

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

8 minutes ago, VanLuong said:

I didn't expect to see this, but am now so disappointed I'm legit just going to never buy their stuff again. This is the senior manager of their OPBG division on his own personal Instagram making fun of the deaf community at PAX West. I have a deaf younger sibling myself, and the fact that this Ernest person stood there and filmed them to mock them is absolutely sickening.

 

What a disappointment and seriously what a scumbag. I hope this ends up on the WAN show and that they expose this guy

73753852_ASUSPAXWestWTF.MOV

I mean... by that logic... you should boycott LMG because their CEO openly mocked their own customers about the whole warranty situation. I'm just saying. I just hope you put you money where you mouth is on that situation as well. 

 

If anything, the ASUS one isn't as bad as it's a single employee, no way indicative of the company culture. Whereas with LMG... well it's the CEO so make of that what you will.

[Elijah Kamski]

RIP, Asus PR gonna fire this guy now

[20220914]

Just now, Elijah Kamski said:

RIP, Asus PR gonna fire this guy now

Doubt it, https://www.linkedin.com/in/ernestcheng/

 

He seems pretty high up there. Like I said in my original post, toxic behavior like this in leadership is only indicative of what the entire company is like. Maybe this struck a chord because of my own sibling, but he's supposed to be a role model, right? This is downright distasteful and honestly just ... so not right.

[starsmine]

I might need to be educated, cause I'm lost from the video you posted.

The asus guy is showing people excited about their products? I'm not sure I am understanding how that is mocking.

[20220914]

1 minute ago, starsmine said:

I might need to be educated, cause I'm lost from the video you posted.

The asus guy is showing people excited about their products? I'm not sure how that is mocking.

he's mocking them signing as them being excited. They are legit just having a normal conversation.

[An0maly_76]

37 minutes ago, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

I mean... by that logic... you should boycott LMG because their CEO openly mocked their own customers about the whole warranty situation. I'm just saying. I just hope you put you money where you mouth is on that situation as well.

I was gonna say, the WAN show needs to call themselves out for a couple things, first the backpack warranty, then the "Trust Me Bro" T-shirt, and then acknowledging that it was 'petty' people that made him money on that.

 

Still, all-in-all, not cool. Being autistic, I wouldn't hesitate to boycott a company whose employees openly made fun of autism. And as an autistic, while I function a little more normally than some others with autism, that doesn't in any way make me superior to them.

 

What was going on here was likely one person interpreting sign language to someone who didn't know it, in the spirit of getting questions about a machine or product translated to a representative (possibly the filming person), and that representative's answers interpreted to the person through sign language.

Edited September 4, 2022 by An0maly_76
Revised, more info

[BlueChinchillaEatingDorito]

2 minutes ago, An0maly_76 said:

I was gonna say, the WAN show needs to call themselves out for a couple things, first the backpack warranty, then the "Trust Me Bro" T-shirt, and then acknowledging that it was 'petty' people that made him money on that.

I think it was in the craigslist gaming PC video where Jake made a joke about the warranty situation as well. I just rolled my eyes. I'm not a LTT store customer but boy does it look like LMG saw Artesian Builds and how that ship sank quickly and thought... yea we want some of that too.

[An0maly_76]

Just now, BlueChinchillaEatingDorito said:

I think it was in the craigslist gaming PC video where Jake made a joke about the warranty situation as well. I just rolled my eyes. I'm not a LTT store customer but boy does it look like LMG saw Artesian Builds and how that ship sank quickly and thought... yea we want some of that too.

To be sure. I really can't fathom what they were thinking with that. The problem is that money often changes people. And unfortunately, it is often far too late when they realize what that change costs them in the long run.

[shoutingsteve]

Did I miss something nefarious?  These three people are signing about the hardware (assumabley) but they are over exaggerating because they are all wearing masks.  Sign is a lot more than just hand movements, facial expressions are key and when your face is covered by a mask you would really need to exaggerate each sign.  So my guess would be that the one filming it took these larger emotions for excitement...

 

But, sure, assume the worst and chalk up something like this to malice rather than ignorance and a misunderstanding.

[Spotty]

55 minutes ago, VanLuong said:

this Ernest person stood there and filmed them to mock them is absolutely sickening.

What exactly did they do to mock them? 

 

I don't read sign language but it appears they're standing around a PC talking about it. If there's a group of people crowding around a product at a show it's fair to say that people are excited about it. I don't understand what any of that has to do with them being deaf or using sign language. It might help people understand your point of view if you explain what you think this person is doing or said to mock deaf people.

[20220914]

it's all about his comment/caption. This person, Ernest, is LMAO emoji about their excitement. It's mean. Then proceeded to do 3 more ig stories worth or 45 seconds of them signing with zero context.

 

The offensive part? this is akin to filming a zoo exhibit. This isn't what the deaf community needs - choices were made. Stand there and record for nearly a minute or put that phone down and go interact with probably really excited fans.

 

 

[DigitalGoat]

1 hour ago, VanLuong said:

I didn't expect to see this, but am now so disappointed I'm legit just going to never buy their stuff again. This is the senior manager of their OPBG division on his own personal Instagram making fun of the deaf community at PAX West. I have a deaf younger sibling myself, and the fact that this Ernest person stood there and filmed them to mock them is absolutely sickening.

 

What a disappointment and seriously what a scumbag. I hope this ends up on the WAN show and that they expose this guy

73753852_ASUSPAXWestWTF.MOV

Yeah, this reminds me of a TV clip some years ago, a young man running along a crowded street clutching a handbag.

It was filmed from two cameras, one point of view you assume the man is stealing a handbag and legging it, from the other point of view you see him catch up to an elderly lady and hand her the bag saying "You dropped this back there".

But as others say, if the lack of facts and context you are in receipt of allows you to make assumptions and boycott a company as a result then, go for it, I'm sure your custom will be missed.

[vetali]

This is a bad look due to the emoji. Its like making fun of someone for speaking a different language than yours. Especially in the PC/gaming community that typically makes it hard for someone to be discriminated on for being deaf.

[LinusTech]

Did I just get compared to someone making fun of deaf people? 

 

Being someone who gets offended over a warranty controversy or a t-shirt is *NOTHING* like being targeted with an ableist jab and if you think it is, it's time for some perspective. 

 

Good gravy. 

[YellowJersey]

8 minutes ago, LinusTech said:

Did I just get compared to someone making fun of deaf people? 

 

Being someone who gets offended over a warranty controversy or a t-shirt is *NOTHING* like being targeted with an ableist jab and if you think it is, it's time for some perspective. 

 

Good gravy. 

I wouldn't take it personally, my dude. This is the internet. People will get angry over literally anything. It's all just noise to me now.

[20220914]

44 minutes ago, vetali said:

This is a bad look due to the emoji. Its like making fun of someone for speaking a different language than yours. Especially in the PC/gaming community that typically makes it hard for someone to be discriminated on for being deaf.

exactly

[SansVarnic]

I see nothing mocking in this video. 

 

*edit: having grown up around a deaf family [not mine a friend] I find this topic rather over-inflated. There is a non-issue and here it has been made an issue over what I perceive as being a "hey third party what you did was insulting, first party doesn't know it and doesn't care but I'm pissed on their behalf because I feel that way" type of thing. 

 

Now I get you op but this is rather close to that. Imo. I suggest you take in more context before taking a position like this, since this is such a short clip and there is going to be more context than what you see jumping the gun with this reaction is going to look bad. Fyi.

Edited September 8, 2022 by SansVarnic

[LogicalDrm]

Emoji is the only bad thing I see. As member of the visually impaired community I get very defensive when people are mocking blind people or using them to promote their own agenda.

 

But I also know that those with any disability have tougher skin than those who don't. So here I don't really see reason for cancelling anyone. I see reason for noting it to person and asking why they choose emoji like that.

 

You say this is on personal account? How big is their following? Is there tag etc. that visibly tells their position? Was this video shared with event or Asus tagged? As to me it looks like you are taking very hard stance towards someone who doesn't deal with disabled people in their normal life. So they might not even notice what they are doing. Just like you won't be kicked out of school for using words towards someone unintentionally... If this was intentional and they have history etc. then it's different and you should take it up to Asus. Probably get the deaf community and organizations to back you up.

[starsmine]

So between the possible poor choice of emoji, and a poor choice of words with "excited" then. That is where they screwed up I suppose.

In terms of the microaggression, I would sooner air on the side of caution, with them not recognizing that as an issue before attributing malice, and use it as a teaching moment.
In terms of the emoji. emojis are complicated things, they dont translate well into english or a tone, its impossible to tell if a  is happy, or sarcasm for example. 
Heck, this emoji here translates to I laughed so hard I died, but also it doesnt 

I would always  look for clarification with an emoji if I was unsure of tone, or assume a positive tone, before making accusations of malice.

AT MOST the person may need some sensitivity training in private after a goof up like that, but assuming harm, and responding with vitriol is to much of an initial step. Nor should the guy be flogged in public to get your dollar back. 

Now none of this is to say your concerns are not valid but escalation is not a great first step to get them addressed when people are unaware of the issue to begin with. First step would be to better educate, then move from there depending on where it goes.

[LinusTech]

Back on topic, if I had to guess it's more novelty than actual disparagement... 

 

Any time I would sign with my mom in public people would watch us and ask questions once they figured out I can hear/speak.

 

We never really thought too much of it. 

[LogicalDrm]

2 hours ago, LinusTech said:

Back on topic, if I had to guess it's more novelty than actual disparagement... 

 

Any time I would sign with my mom in public people would watch us and ask questions once they figured out I can hear/speak.

 

We never really thought too much of it. 

Its bit worse with blind people and those using wheelchair and having assistant along. There are people who talk only to assistant, ignoring person who is their actual customer or discussion partner. So there's more of ignorance than anything else. Usually those stories get headline space, but rarely are more than brush-off by persons involved. Its when the person ignoring or treating disabled as lesser person continues their actions after noted about it when it would, and should, take up as real issue.

[ToboRobot]

"They are so excited :emoji:"

Saying people are excited is not disparaging.  Is it?

So is the problem the emoji?  Does that emoji really imply any malice?


Is the a real issue or just another overblown witchhunt?

Either this is someone doing a really poor job of mocking people, or it's someone who saw people that were in some way disabled, but were excited about technology and wanted to share that enthusiasm.  

I remember back in the day, people used to contact the person in question privately  before blowing them up in public or online....

[Roswell]

20 hours ago, starsmine said:

I might need to be educated, cause I'm lost from the video you posted.

The asus guy is showing people excited about their products? I'm not sure I am understanding how that is mocking.

 

19 hours ago, Spotty said:

What exactly did they do to mock them? 

 

I don't read sign language but it appears they're standing around a PC talking about it. If there's a group of people crowding around a product at a show it's fair to say that people are excited about it. I don't understand what any of that has to do with them being deaf or using sign language. It might help people understand your point of view if you explain what you think this person is doing or said to mock deaf people.

 

16 hours ago, SansVarnic said:

I see nothing mocking in this video. 

It’s the emoji. Typical “look how goofy these deaf people look while they communicate” nonsense.

 

Imagine captioning a person in a wheelchair going up an accessibility ramp to a concert or something and using the crying laughing emoji saying he must be excited.

 

10 hours ago, ToboRobot said:

So is the problem the emoji?  Does that emoji really imply any malice?

It implies that he thinks deaf people look funny.