Now, keep in mind that Randy Newman is a satirist and this isn't meant to be a serious song. But in this video in which Newman defends the song, he seems to imply that its lyrics contains at least a kernel of truth. In a recent Slate write-up of the song, Jeff Chang wrote that the song "skillfully whipsaws between condescension and flattery, packages shortcuts as lifesavers, fears as hopes." The song works as satire because its narrator is sort of an earnest doofus, which is a character Newman has previously channeled in songs like "Short People" and "Political Science."

So are positive stereotype bad? Well, it's obvious that many people are uncomfortable with making any kind of generalization about a large group of people. Given some of the world's more embarrassing and shameful episodes, this impulse to treat people as people is probably a healthy one. Seeing people as merely representatives of certain ethnic groups is (and should be) automatically suspect. But our hesitancy to make generalizations can also prevent us from asking important, serious questions, like why do, say, Korean and Indian students seem to excel in school when others are left behind? What are their parents doing that others' are not?

So what say you, Gadling faithful? Are all stereotypes, even positive ones, to be avoided? Or do some stereotypes serve a purpose in helping us think more clearly about the world?

And, hey, back to the all-important Seinfeld question: is declaring your love for Chinese women a little racist?