Assimilation is not necessary

Hung Lee, curator of Recruiting Brainfood, joins Joanne Lockwood to unpack the pressures many people feel to assimilate when living in a country where their ethnic background is not considered “native”. Drawing on his childhood experiences of bullying and attempts to “fit in”, Hung describes how early rejection can create a powerful drive to belong — and how that drive can lead to two unhelpful extremes: hyper-assimilation or outright rejection of the surrounding culture.

The conversation widens from personal lived experience into how belonging functions in workplaces and societies. Joanne and Hung discuss why organisations can struggle with the promise of being inclusive “for everyone” all of the time, and how polarisation and the “noisy minority” can distort dialogue. They explore ideas like the paradox of tolerance, the role of values and boundaries in any community, and the importance of sustained dialogue rather than defensive reactions when privilege or identity is challenged.

They also reflect on certainty, ideology, echo chambers, and the value of doubt as a tool for healthier debate and better decision-making. The episode closes with Hung sharing how Recruiting Brainfood began as a personal curation habit, and why consistency and community have been central to building an engaged audience over time.