Why can't we all just be...unified?

[Destructus86]

Let me start by saying I am totally ALL FOR immigration. All of us immigrated here at one point in our family history. But I don't think it should stop at just coming over here...I do believe that some form of assimilation does need to take place. Am I wrong to think that?

I believe that if you move to this country, then one of the things you NEED to have is a firm, solid grasp of the english language. IE...you should be able to have a conversation with someone in English.

It also brings up another point....i'm not against embracing/remember your original culture. But you're American now, that should be first. So why do we have so many who come over here all merging together into little sub sections within the country? Why does it have to be an all mexican community? Why can't there be a little of everything? It's like trying to make a soup but not wanting to mix things together...so all you have is a nasty looking water with a bunch of ingredients clumped together.

Is it wrong to think that we should stop mixing only with our own "kind" and delete the concept of "kind" to begin with? How can we be unified as a country when we view ourselves from where we came from and not from where we are?

Maybe i'm just wrong...

thoughts?

 

[Erzengel]

When people ask me my nationality, I say American.

 

[Teelie]

You answered your own question. Diversity. People will always lean towards the familar and that is hard to overcome.

I agree if you move to a country you should accept the culture, the language and the social mores, not try to recreate your own little corner of the world but again, people lean towards the familar so there will always be a resistence. I don't think it means to abandon your heritage either but there must be compromise.

Those who are born into the country versus immigrated are more likely to adapt but it's not so simple to just unify when our very nature is to resist it.

That's why it's so hard to unify. It takes everyone to make an effort and not everyone can.

 

[Midnyte_Sun]

Individuality is what makes America so great. Just because one person chooses to follow cultural norms from wherever they came from doesn't make them any less American or show less solidarity with America.

 

[Darthphere]

I don't think you need to learn English until the "real Americans" learn to speak it first.

 

[Pink Ranger]

People bringing in their culture makes us all richer.

Go to a large food court during a busy lunch hour: how many people are walking around with "American Food" in their styrofoam boxes?

 

[Darthphere]

I feel like this thread should be titled "Why can't we all just be unified under the ideals and way of living that I have deemed to be American?"

 

[Teelie]

People bringing in their culture makes us all richer.

Go to a large food court during a busy lunch hour: how many people are walking around with "American Food" in their styrofoam boxes?

More than you'd think. Many "foreign" dishes are just altered American dishes made to look foreign. Most "chinese" food is nothing like the real deal. Though I do agree that immigration brings in a lot of flavor to cusine.

 

[Darthphere]

Flavor? Pun-tastic.

 

[Teelie]

It was subliminal. I swear. Or maybe sublime... I like lime.

 

[Manic]

I could understand the "if you move to this country, you should follow its culture" argument for most countries. If you move to France, for example, it only makes sense to speak French and follow as many norms of French culture as you can figure out. But that sentiment doesn't really ring true for the US.

Most of the cultural norms found in America aren't indigenous in any way. Unless you're an American Indian, your ancestry doesn't stretch very far back in this country. The US is made up of tons of different cultural practices & beliefs from all four corners of the globe.

"Speak English"? What about all the First Nations' languages that were already being spoken beforehand? What about Middle America once being French colonized territory? And a good portion of the Southwest used to speak Spanish.

I agree that less self-imposed segregation would be better for us, but I think coming together should be about mixing and mingling our different cultural backgrounds instead of just conforming to what one person considers American.

 

[Erzengel]

^
But there's a line between at least attempting to following a culture and then acting indignant because someone doesn't speak your language.

I'm a first generation here and my family knew English by the time they got here. If you don't want to learn and you get by, fine. But don't get all indignant if you have trouble communicating.

 

[knowsbleed]

Why not? A lot of Americans do the same thing when they are abroad. They expect the people who live in the country they are visiting to speak English... and many times, some locals are capable of speaking at least conversational English. I see it all the time, when an American can't communicate in a different country, it becomes a burden to them that the locals don't speak English. English has become an almost global common language and English speakers have become spoiled because of it.

My ex (Japanese) went on vacation to Costa Rica. There, she went on a zip-line trip and on the trip were her and 2 Japanese friends, 2 French women, 2 German women and a Spanish guy. Their common language to communicate? English. It's mind-boggling that other nationalities have English as a common language but we are so hesitant to go to a foreign land and make a decent effort to learn their language.

Same mindstate as immigrants who come to US and refuse to learn English. It's all closemindedness/laziness and it's all very stupid.

 

[Erzengel]

When that happens, I usually just talk louder and increase my hand gestures.

 

[knowsbleed]

That works too.

 

[Manic]

I'd noticed that American tourists had this horrible reputation of going to other countries, wondering why the people don't speak more English, and then comparing* everything they see to something they think is better back home in America.

I resolved never to be one of those people. That's why I only ever plan to visit anglophonic countries. Navigating around another dialect is a lot easier than learning a new language.





*New Yorkers do this within their own country, though. Can't eat sliced bread without them going on about how much better the bread is in NYC.

 

[Darthphere]

Why not? A lot of Americans do the same thing when they are abroad. They expect the people who live in the country they are visiting to speak English... and many times, some locals are capable of speaking at least conversational English. I see it all the time, when an American can't communicate in a different country, it becomes a burden to them that the locals don't speak English. English has become an almost global common language and English speakers have become spoiled because of it.

My ex (Japanese) went on vacation to Costa Rica. There, she went on a zip-line trip and on the trip were her and 2 Japanese friends, 2 French women, 2 German women and a Spanish guy. Their common language to communicate? English. It's mind-boggling that other nationalities have English as a common language but we are so hesitant to go to a foreign land and make a decent effort to learn their language.

Same mindstate as immigrants who come to US and refuse to learn English. It's all closemindedness/laziness and it's all very stupid.

Wrong. Most younger immigrants will learn English either through school or because they take classes. Most of the people who don't learn English are either old stubborn folk or people that don't have time to take classes. Most immigrants aren't coming over and taking your cushy office job. They're working 2-3 jobs while maintaining a household. Are there lazy *******s who just flat out refuse to learn English? Sure, but they're an extreme minority. Its laughable to think people buy into this stereotype that people don't want to learn English. Its so ****ing ridiculous.

 

[Erzengel]

*New Yorkers do this within their own country, though. Can't eat sliced bread without them going on about how much better the bread is in NYC.

I do that about other parts of the Country.

Ever eat a bagel in Florida? Or a pizza from Nebraska? Not as good as from the NY/NJ area.

 

[Pink Ranger]

More than you'd think. Many "foreign" dishes are just altered American dishes made to look foreign. Most "chinese" food is nothing like the real deal. Though I do agree that immigration brings in a lot of flavor to cusine.

The thing is, Americans had all the ingredients to make Sweet & Sour Pork, Broccoli Beef and Lemon Chicken, but you needed Chinese immigrants to teach them how to pull it all together. t:

 

[Teelie]

I know. And the funny thing is genuine Chinese food is so different than what we think of. Depending on the meal it's usually either much blander or much spicier than what we usually get.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I know. And the funny thing is genuine Chinese food is so different than what we think of. Depending on the meal it's usually either much blander or much spicier than what we usually get.

As a Chinese person myself, I consider all of it Chinese food, from Lucky Number Four Lemon Chicken Balls to Imperial Sea Cucumber. All cuisine evolves and changes over time.

 

[Erzengel]

I don't appreciate what you did to my coke.

 

[Teelie]

What's wrong with your coke?

 

[Darthphere]

I like Bourbon Chicken.

 

[Teelie]

Me too. I like bourbon and I like chicken so putting them together is genius.