The 'potluck' metaphor has been bandied about for some time now and I don't agree that it is an improvement on the melting pot. Europe is a a good (bad?) example of purposely forgetting that a country has a defining national culture, along with smaller neighborhood cultures. These have been formed over years and do not take well to sudden and significant disruption from large numbers of 'outsiders' coming in and living in an openly different way than is the local/national culture. I submit that friction with some new arrivals is a legitimate manifestation of 'you left there to come HERE, so make the effort to fit in.'
This is what has been said about every immigrant group from Japanese to German immigrants in the US. The kids almost always want to fit in and soften the edges of the differences with their native born peers
Each of us has to have an identity. We have no choice about "whether" but we do have many choices about "what". In my family, we have Jews from Eastern Europe, Italian Catholics from Calabria, Taiwanese of Chinese descent, and Venezuelan peoples. We all, I believe, identify first as Americans. But that is only a beginning. I believe we all identify secondarily with the values of our forbears, particularly the values of family and ethics that we try to hand down from generation to generation. But many of us also see ourselves as citizens of the world who owe duties to other people just because they are people. All of these attachments change from generation to generation, as we marry, have children, live in different places, study different things, etc. It is an organic process that is not dictated.
In my view, it doesn't do much good to worry about whether it is one kind of pot or another. Each of us tries to instill the values we believe in to the next generations, and sometimes we have success and sometimes we do not. I think I still can see my parents' values in what would be their great grandchildren, most of whom are now young adults. But if so, that is because we just do it.
Japan is clean, safe, harmonious and it is also wonderful to visit to enjoy Japanese culture. Think of the disgust and worry of loss we would all feel with massive immigration to Japan where immigrants from other countries started demanding adoption for their culture within Japan. I think this piece misses the common missed differentiation between the harmful bias of superficial group identity and cultural differences that are also superficial and add some flavor… and the cultural differences that are in conflict with the base culture of the home country.
Well, first of all Japan is so small and overcrowded and not much room to grow. I’ve been to Japan and absolutely loved it. But before going, I studied their culture and found out that they are very very biased even against other Asian cultures. They are biased against Chinese. They are biased against Thais, etc. etc. Perhaps another country that is so small would have trouble with immigration. Especially mass immigration.
The potluck idea however in my opinion is a good idea, regardless. If one wants to immigrate to any country, hold onto your culture while attempting to assimilate as much as possible also. Don’t seclude yourself.
Unrelated to Japan, but perhaps related to immigration are other countries that definitely require proof of financial stability before they will let you immigrate.
Here is the base consideration. I think if you bring along and clutch your old home culture, you will own more fealty to that country and not enough care for your new home. The lack of care is the ubiquitous problem with multiculturalism. You see more crime, more graffiti... immigrants focused on what they can get from their new home, and not how they can contribute to make it better. They don't feel that they belong because we have not required that they assimilate. It is wrong to ignore and deny this... demanding that a country can be stable and good by allowing people from all over the world to enter and have their cultural behavior recognized and supported. It does not work.
What does work is cultural immigration... people that decide they are attracted to a new home for its culture, and not for the money they can put in their pocket.
"More crime, more graffiti... immigrants focused on what they can get from their new home, not how they can make it better"?
This is way off-base!
FWIW, take a look at the drug-ridden encampments around Oakland -- mostly embittered white & black natives wasting their lives, almost no Asians & surprisingly few Latinos. (For that matter, the professional grievance-mongers staffing the nonprofits aren't generally immigrants themselves.)
Those immigrants take care of each other -- and (aside from taking them in until they're housed) that includes extending credit -- helping each other set up mom-and-pop businesses -- and striving to put their kids through school.
That's not really so different from the immigrant experience that's enriched America for hundreds of years. Stop looking to trim off the live branches, while missing out on the true source of the rot!
I never claimed otherwise. In fact, I've pointed out that illegal immigration is "undocumented" only in the same sense that shoplifting is merely "undocumented shopping."
Nonetheless, you're conflating condemnation of lawbreaking with a larger discussion involving the values and contributions of immigrants (especially legal ones!), and the overall phenomenon of (legal as well as illegal) immigration itself.
In other words -- given that this is a discussion of pluralism (not only of illegal immigration) -- you're tarring with too broad a brush.
I think the continued demand for multiculturalism ignores the massive set of evidence that it is not a workable recipe supporting the long-term health of any country or civilization. I abhor and reject any bias and discrimination based on anything other than behavior. However, cultural bias is an evolutionary survival mechanism. Just like my home would be made chaotic if I invited in another family with a completely different set of cultural views, values and beliefs to live my family, the same disruption occurs in communities and a nation. There are many cultural views, beliefs and practices from immigrants that conflict with American culture. If someone migrates to another country, full assimilation should be required. If I move to Japan, I would immerse myself in Japanese culture to assimilate. Food, religion, ceremony... these things are superficial and generally passive. Unfortunately, we are a democracy and thus risk major disruption to our base home culture when too many of another culture concentrate to aggressively derive political power and then force-feed their culture into the system.
there are some countries that do require migrants to fully assimilate, ie, religion, & let's assume many would choose not to go there.
I agree w/ you, those going to another country should not force-feed their culture into the system they're entering. Let's use the US an example. Push 2 for Spanish... is that force feeding culture or force feeding by necessity & requiring $ for supporting interpreters in hospitals, courts, driver's license, schools, etc, etc... Language assimilation is perhaps just one example... my grandparents immigrated from Russia legally, & immediately wanted to learn English. That, imo, should be #1 on the assimilation list.
However, in the US, I believe it's wonderful to find a variety of authentic restaurants offering cuisines from around the world. I want the servers to speak English. If I'm in another country I don't expect them to speak English.
I used the 'unwillingness' or lack of desire for many living in Chinatowns all across the US as an example of non-assimilation. I would say a good part of that is cultural, not religious. There are other groups that somewhat, in varying degrees, isolate themselves --- many based on religion.
People should not be isolated by others based on bias.
I wonder if some cultures want the sharing more than others. The first that comes to mind is in the major cities you will find Chinatown. I personally know people who came to the US from China in the 1970's w/ one child, had another born around 1980. They didn't attempt to become citizens until the oldest insisted, sometime when she was in high school. The adults have moved, each time from one Chinatown to another. They hold on to their culture rigidly. The youngest around 2015 had never seen a turkey leg = never had a Thanksgiving dinner.
I believe in learning one's culture & teaching it, however this family's culture is all they want to know, & it seems to be true to those around them. Many who have lived in the US for many, many yrs still speak their native language at home & w/ their friends, & show little interest in adapting to updating to English. When speaking in public with English speakers, their English can still be very halting.
One of the most interesting, delicious, fun Thanksgivings I attended was when friends of one of my sons all gathered - well over 25 - & everyone brought a favorite family dish. Some were traditional American, but there were many other cultures represented... a REAL potluck!!
It's not a zero sum. In my view, every country should have a dominant culture and dominant group who decide what the rules are. That's not exclusive of the idea that a certain amount of cross fertilization with other cultures is a good thing, of course it is *but* it should be clearly understood that the dominant group/culture will decide whether or not to adopt, say, female genital mutilation, wife burning, stoning of apostates, voodoo ... or whatever else you bring with you from the old country. America was founded by white protestants and that's what made it what it is. Yes, yes, yes, there have always been various others and that's just Jim dandy -- but the WASPS made the rules. That's how it should stay. Don't like it here? Go home. In short, White Supremacy is a good idea and I think we should try it. Mind, that in no way prevented me from supporting Obama. As far as I could see his Identity was American Patriot -- he was White, and his genetics were of no interest to me.
The 'potluck' metaphor has been bandied about for some time now and I don't agree that it is an improvement on the melting pot. Europe is a a good (bad?) example of purposely forgetting that a country has a defining national culture, along with smaller neighborhood cultures. These have been formed over years and do not take well to sudden and significant disruption from large numbers of 'outsiders' coming in and living in an openly different way than is the local/national culture. I submit that friction with some new arrivals is a legitimate manifestation of 'you left there to come HERE, so make the effort to fit in.'
This is what has been said about every immigrant group from Japanese to German immigrants in the US. The kids almost always want to fit in and soften the edges of the differences with their native born peers
Each of us has to have an identity. We have no choice about "whether" but we do have many choices about "what". In my family, we have Jews from Eastern Europe, Italian Catholics from Calabria, Taiwanese of Chinese descent, and Venezuelan peoples. We all, I believe, identify first as Americans. But that is only a beginning. I believe we all identify secondarily with the values of our forbears, particularly the values of family and ethics that we try to hand down from generation to generation. But many of us also see ourselves as citizens of the world who owe duties to other people just because they are people. All of these attachments change from generation to generation, as we marry, have children, live in different places, study different things, etc. It is an organic process that is not dictated.
In my view, it doesn't do much good to worry about whether it is one kind of pot or another. Each of us tries to instill the values we believe in to the next generations, and sometimes we have success and sometimes we do not. I think I still can see my parents' values in what would be their great grandchildren, most of whom are now young adults. But if so, that is because we just do it.
Love the metaphor of potluck nation. You nailed it.
Japan is clean, safe, harmonious and it is also wonderful to visit to enjoy Japanese culture. Think of the disgust and worry of loss we would all feel with massive immigration to Japan where immigrants from other countries started demanding adoption for their culture within Japan. I think this piece misses the common missed differentiation between the harmful bias of superficial group identity and cultural differences that are also superficial and add some flavor… and the cultural differences that are in conflict with the base culture of the home country.
Well, first of all Japan is so small and overcrowded and not much room to grow. I’ve been to Japan and absolutely loved it. But before going, I studied their culture and found out that they are very very biased even against other Asian cultures. They are biased against Chinese. They are biased against Thais, etc. etc. Perhaps another country that is so small would have trouble with immigration. Especially mass immigration.
The potluck idea however in my opinion is a good idea, regardless. If one wants to immigrate to any country, hold onto your culture while attempting to assimilate as much as possible also. Don’t seclude yourself.
Unrelated to Japan, but perhaps related to immigration are other countries that definitely require proof of financial stability before they will let you immigrate.
Here is the base consideration. I think if you bring along and clutch your old home culture, you will own more fealty to that country and not enough care for your new home. The lack of care is the ubiquitous problem with multiculturalism. You see more crime, more graffiti... immigrants focused on what they can get from their new home, and not how they can contribute to make it better. They don't feel that they belong because we have not required that they assimilate. It is wrong to ignore and deny this... demanding that a country can be stable and good by allowing people from all over the world to enter and have their cultural behavior recognized and supported. It does not work.
What does work is cultural immigration... people that decide they are attracted to a new home for its culture, and not for the money they can put in their pocket.
"More crime, more graffiti... immigrants focused on what they can get from their new home, not how they can make it better"?
This is way off-base!
FWIW, take a look at the drug-ridden encampments around Oakland -- mostly embittered white & black natives wasting their lives, almost no Asians & surprisingly few Latinos. (For that matter, the professional grievance-mongers staffing the nonprofits aren't generally immigrants themselves.)
Those immigrants take care of each other -- and (aside from taking them in until they're housed) that includes extending credit -- helping each other set up mom-and-pop businesses -- and striving to put their kids through school.
That's not really so different from the immigrant experience that's enriched America for hundreds of years. Stop looking to trim off the live branches, while missing out on the true source of the rot!
LEGAL IMMIGRATION is not ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
I never claimed otherwise. In fact, I've pointed out that illegal immigration is "undocumented" only in the same sense that shoplifting is merely "undocumented shopping."
Nonetheless, you're conflating condemnation of lawbreaking with a larger discussion involving the values and contributions of immigrants (especially legal ones!), and the overall phenomenon of (legal as well as illegal) immigration itself.
In other words -- given that this is a discussion of pluralism (not only of illegal immigration) -- you're tarring with too broad a brush.
I think the continued demand for multiculturalism ignores the massive set of evidence that it is not a workable recipe supporting the long-term health of any country or civilization. I abhor and reject any bias and discrimination based on anything other than behavior. However, cultural bias is an evolutionary survival mechanism. Just like my home would be made chaotic if I invited in another family with a completely different set of cultural views, values and beliefs to live my family, the same disruption occurs in communities and a nation. There are many cultural views, beliefs and practices from immigrants that conflict with American culture. If someone migrates to another country, full assimilation should be required. If I move to Japan, I would immerse myself in Japanese culture to assimilate. Food, religion, ceremony... these things are superficial and generally passive. Unfortunately, we are a democracy and thus risk major disruption to our base home culture when too many of another culture concentrate to aggressively derive political power and then force-feed their culture into the system.
there are some countries that do require migrants to fully assimilate, ie, religion, & let's assume many would choose not to go there.
I agree w/ you, those going to another country should not force-feed their culture into the system they're entering. Let's use the US an example. Push 2 for Spanish... is that force feeding culture or force feeding by necessity & requiring $ for supporting interpreters in hospitals, courts, driver's license, schools, etc, etc... Language assimilation is perhaps just one example... my grandparents immigrated from Russia legally, & immediately wanted to learn English. That, imo, should be #1 on the assimilation list.
However, in the US, I believe it's wonderful to find a variety of authentic restaurants offering cuisines from around the world. I want the servers to speak English. If I'm in another country I don't expect them to speak English.
I used the 'unwillingness' or lack of desire for many living in Chinatowns all across the US as an example of non-assimilation. I would say a good part of that is cultural, not religious. There are other groups that somewhat, in varying degrees, isolate themselves --- many based on religion.
People should not be isolated by others based on bias.
Wonderful piece!
I would love to see an essay (by this same author?) comparing/contrasting Alain Locke and James Baldwin! ;-)
I like the potluck metaphor...
I wonder if some cultures want the sharing more than others. The first that comes to mind is in the major cities you will find Chinatown. I personally know people who came to the US from China in the 1970's w/ one child, had another born around 1980. They didn't attempt to become citizens until the oldest insisted, sometime when she was in high school. The adults have moved, each time from one Chinatown to another. They hold on to their culture rigidly. The youngest around 2015 had never seen a turkey leg = never had a Thanksgiving dinner.
I believe in learning one's culture & teaching it, however this family's culture is all they want to know, & it seems to be true to those around them. Many who have lived in the US for many, many yrs still speak their native language at home & w/ their friends, & show little interest in adapting to updating to English. When speaking in public with English speakers, their English can still be very halting.
One of the most interesting, delicious, fun Thanksgivings I attended was when friends of one of my sons all gathered - well over 25 - & everyone brought a favorite family dish. Some were traditional American, but there were many other cultures represented... a REAL potluck!!
Several restaurants in Oakland Chinatown do good business selling whole turkeys prepared for Thanksgiving, ordered in advance.
Terrific essay, love the potluck and orchestra metaphors
It's not a zero sum. In my view, every country should have a dominant culture and dominant group who decide what the rules are. That's not exclusive of the idea that a certain amount of cross fertilization with other cultures is a good thing, of course it is *but* it should be clearly understood that the dominant group/culture will decide whether or not to adopt, say, female genital mutilation, wife burning, stoning of apostates, voodoo ... or whatever else you bring with you from the old country. America was founded by white protestants and that's what made it what it is. Yes, yes, yes, there have always been various others and that's just Jim dandy -- but the WASPS made the rules. That's how it should stay. Don't like it here? Go home. In short, White Supremacy is a good idea and I think we should try it. Mind, that in no way prevented me from supporting Obama. As far as I could see his Identity was American Patriot -- he was White, and his genetics were of no interest to me.
LOL….no
Care to elaborate?