How long to keep a culture?

[taiwan_girl]

Not sure I am going to explain what I mean, so stay with me.

The conversation started out talking about how it is important to integrate into a society. For example, there are expats who come to another country (Thailand for example) and make it their home, but never learn any of the other language, only hang out with other expats, eat only in Western restaurants, etc.

The same example could be used for immigrants to any country. For example, I know Chinese people who have lived in the US for a long time, but stay pretty much in Chinatown, only watch Chinese language TV, read Chinese language newspapers, etc. Same thing with alot of Spanish people who come to the US.

I do think that an English speaker has a lot better chance to survive in a different country just because they speak english and english has become the "world language"

I think everybody agrees that this is a bad idea. If you do not integrate, it only leads to isolation and more de-integration.

Then we started talking about culture in general:
How long do you hold on to your culture?

For example, a race may say that they want to be able to have a hairstyle or dress a certain way because "it is part of my culture"
Another example, a group of people want to be allowed to use this symbol or show this flag, because it is "part of my culture".

Maybe it was, but that was 100+ years ago. At what time, do you "let go"? It seems like sometimes "we" hold on to symbols of the past for too long. It is good to remember your culture and learn from it, but can it be too much sometimes?

(Edit to add, I do have a chi pao (Chinese ladies dress), and do wear it, but not very often. And, I would not be offended if someone from another "culture" wore one.)

[Doctor Phibes]

If you're expecting me to drink Budweiser and eat American cheese product, then forget it.

[Axtremus]

The cultural elements I like should be kept forever.
All others can disappear as far as I am concerned.

[Mik]

“In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the person’s becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American … There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn’t an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag … We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language … and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

Theodore Roosevelt 1907

[Mik]

Now that sounds a bit extreme, but is really the bedrock of American immigration. It doesn't mean that pieces of your culture cannot be maintained, merely that living as a separate culture cannot be condoned.

[taiwan_girl]

@mik said in How long to keep a culture?:

Now that sounds a bit extreme, but is really the bedrock of American immigration. It doesn't mean that pieces of your culture cannot be maintained, merely that living as a separate culture cannot be condoned.

Good point. It is the "separate" part which always causes problems. LOL

[LuFins Dad]

I've got some kind of culture in the back of my refrigerator that's been there for about 3 years. That's about the limit.

[Copper]

Most Irish I know still like to drink and fight.

Sadly, some have forgotten.

[Mik]

It's OK, Copper. I'll still get drunk and fight with ye.