Donkey of the Race UAE

[keysersoze]

Now let us break your definition of anti-multiculturalism down a touch or two. If we start with the title anti-multiculturalism, "anti" suggest "opposed to", multi cultures; in the case of multiculturalism, opposed to the existence or practice of the coexistence of multiple cultures in a single social system.

Then you speak of division or fragmentation and the inherent ontological framework for the representation of groups into subcultures. This process is only possible by identifying characteristics of certain groups of individual that reduce the group into a type of culture.

Now the problem here is by making such differentiation you inherently create a subconscious barrier as you would subconsciously think of these people as different. You therefore cannot interact with member of a group you do not see yourself associated with, in the manner that you would with an individual you naturally identify with. This unfortunately creates discrimination on the basis of cultural difference that you perceive in your interactions with other people.

The label Anti-Multiculturalist is a misnomer in a sense. Because if you really want to make such categorization of cultures, even in a social system with a predominant culture, would break down to further sub-categories of cultures within it. So how do you interact with society with this sort of outlook to the world. How do you expect people who would certainly notice your particular mannerism due to your ontological perspective, to react to you. Or do you expect them to be insensitive to your traits.

Also the very concept of division of culture is the very foundation of prejudices. You cannot be insensitive to individuals exhibiting the characteristics of a culture that you do not identify with, if you make such distinctions. Unfortunately, these sort of ontologies are the ingredients of prejudices which take the forms of Nationalism and the various forms of racism.

The fact of the matter, is that this perspective is not new nor does it hold any novelty of any kind. There are tons of literature dating back to the 1800s and beyond that have explored this view. As it goes, it was very central to thinking and movement of the Nazi movement in Germany. It was also instrumental in the labelling of Jews and the need for them to wear a yellow star so that they may be more easily identified as a member of a separate culture at a glance. You know where that led in the end don't you.

Then there was the Apartheid regimes of South Africa which was also essentially based on this very concept. The common theme here is that movements and people that have harbored this particular view have also exhibited intense intolerance for other groups that they did not identify with. Thus the inevitable prejudices and consequentially racisms that were afflicted on these outsider groups.

To conclude, you cannot have a separatist view of the world and not also harbour some level of prejudices as a result of these differences that exist in your society. The very foundation of choice is in the differences of things.

And by the way, what is a race? The British Act of parliament on racism have a much broader view than what you call race.

slippery slope argument

[Nitrodaze]

slippery slope argument

It is probably best for us to park it for good then. I did previously say that we should not pursue this line of conversation.

[Zico]

You only have to look around and observe that when a People/religion/cultures values and way of life are directly opposed to anothers then they have to co-exist and not integrate. In these circumstances there will always be friction and difficulties and so the concept should be avoided if possible That is all I'm saying however you want to try to paint it.

Let's just park it.

[Nitrodaze]

You only have to look around and observe that when a People/religion/cultures values and way of life are directly opposed to anothers then they have to co-exist and not integrate. In these circumstances there will always be friction and difficulties and so the concept should be avoided if possible That is all I'm saying however you want to try to paint it.

Let's just park it.

In Belgium they speak upto 7 different languages, they don't coexist they integrate. The world is getting smaller and the average man is becoming enpowered by information from the internet and television. You probably have not realized, there is a world culture forming and you partake in it daily without effort or notice. Just look at the things you casually do everyday and work out their origin. Or the food you buy in the supermarket or the booze offered in your local pub. The characteristics of the music you listen to as you drive to work or some of the words you use to express yourself etc.

The Anti Multiculturalism concept is outmoded in today's world and very uncool.

[Starter]

In Belgium they speak upto 7 different languages, they don't coexist they integrate. The world is getting smaller and the average man is becoming enpowered by information from the internet and television. You probably have not realized, there is a world culture forming and you partake in it daily without effort or notice. Just look at the things you casually do everyday and work out their origin. Or the food you buy in the supermarket or the booze offered in your local pub. The characteristics of the music you listen to as you drive to work or some of the words you use to express yourself etc.

The Anti Multiculturalism concept is outmoded in today's world and very uncool.

In Canada they only speak two different languages. And, though they operate as a single country, there has always been friction between both sides. To the point that from time to time there have been strong separatist movements. Yet Canada is a strong, thriving country in spite of government attempts at multiculturism.

Cool is in the eye of the beholder.

[Bagwan]

I gave a man a tree yesterday , just to be nice .

[Nitrodaze]

In Canada they only speak two different languages. And, though they operate as a single country, there has always been friction between both sides. To the point that from time to time there have been strong separatist movements. Yet Canada is a strong, thriving country in spite of government attempts at multiculturism.

Cool is in the eye of the beholder.

The beautifull thing about freedom of choice is there would always be situation where there would be a conflict in the exercise of the freedom. Hence in any multicultural social system such as Canada, Belgium, Iraq, UK, USA and anywhere you care to name, there would be some who would seek to exercise there choice to be anti-multiculturalists for various reasons. Hence some sort of friction is expected.

And the characteristics of these anti-multiculturalism would be based on the viewpoint of the anti-multiculturalist which may take the form of how they go about the ontological demographical segmentation they come up with. What l am getting at here is, most people who adopt anti-multiculturalism, do so for different reasons. Unfortunately this is where the basis of the prejudice component of anti-multiculturailism is rooted.

Maybe it would help if we define what we mean by culture. If we adopt the point of view that we are talking about "culture as a way of living", then the Cambridge English dictionary define culture as:-

"the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs, of a particular group of people at a particular time"

Based on this definition alone, we can see that you can be an Anti-Multiculturalist from a number of perspectives.

1. By dissociation from the way of life of certain group of people in your society.
2. By dissociation from the custom of certain group of people in your society.
3. By dissociation from the beliefs of certain groups of people in your society.

The Anti-Multiculturalist seeks to have acceptance only of people that have the same way of life, the same customs and the same beliefs. Even in any social system that have an overwhelmingly predominant culture, this goal is unattainable. It is shown very strongly in the struggle of the emancipation of women in some Islamic countries in present time.

Anti-Multiculturalism in the western civilization is seeking to go the other way of becoming like these extremist cultures which are very intolerant of other cultures which are different to their own. And the suppression of exhibition of cultures contrary to the predominant culture.

You can call it whatever name you want to call it, its Mode of Operation is similar to these extremist cultures. How l see it is, Anti-Multiculturalists are individuals with difficulty of existing in a world of multiple differences. Partly because they are afraid their culture is being eroded away.

As Heraclitus puts it, "you cannot dip you foot into the same river twice", because the river you dipped you foot into first time would not be the same river you dipped your foot into at the second attempt. Because the body of water in the river has changed between the time the you dipped your foot in it. The river would have changed because of the things it carries in it, on its way to your foot, but also by your foot entering the river and the river washing away things from your foot.

What l am getting at here is, at the point where cultures intercepts, they change each other wittingly or unwittingly. Hence a culture at one point in time is not the same as one when you look back in time. The Anti-Multiculralism paradym is flawed as it is fighting against change. Change unfortunately is inevitable hence a fight against change has lost even before it started. Because you have changed so much yourself without properly appreciating it. The only real solution for the Anti-Multiculturalist is to completely isolate themselves from the rest of the world. Bring back the old ways, get rid of technology etc. Build a great wall around your borders and throw out all cultures different from the predominant culture.

That would be a very small existence to live. We have come such a long way to be heading back to what was really ugly times.

[Bagwan]

The man to whom I gave the tree had a slightly darker complexion than mine , and his facial structure made me think he was perhaps a Mexican .

I didn't ask . I just gave him the tree .

[Bagwan]

It was a white pine .

[Bagwan]

He was cutting it up to make Christmas wreaths for sale , so that he could more afford the season .