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Post by Ganbare! on Apr 4, 2010 13:40:27 GMT -5
Do you think your knowledge, affiliation to both cultures enough to consider you're part of 2 cultures and not just half of them? Time being naturally limited, every hours dedicated to one means no investment in the other.
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Post by toyomansi on Apr 8, 2010 1:13:56 GMT -5
I think it's an advantage to not be 100% part of only one culture, especially since these days the world is getting "smaller" and different cultures mix and influence each other more (i.e. in both of my countries I still get the same amount of American pop culture, lol...). I like to pick the good sides of both of my cultures, and other cultures as well, and discard the sides I don't like. I don't know if I could be fully part of both cultures, since lots of their ways are opposite of each other. I usually just notice how the things are opposite and place myself in the middle (except when I like the one side's custom/way more than the other one's).
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Post by Ganbare! on Apr 25, 2010 10:27:17 GMT -5
It's an interesting approach but don't you sometimes feel rejected because of refusing to take part in some customs or for having different beliefs?
I think this 'best of both worlds' selective mentality and more generally cultural ignorance rather than adhering to/understanding a culture in its entirety is the reason why many EAs experience being treated like foreigners. Not mentioning the lack of trust we encounter for simply being part of a second culture.
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Post by toyomansi on Apr 25, 2010 19:50:31 GMT -5
How about you, do you feel you have been able to immerse yourself fully in both of your cultures?
If I were to take fully part of both of my culture's customs and beliefs, these would contradict each other too much, it would feel as if I have a split personality where I would have to "change character" between each culture.
I think sometimes even monoracials don't like to take fully part of their own culture. I know many people who have bigger interest for other cultures than their own, and learn new languages, cook different food, listen to different music, hang out with different people, travel etc. They are still essentially part of their own culture, but not 100%. These days, those who aren't open to any influence by other cultures, are seen as narrowminded.
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Post by Ganbare! on Apr 26, 2010 7:07:57 GMT -5
Not exactly, it seems like I can't truly be part of both. I understand that they can be contradictory in many ways but my point is that this incompatibility of being entirely part of two cultures because of their very nature and time restraint is why we're not completly accepted, even monoracials not fitting cultural norms are marginalized, Muslim Caucasians for instance.
Because of globalisation, it's obvious people are increasingly influenced by other cultures nevertheless it would be foolish to argue that Caucasians into Chinese food or martial arts movies are part of Asian culture for example. Most people are still part of only one culture, have an exclusive national affiliation and an unique ethnic identity.
Most of us indirectly defy how culture, Nation-state and race are currently defined, cultural syncretization, race mixing, multiethnic countries are without the future of mankind but until these processes are completed we'll always remain outsiders. Keep in mind this has more or less happened in Moorish Spain and it caused the loss of several features of both cultures. Therefore why I think you can never be completly part of 2 cultures.
Those who I believe are more or less in the same boat are second-gen monoracial immigrants and even them often face incomprehension and rejection from their parents or host's culture.
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Post by jefe on Apr 26, 2010 22:36:10 GMT -5
@t Yes, both monoracials and multi-racials can delve into any culture, whether "their own" or others.
But, monoracials do enjoy something even though they may delve into other cultures. They can look at a culture as "their own" even if they do not want to conform to it. Some monoracials have told me that they wish they could be multiracial to avoid being pigeon-holed to their ascribed culture, but I don't know how to tell them that being multi-racial does not avoid that syndrome at all.
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Post by purpletrapezoid on May 6, 2010 19:13:04 GMT -5
I think many people who are part of only one culture wish they were part of more, and vice-versa. Everyone thinks the grass is purple on the other side, but they don't know that both sides are green.
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