也谈融入主流社会

来源: 黄杨 于 2007-03-15 12:02:03 [] [博客] [旧帖] [给我悄悄话] 阅读数 : (4534 bytes)
本帖于 2007-03-20 17:33:58 时间, 由普通用户 窈窕淑女司令 编辑

How to adapt to American society is an important issue for most of us, especially for the first generation of immigrants, because we are in a disadvantageous position in a non-Chinese society, such as the United States.

When we talk about how to adapt to American society, we should first clarify some misunderstandings.

Some people have a misunderstanding that if we want to adapt to American society, we have to squeeze into so-called "mainstream society" by getting rid of our own cultural traditions, that is, to become more Americanized.

It’s wrong! We can adapt to American society while keeping our cultural traditions. The evidence is that Chinese schools are everywhere in the United States. Many of us not only want to keep our cultural traditions, but also want to pass the traditions to our children.

Some people believe that if we want to adapt to American society, we must try hard to join the mainstream society.

What’s mainstream society? The United States is a culturally diversified society, and we are the members of this society. The concept of “mainstream society” is questionable.

Actually, those who argue to join the so-called “mainstream society,” in fact, want to squeeze into an elite society. Traditionally, Chinese educated people always wanted to be the members of literati, the elite class.

One of the Confucian ideals is to cultivate personality, manage the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world, and many of us are still influenced by it.

However, we are new comers in this society. We have many disadvantages in terms of language and culture. To climb into the elite society, for some, is by no means wrong, but for the majority of first generation of immigrants, it’s not practical. Therefore, it’s not in the category of cultural identity.

In fact, for the first generation of immigrants, cultural identity is not a big deal. We know who we are.

But for the second generation, it’s a different story. They speak English as native language, some even don’t speak their native language; they have received education here, some even don’t know their own cultural traditions; they assume that they are Americans and they legally and culturally are Americans. But, sometimes, they are not treated as Americans simply because of their Asian faces. This is simply because the United States is a racist society.

Nowadays, people are talking about political correctness. Saying the United States is a racist country is somewhat irritating but provocative.

It’s true that the United States is a racist country. If not, we don’t have to deal with identity problem.

The United States is regarded as a melting pot in which there are people from all over the world. However, the mainstream American culture is carried by WASPS. Other people are somewhat marginalized.

As a minority group, some of us want to join the so-called “mainstream society” by intensively improving English, regularly going to church, watching football and playing gulf, and doing anything to try to identify them with that part of society.

However, no mater how hard we try, we can’t change our identity. We can’t afford to take cosmetic surgery to change the size of our nose and the color of our skin. We can’t change our appetite for American food. Even you succeed in doing so, and I don’t think you may live a comfortable life in this society.

Now we are in an ongoing process of globalization, so that people often say that we are living in a global village. However, people have a natural tendency to divide themselves into different groups. We don’t say we are human beings, but we say we are Americans, Chinese, or Japanese. We like identify ourselves with the people like us.

Unlike the early Puritans, who came to North America in the 17th century and formed their own government and conquered American Indians and eventually became the master of the new continent, we came to the U.S. so late. We have to speak English, follow the rules set by others, and some of us have to start a new career for living.

It’s true that we need to understand American culture, history and society, get along with other ethnic groups, and find right places in the society. But we should also be proud of our cultural identity. Be yourself! In doing so, we may make American society more interesting and colorful, and make yourselves feel more comfortable.

所有跟帖： 

• 其实第二代移民乃至再后来的也面临同样问题 -玄淡泊宗- ♂ 给 玄淡泊宗 发送悄悄话 玄淡泊宗 的博客首页 (321 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:18:11

• 第二代移民面临问题比咱们严重，第一代移民没太多身份 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (182 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:53:08

• 这个很同意！他们辛苦多了~~！ -dryadium- ♀ 给 dryadium 发送悄悄话 dryadium 的博客首页 (52 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 13:01:43

• 是这样。移民研究领域基本有个共识， -bscz- ♀ 给 bscz 发送悄悄话 (202 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 13:37:17

• 顶黄先生的好文章. -Yuan- ♀ 给 Yuan 发送悄悄话 Yuan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:18:13

• Thanks a lot, Yuan! -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:54:21

• 好文！思路清晰、逻辑严禁，观点鲜明。顶！ -为人父- ♂ 给 为人父 发送悄悄话 为人父 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:32:08

• 问人爹好。 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:55:14

• Good Article. -彩云舒- ♀ 给 彩云舒 发送悄悄话 彩云舒 的博客首页 (187 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:35:55

• That's why I force my children to learn Chinese. It is indeed -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (21 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:59:04

• 他们自己以为自己是中国人的时候，自然会学而且学得好。 -dryadium- ♀ 给 dryadium 发送悄悄话 dryadium 的博客首页 (44 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 13:03:14

• 子不教，父之过。小孩子现在不太懂，你现在放任他们， -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (112 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 13:41:21

• 我不觉得能说中文，就代表没有忘了中华文化 -dryadium- ♀ 给 dryadium 发送悄悄话 dryadium 的博客首页 (126 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 16:38:56

• ^_^ -七喜- ♀ 给 七喜 发送悄悄话 七喜 的博客首页 (89 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 12:38:18

• It's wonderful to see your happy face. :)) -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 13:00:07

• 黄兄写的好, 顶! -老粗- ♂ 给 老粗 发送悄悄话 老粗 的博客首页 (128 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 13:10:19

• 天下平定了，不就和平了嘛。：）） -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 13:29:20

• 也是一理, 翻译还是真有学问呀。：）） -老粗- ♂ 给 老粗 发送悄悄话 老粗 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 14:10:58

• Easy said than done! Cultural barrier is tougher than Berlin Wal -悟空孙- ♂ 给 悟空孙 发送悄悄话 悟空孙 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 14:16:25

• Absolutely right. -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:25:15

• good point! -rayray- ♀ 给 rayray 发送悄悄话 rayray 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 14:40:41

• Thanks for sharing the point. -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:26:05

• 这么多年一直就没找着主流：）） -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:27:16

• 这么棒的英文---：（（ -江上一郎- ♂ 给 江上一郎 发送悄悄话 江上一郎 的博客首页 (32 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:00:00

• 咱自己个活着高兴就行了。 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:28:35

• As a old topic, this is a very well-explained article, thanks fo -壹枝- ♀ 给 壹枝 发送悄悄话 壹枝 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:00:32

• Thanks for reading. -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:34:40

• 黄兄写得好! -晴空骄阳- ♂ 给 晴空骄阳 发送悄悄话 晴空骄阳 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:15:25

• 多谢支持。 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (18 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:35:59

• 英文太棒了，内容就没多看。 -跳蚤- ♀ 给 跳蚤 发送悄悄话 跳蚤 的博客首页 (34 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:54:01

• 不好意思。 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:55:22

• 黄杨，你不练古文练英文，一样是绝活，跟着夸垮你哈：） -击水三千- ♂ 给 击水三千 发送悄悄话 击水三千 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 15:57:18

• 哈，好久没见三千版主了。问候一下。 -孩儿他爹- ♀ 给 孩儿他爹 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 18:07:33

• 回复：哈，好久没见三千版主了。跟着问候一下。 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:59:47

• 这才是见了真章！ -白梅格- ♀ 给 白梅格 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 16:01:20

• 谢谢。 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:57:29

• hehe, I respectfully disagree:) -安贝儿- ♀ 给 安贝儿 发送悄悄话 安贝儿 的博客首页 (1398 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 16:15:55

• Thanks a lot for your valuable comment. -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:56:34

• 走廊就是牛。古文有野狼，英文有黄杨，绘画江一郎， -“你”- ♀ 给 “你” 发送悄悄话 (16 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 16:37:33

• 回复：走廊有“你”就更牛：））问好。 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:58:53

• 入不入流，全在心里自在。唐人街上老广东，不活得挺滋？ -挥一挥手- ♂ 给 挥一挥手 发送悄悄话 挥一挥手 的博客首页 (120 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 16:46:32

• 放到外面来说:主流次流支流，心里快活才是溜溜.. -DUMARTINI- ♀ 给 DUMARTINI 发送悄悄话 DUMARTINI 的博客首页 (28 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 19:38:59

• 不好了,县长写洋字码了 -wiser56- ♂ 给 wiser56 发送悄悄话 wiser56 的博客首页 (22 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 18:39:29

• 回复：也谈融入主流社会 -buffalogrove- ♂ 给 buffalogrove 发送悄悄话 (1532 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 18:56:02

• 谢谢水牛兄的拍砖评论。 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:54:24

• 英文是不错，嘿嘿，鸡蛋里挑骨头， -悟空孙- ♂ 给 悟空孙 发送悄悄话 悟空孙 的博客首页 (245 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 19:22:34

• 回复：英文是不错，嘿嘿，鸡蛋里挑骨头， -晴空骄阳- ♂ 给 晴空骄阳 发送悄悄话 晴空骄阳 的博客首页 (405 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 19:49:55

• Now that 此处是since 的意思，如果 -悟空孙- ♂ 给 悟空孙 发送悄悄话 悟空孙 的博客首页 (66 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 19:57:57

• 回复：Now that 此处是since 的意思，如果 -晴空骄阳- ♂ 给 晴空骄阳 发送悄悄话 晴空骄阳 的博客首页 (256 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:29:52

• 你说的对，语感是不好把握的，尤其是半路出家学外语是很不容易的，如 -悟空孙- ♂ 给 悟空孙 发送悄悄话 悟空孙 的博客首页 (28 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:33:21

• 谢谢悟空孙和骄阳兄。后面写得太仓促了，那句话应该换个 -黄杨- ♂ 给 黄杨 发送悄悄话 黄杨 的博客首页 (20 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 20:53:29

• 黄杨兄最近佳作连连可喜可贺 -淑女司令- ♀ 给 淑女司令 发送悄悄话 淑女司令 的博客首页 (10 bytes) () 03/15/2007 postreply 22:51:23

• Well said, agree with you -gzlady- ♀ 给 gzlady 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 03/20/2007 postreply 17:59:15

• 回复：也谈融入主流社会 -雨打梧桐- ♀ 给 雨打梧桐 发送悄悄话 雨打梧桐 的博客首页 (60 bytes) () 03/20/2007 postreply 19:45:26

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