I see it all the time. It is becoming more prevalent everyday, or at least it seems like it to me. The latest example is a group of African-American women claiming to be witches. There was a piece on the news about it, I guess for Black history month. Anyway, they were saying how they were going back to the roofs of their ancestors. They felt compelled to follow that path. Other examples I have seen are those claiming ancestral accomplishments as their own. Elizabeth Warren is a current example of making such claims. She was Native American, turns out she claimed that when it was to her advantage to do so. Whether she genuinely believed that because of family stories is questionable. Whatever the case, that is the sort of thing I'm talking about. Making claims based on the past to benefit you today, or in the future. I have a hard time understanding that. Whatever my ancestors were or did has nothing to do with me. I may be proud of their accomplishments but those accomplishments aren't mine. And as far as adopting rituals, beliefs or practices of distant ancestors I find that a bit disingenuous. Looks like you just want to draw attention to yourself.
What I am talking about here is culture. I don't believe you can inherit culture by virtue of your DNA. If you have no other connection to distant ancestors than that, you don't have their culture. Yes, you can read about it, you can imagine what they must have done, you can imitate, but you can't recreate that culture. Culture is something you have to learn by experience. You can't experience the past, the past is gone. To me it is as simple as that. You hear about cultural appropriation and that's a bad thing. That happens when you claim to be one thing, but are actually another right? Isn't that what the premise is? I believe that term is a misnomer, what they are really saying is racial appropriation. I say that because there are people of every race that have lived in every culture. Granted there may have only been one or two instances in those cultures, but it happened. If I'm not a African-American and claim to be, that's racial appropriation. More correctly it should be ethnic appropriation. Africans comprise many different ethnic groups, not all are black either. There are many different cultures on the continent of Africa. The general idea of what an African-American is probably the biggest misconception out there. Really it should be insulting to those that wish to claim African culture as there own.
Well, whatever the case may be I am puzzled by the whole deal. I fail to see how anything my distant ancestors may or may not have done has anything to do with me. This is doubly true when those ancestors lived in another century, on another continent. I am of Nordic descent, doesn't make me a Viking. I am of German descent, doesn't mean I should be wearing lederhosen and drinking copious amounts of beer. Those cultures may interest me, but I can't experience that, it was over a hundred years ago. That's the reason we have theme parks! It's called role playing. The very reason if asked I will say I'm an American. I'm not a European American, a German American or Swedish American, I'm an American. I can further tell you what part of America I was raised in. I'm from the East coast, a New Englander. Do I fit in with the stereotypical image of a New Englander? Probably no more so than someone born in America claiming to be a African. I'd say I would be a bit closer seeing as I at least have experience on the continent. But my point is someone born and raised in Maine would surely have different views and customs than myself, born on Eastern Long Island. Don't we think those folks from Maine talk funny? You know what, they think I do. I know, I've visited Maine.
With all the unrest in the country it seems that folks are looking for stability. Perhaps that is why they are looking to the past. The past does appear to be a bit more rigid. There is a reason for that. The past doesn't change, only our perception of that past does. In short, we want our cake and be able to eat it too. The best cultures, the best societies, are formed when everyone assimilates. Yes, that is obvious isn't it? Birds of a feather flock together. The only issue with assimilation is what? The surrendering of your past in favor of a potential future. The real issue however, the deep seated root of the problem is, someone has to surrender. And that is why each group seeks an advantage over the other. Doesn't matter is it is socially, economically, or culturally. One group has to be the example. One group has to define that to the satisfaction of the others. It is the defining of a culture.
Culture is defined as the customs, arts, social institutions and achievements of a particular nation, people or other social group. In this instance I'm talking about a nation.
What I find unsettling is this resistance to assimilation. Can a nation survive without that? The answer is no, it cannot. America grew into this marvelous nation by that action. It was written on the statue of Liberty, it was included in our founding documents, all are welcome. The idea was to form one nation. One nation means one culture. We have established our customs, our arts, and our social institutions. That great achievements have been made is unquestionable. It is those achievements that we, as a nation, should celebrate. Those were achieved as a result of assimilation. Everyone working toward a common goal. In the past it was wars, social justice, getting through a depression and putting a man on the moon. All of those things were unifying events. Today all I see is division. The watch word is inclusiveness, but it should be assimilate. I'll include you if you assimilate to my culture. And that, is the bottom line. That is what forms a nation, a culture, and peace among men.
What I am talking about here is culture. I don't believe you can inherit culture by virtue of your DNA. If you have no other connection to distant ancestors than that, you don't have their culture. Yes, you can read about it, you can imagine what they must have done, you can imitate, but you can't recreate that culture. Culture is something you have to learn by experience. You can't experience the past, the past is gone. To me it is as simple as that. You hear about cultural appropriation and that's a bad thing. That happens when you claim to be one thing, but are actually another right? Isn't that what the premise is? I believe that term is a misnomer, what they are really saying is racial appropriation. I say that because there are people of every race that have lived in every culture. Granted there may have only been one or two instances in those cultures, but it happened. If I'm not a African-American and claim to be, that's racial appropriation. More correctly it should be ethnic appropriation. Africans comprise many different ethnic groups, not all are black either. There are many different cultures on the continent of Africa. The general idea of what an African-American is probably the biggest misconception out there. Really it should be insulting to those that wish to claim African culture as there own.
Well, whatever the case may be I am puzzled by the whole deal. I fail to see how anything my distant ancestors may or may not have done has anything to do with me. This is doubly true when those ancestors lived in another century, on another continent. I am of Nordic descent, doesn't make me a Viking. I am of German descent, doesn't mean I should be wearing lederhosen and drinking copious amounts of beer. Those cultures may interest me, but I can't experience that, it was over a hundred years ago. That's the reason we have theme parks! It's called role playing. The very reason if asked I will say I'm an American. I'm not a European American, a German American or Swedish American, I'm an American. I can further tell you what part of America I was raised in. I'm from the East coast, a New Englander. Do I fit in with the stereotypical image of a New Englander? Probably no more so than someone born in America claiming to be a African. I'd say I would be a bit closer seeing as I at least have experience on the continent. But my point is someone born and raised in Maine would surely have different views and customs than myself, born on Eastern Long Island. Don't we think those folks from Maine talk funny? You know what, they think I do. I know, I've visited Maine.
With all the unrest in the country it seems that folks are looking for stability. Perhaps that is why they are looking to the past. The past does appear to be a bit more rigid. There is a reason for that. The past doesn't change, only our perception of that past does. In short, we want our cake and be able to eat it too. The best cultures, the best societies, are formed when everyone assimilates. Yes, that is obvious isn't it? Birds of a feather flock together. The only issue with assimilation is what? The surrendering of your past in favor of a potential future. The real issue however, the deep seated root of the problem is, someone has to surrender. And that is why each group seeks an advantage over the other. Doesn't matter is it is socially, economically, or culturally. One group has to be the example. One group has to define that to the satisfaction of the others. It is the defining of a culture.
Culture is defined as the customs, arts, social institutions and achievements of a particular nation, people or other social group. In this instance I'm talking about a nation.
What I find unsettling is this resistance to assimilation. Can a nation survive without that? The answer is no, it cannot. America grew into this marvelous nation by that action. It was written on the statue of Liberty, it was included in our founding documents, all are welcome. The idea was to form one nation. One nation means one culture. We have established our customs, our arts, and our social institutions. That great achievements have been made is unquestionable. It is those achievements that we, as a nation, should celebrate. Those were achieved as a result of assimilation. Everyone working toward a common goal. In the past it was wars, social justice, getting through a depression and putting a man on the moon. All of those things were unifying events. Today all I see is division. The watch word is inclusiveness, but it should be assimilate. I'll include you if you assimilate to my culture. And that, is the bottom line. That is what forms a nation, a culture, and peace among men.
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