THE DOWNSIDE OF CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION
Philip F. Harris
May 19, 2006
The United States, France, England and Spain are all currently coping with a common problem, namely, immigration. I am not opposed to immigration and hold no bias against any cultural, racial or ethnic group. There is no question that the United States would not be what is today without the infusion of diverse peoples. New ideas, ways of living and cultural infusion has created a country that is open to innovation, tolerance and a mixture of philosophies that support and enhance the original concepts of our Founding Fathers.
However, infusion is a lot different than inundation. The problem is so great in France that they have passed a law requiring that immigrants learn to speak French and pledge their support to the laws of the country. They will also accept only the brightest and the best. A far cry from sending us your poor, weak and hungry. Spain is confronting so many immigrants that they are trying to ship them back as fast as they arrive. England is concerned that British culture is beginning to disappear under the weight of cultural invasion.
Cultural globalization is not a positive goal. It is one thing to have a taste of foreign culture in ?the French quarter?, ?Chinatown?, ?little Italy? or ?little Havana?. It is quite another situation when a cultural group supplants the host?s way of life. Biologically, diversity keeps habitats healthy and productive. But when one species throws an environment out of equilibrium, there tends to be habitat destruction. At one point in my life I thought it would be grand if all of the races intermarried and we had a new humanity that was void of race or color. I have now concluded that this would make for a very boring world. It is the diversity of peoples, cultures and ideas that make planet earth a wonderful place to be. I do not want to go to China for a Big Mac. I do not want to get Kentucky fried chicken in Rio. By the same token, I do want American food in America.
A gradual influx of immigrants adds to the diversity and strength of a nation. But the reason for going to a new country, aside from attempting to avoid persecution, is to partake of the host?s way of life, not to alter it. Come to America to be a part of its heritage and ideals. Do not come if you simply want to change our way of living. Throughout history we have observed the failed efforts of nations trying to make others in their own image. These efforts have resulted in disaster. Rome could not make everyone Roman. Napoleon could not make everyone French. Hitler could not make everyone German. Stalin could not make everyone Russian. The U.S. cannot make the Middle East in its own image. And immigrants should not try to make our country in their own image.
There are many arguments against mass immigration, e.g., jobs, crime, racial, etc. Most are not worth discussing since they polarize our society and our thinking. On American coins is a universal truth, ?e pluribus Unum.? It means the many from the One. As I have implied, it would be a stale world with one type of flower, one kind of bird, one painting, one book?I think you get the point. It is the same for people. So, just as I would like to visit foreign lands to partake of their unique culture, customs and history, let us maintain our unique culture. I do not want to speak Spanish unless I go to Spain or Latin America. I do not want to have to spend my dwindling income (price of gas) paying for teachers to teach in Chinese. I would like to go out West and see cowboys, not caballeros. I am sure that this is the case with any other country facing unprecedented influxes of immigrants.
Cultural globalization does not bring people together, it sterilizes them. We have seen that economic globalization benefits the powerful few at the expense of the many. On the surface, a world economy and culture may be appealing to some, but to this writer it sounds a lot like Orwell?s 1984. Each nation should have the inherent right to preserve its way of life so long as it is of benefit to all, and harm to none. Cross culturalization is good, up to a point. A taste of foreign ideas breeds interest and respect, but a steady diet of one food is not healthy.
All we ask is that if one desires to live in America, respect our culture, laws, customs and way of life. Do not demand special privileges that are not available to all. Do not ask us to do more for you than we do for our selves. Share your ideas and your skills and help us evolve to a greater society. But do not demand that we adopt your culture, language or values. Say no to one world culture, and yes to diversity.
Philip F. Harris
However, infusion is a lot different than inundation. The problem is so great in France that they have passed a law requiring that immigrants learn to speak French and pledge their support to the laws of the country. They will also accept only the brightest and the best. A far cry from sending us your poor, weak and hungry. Spain is confronting so many immigrants that they are trying to ship them back as fast as they arrive. England is concerned that British culture is beginning to disappear under the weight of cultural invasion.
Cultural globalization is not a positive goal. It is one thing to have a taste of foreign culture in ?the French quarter?, ?Chinatown?, ?little Italy? or ?little Havana?. It is quite another situation when a cultural group supplants the host?s way of life. Biologically, diversity keeps habitats healthy and productive. But when one species throws an environment out of equilibrium, there tends to be habitat destruction. At one point in my life I thought it would be grand if all of the races intermarried and we had a new humanity that was void of race or color. I have now concluded that this would make for a very boring world. It is the diversity of peoples, cultures and ideas that make planet earth a wonderful place to be. I do not want to go to China for a Big Mac. I do not want to get Kentucky fried chicken in Rio. By the same token, I do want American food in America.
A gradual influx of immigrants adds to the diversity and strength of a nation. But the reason for going to a new country, aside from attempting to avoid persecution, is to partake of the host?s way of life, not to alter it. Come to America to be a part of its heritage and ideals. Do not come if you simply want to change our way of living. Throughout history we have observed the failed efforts of nations trying to make others in their own image. These efforts have resulted in disaster. Rome could not make everyone Roman. Napoleon could not make everyone French. Hitler could not make everyone German. Stalin could not make everyone Russian. The U.S. cannot make the Middle East in its own image. And immigrants should not try to make our country in their own image.
There are many arguments against mass immigration, e.g., jobs, crime, racial, etc. Most are not worth discussing since they polarize our society and our thinking. On American coins is a universal truth, ?e pluribus Unum.? It means the many from the One. As I have implied, it would be a stale world with one type of flower, one kind of bird, one painting, one book?I think you get the point. It is the same for people. So, just as I would like to visit foreign lands to partake of their unique culture, customs and history, let us maintain our unique culture. I do not want to speak Spanish unless I go to Spain or Latin America. I do not want to have to spend my dwindling income (price of gas) paying for teachers to teach in Chinese. I would like to go out West and see cowboys, not caballeros. I am sure that this is the case with any other country facing unprecedented influxes of immigrants.
Cultural globalization does not bring people together, it sterilizes them. We have seen that economic globalization benefits the powerful few at the expense of the many. On the surface, a world economy and culture may be appealing to some, but to this writer it sounds a lot like Orwell?s 1984. Each nation should have the inherent right to preserve its way of life so long as it is of benefit to all, and harm to none. Cross culturalization is good, up to a point. A taste of foreign ideas breeds interest and respect, but a steady diet of one food is not healthy.
All we ask is that if one desires to live in America, respect our culture, laws, customs and way of life. Do not demand special privileges that are not available to all. Do not ask us to do more for you than we do for our selves. Share your ideas and your skills and help us evolve to a greater society. But do not demand that we adopt your culture, language or values. Say no to one world culture, and yes to diversity.
Philip F. Harris
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