There is something about the so-called multiculturalists that really grates on my nerves. Mind you, I can spot them a mile away - buzzwords being, “cultural sensitivity”, “cultural pride”, “heritage” and such. Not that taken separately these words mean anything bad. Nope, there is nothing wrong with being sensitive to other cultures or being proud of your culture and heritage. What bothers me is when someone else is proud of your culture.
You heard me right. It is extremely irritating for me to hear how proud someone else is of my culture and heritage, to the point that they won’t condemn or worse, let me condemn even the bad things about my own culture or about other cultures I see around me. What is wrong with this attitude - here is what! It makes me feel like I am in a damn showcase. I feel like I am this doll placed real carefully into this “cultural” setting and the mcs (multiculturalists) think it is so cute, they’d rather have me stay in the hut in the setting than disturb it and let me move into a mansion.
What really gets me of course, is that these mcs always think they are out doing good for us stupid natives. They think we have no idea how pretty our “culture” is and don’t care about protecting it, so they can see pictures of it on TV and feel good about themselves. It doesn’t matter if the so-called culture makes woman cover their bodies in thick, black veils in hot, scorching summer or burns brides for not bringing enough dowry. Nope, it doesn’t matter since these are people are sooo enlightened, see? They can see all the rich goodness of your culture that you are too stupid to notice. It is like a rich man telling a poor one that he is better off poor, because the rich man’s life isn’t really perfect and having the poor man around will make for a much diverse experience.
Whenever a fellow Westerner challenges these mcs though, the challengers are usually dismissed quickly as ignorant, insensitive and rednecks. As a third-worlder, try talking to them sometime and try telling them how good their people - their women especially - have it, as opposed to the oppressed women of most of the third-world countries. All you will see is a blank face for a minute - you will be able to literally hear the buzz in the mind and a synthetic voice going “doesn’t compute!” - only for a minute. Then they wake up and zombie-like start regurgitating pap about diversity and culture and humanity as if you never said a word before. Isn’t it funny how the so-called champions of the third-worlders are the ones who end up hurting them as much if not more than the supremacists, by brushing away quickly any criticism or call for reform in the “culture” they are trying to preserve!
Update: This is what I am talking about - A trap for Muslim women in EuropeOSLO: Western Europe is increasingly a house divided against itself. While non-Muslim Europeans live in democracies, most Muslims in the same countries inhabit theocratic enclaves where they are expected to tread a narrow path or suffer the consequences. Muslim women have it worst. Not only are they subject to the often tyrannical authority of husbands, fathers and community leaders, if they seek to escape that authority, they cannot necessarily expect support from the police and other government agencies, which often feel that “intruding” in such matters would show disrespect for immigrant culture.(emphasis mine).Posted by shanti at June 30, 2003 3:47 PM
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Note also how few of these people really try to learn anything serious about other cultures….how many of them have attempted to learn foreign languages, or to read the literature of culture “x” even in translation, or to seriously learn about the history of “x.” I think part of the attraction of mc is that by spouting the words you can appear to be a cultured person…lots easier than reading a lot of books or travelling to hot places…
Posted by: David Foster at June 30, 2003 9:38 PM
How interesting that you should say all this. I found your site yesterday, and have read through some of your archives today.
It seems to me like you’re exactly one of these people. You seem to defend America whatever they do.
They go to war, they bomb whoever they want to, but in your eyes they can do no wrong. While other americans are protesting what their govt. is doing, you see no evil.
Additionally, its great how you talk about our culture. Firstly, even though you say you’re indian, you sound completely ABCD. you poeple aren’t indian at all in my book. What do you know about India?
secondly, there’s more to indian culture than sati and hijab. From your name, you sound hindu…what the hell do you know about hijab anyway? And let me tell you, the problem with being forced to wear hijab is NOT to do with heat and scorching summers. I could try to educate you, but its probably not worth it.
Learn something about a topic before writing about it. Oh wait, its your blog, so you can say whatever you want, however ignorant it maybe. (going off the comments on the It Ain’t Easy post) I do apologize for bringing the differentiation between fact and fiction over here. How will you ever forgive me?
And thirdly, dear idiot, sati and hijab are religious issues not cultural. But of course, ABCD’s like you only have a limited view of India, and can’t separate the two.
Posted by: Behnaz at June 30, 2003 11:45 PM
why is it that indians in america still wear slacks with tennis shoes or slippers? also, most have kleenex tissue boxes in the back of their toyata camrys. I think the bottom line is who cares why people do anything? If someone says indian culture is so great or cute….just say, “hey, you’re right”. Or alternatively say, “hey, you’re wrong”. either way, you end up being right on some accounts.
Posted by: DJQuickTip at July 1, 2003 1:51 AM
Ummm, Behnaz, my dear! If I am an ABCD, how does that make my arguments any less valid? How do you assume I don’t know what I am taling about? Would it help change your little closed-mind if I am not even an American permanent resident but a temporary work-visa holder? I lived for 22 years in India and still have my family living there. Does that now make me a bigger expert than if I were born here?
I DON’T agree with the Americans on everything. I agree with them about the war - there is a little difference, can you see? Oh, like you said, learn something about a person before attacking them, why don’t you!:tongue3:
David, I agree - the whole “all cultures are equally good and valid” just bugs me to no end. I guess it is easier to sit back and mouth platitudes than to actuallyg et up and do something to help people who are stuck in a bad situation.
Posted by: Shanti at July 1, 2003 7:12 AM
I have encountered something like that myself. it’s like my ethnicity is all that I am, and whenever someone mentions that I’m half Japanese, I suddenly get more attention that I got before by being just myself. especially when in some circles Japanese culture seems to be irritatingly hip and in. comforting to know that someone else is bothered as well.
-e
Posted by: ecchan at July 2, 2003 6:13 AM
Absolutely, echhan!
Posted by: Shanti at July 2, 2003 6:37 AM
Let me assume that your anger is against the culture in India that is predominantly Hindu..I hope the following would help clarify some of your own thoughts…
http://palalterego.blog-city.com/readblog.cfm?BID=118225
I suggest we always do some research before making opinions, as this is an era of stereotypes, and misinformation..It is so easy to be part of the majority opinion that may not be true….Being a young Indian woman, I suppose you are well positioned to lead by example….Things are n’t really bad as you perceive….
P@L
Posted by: P@L at July 5, 2003 5:54 PM
Oh, P@L, don’t assume for a minute I am not proud of being an Indian or a Hindu. I am fiercely proud of both aspects, while being secure enough to say that both have a few flaws that can be fixed before they both become atleast close to perfect. What I am mad about is the people who give everything a pass just because it happens be someone else’s custom, even it is morally reprehensible to everyone else :)
Posted by: Shanti at July 5, 2003 6:40 PM
Agree with you perfectly. You are Shanti, your own person, with your own definition of what an Indian or Hindu should be. If you feel that wearing minis and drinking tequila every night is Indian-ness no one has a right to frown at you. “Culture”….can’t tell you how much I abhor the regressive use of this concept. As if culture is frozen in time and will never change.
The example of the muslim women in europe you quoted is poignant.
Behnaz, while I do not disagree with everything you wrote, can you honestly say that all muslim women wear hijaab voluntarily? Aren’t most of them forced? Remember Taliban?
i read an rticle on some blog where the writer has lambasted women for trying to make their hijaab decorative. it was the height of cultural tyrannical attitude
Posted by: Gaurav at July 6, 2003 2:07 AM
Absolutely, Gaurav.
Posted by: Shanti at July 6, 2003 7:56 AM
Well, the fact as you know is that nobody is perfect..The same applies to any culture, west or east, as culture can never be decoupled from the people who themselves are imperfect. It is quite possible that they found something good in your culture, the same way as you saw in them…Again, I don’t see any reason to be mad at such issues…
It is upto the individual of a particular society to act according to his/her interests….The urge to change should come from within if they so desire and not enforced by any external party….I cannot ask you to change simply because I don’t find it right..But I can practice whatever I want until it doesn’t hurt you…If somebody wants to decorate her hijaab or get married in the same community, why should someone else be so worried?? Doesn’t it mean the same as wearing minis and drinking Tequila? I find the suggestions in the HRS report of IHT unconvincing…If you find an english webpage of HRS, let me know…It is better to understand the context of the report…Is it so difficult to be part of your own community and yet embrace the world??
P@L
Posted by: p@l at July 6, 2003 5:28 PM
This reminds me of the concept of the noble savage in literature and elsewhere. see http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_savage
Posted by: dinesh at July 6, 2003 6:51 PM
Precisely, Dinesh - the savage is seen as distant and noble and as an exhibit to be looked at. It doesn’t matter if what teh SAvage is doing is really good for him/her or not.
Posted by: Shanti at July 6, 2003 7:00 PM
Who defines a savage and its impact? A person who is the so-called victim or an on-looker? The definitions might differ in both cases…The victim’s definition takes priority and he/she should fight for the change….Social change is not like software upgrades or annexing a country.. In the story in question, you are an on-looker and the victim hasn’t even asked you for help…
Again, I guess you are mixing the Eastern and Western philosophies here…The west practices the it’s-upto-the-individual philosophy while the east has a you-need-to-follow-what-i-think-is-right principle…
The definition of right and wrong is relative and subjective…what you think is a Savage may be noble for me….and vice versa…
Posted by: p@l at July 7, 2003 4:36 AM