America gets a bad rap that’s sometimes deserved. At the same time, there’s no other country quite like the United States of America: for all its faults, it’s a great place in so many ways. We kick off this episode with this question: America used to be called “the melting pot” — do we think that’s still true? After that, we discuss our first experience dealing with another culture and then discuss the most culturally diverse place we’ve ever lived.
“American culture” can be a hard thing to pin down…we devote some time talking about what we think American culture even is. Some countries try to keep other cultures from “infringing” on established culture. Do more cultures in one place strengthen a population, or have the opposite effect? And how has the Internet been helpful in people recognizing and embracing other cultures? After answering these questions, we discuss our favorite foreign cultures.
Some people are terrified of uniculturalism: so many cultures in one place that an area or country gravitates toward a new, single culture. We discuss examples of uniculturalism we’ve seen and talk about whether or not we feel it’s a bad thing.
One of the earmarks of culture is language. We talk about how language has changed in America…and all over the world.
We wrap up this episode talking about what we consider our cultural identities to be and sharing what we believe (and hope) is the future of world culture. (Looking at the image chosen for this week’s episode, it’s probably pretty clear that we think the world, with all its different people, is a mighty cool thing!)
As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts about this week’s topic in the comments.
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CMStewart says
I have a half-brother who’s a few months older than me. He’s half-Japanese (his mother was Japanese). Apparently we were close as toddlers – I have a lot of photos of us playing together in Japan. My first words were Japanese. I don’t know how much of a residual influence the Japanese culture had on me, but according to my mother, her red-headed baby was quite the novelty on the streets of Tokyo. My half-brother and I only knew each other for a few years, and I don’t remember him. I probably have other half-siblings floating around, my father had a number of relationships around the world.
gorillamen says
So your father contributed to a multicultural society, eh? I think I’m pretty good with no other half siblings than a half sister I do know about, and hear from on occasion.
I’ve never lived in another country. A friend lived in Japan for awhile and said it was an experience he’s glad he had, but he has no desire to return. He also lived in Dublin for a bit. It’s something I think about, on occasion: living in another country. Theoretically, I could work anywhere I want to, and the company I work for has offices all around the world. But…at least for now, Texas is home. Having dinner with Shawn in Chinatown Friday night, there are still plenty of places to experience different things in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex.
Shawn says
Moving to another country (again) would involve a lot of paperwork and quarantine for the dogs. At the present moment, that’s more than I’d want to deal with.
Living in another country, though, is an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. Thankfully, I was old enough to appreciate it; I have friends who were born abroad, or lived there when they were 2, so they don’t really remember it.