Okay, I’ve got to admit that I’m no expert on “multiculturalism”. In fact, I looked it up just a few minutes
I would also like to point out that I am talking about myself in this post. Whether I’m talking about you is something you’ll have to decide for yourself.
It seems to me that one of the major things that is dividing us is a lack of empathy. We all think that we are the norm. That everybody should think the way we do, act the way we do, believe the way we do, etc. I know that’s unfortunately the case with me anyway (your mileage may vary). I can’t help it – I was raised to think this way, act this way, believe this way, and my parents, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, etc. couldn’t be wrong, right?
(Disclaimer: the thoughts, actions, and beliefs of the author are his own responsibility. His parents, grandparents, Sunday School teachers, etc. bear no responsibility for any stupid thing he may mistakenly attribute to them. They all acted in loving good faith, with malice toward none, and the author can really just be a bit of a jackass sometimes.)
At any rate, we could all do with a bit more empathy. I’ve found that many of the things I was brought up to think, feel, and believe (see disclaimer above) are just flat-out wrong. I’ve learned that to see the world for what it is, and why it is the way it is, I’ve got to be able to see the world through the eyes of people, groups, and cultures other than my own.
I’ve found that it helps to get out of my comfort zone – to read and watch things that are from outside my own experience – like watching foreign movies and reading novels by authors outside my own culture, like Africans, Indians (Asian and American), females, etc. To meet and make friends with people outside my own group – people from other cultures, other beliefs, other alignments (LGBT folks, women, Baptists, etc.)
My search for empathy has taught me some very weird, and some deeply unsettling things over the years. For example, did you know that in Scandinavian movies, anything that is not soul-crushingly depressing is considered slapstick comedy, and in India, even war movies based on historical fact can still stand to be jazzed up with a few musical interludes and dance numbers (At this point, I’d like to admit that my understanding of foreign cultures is very much a work in progress, and probably quite shallow at the time of this writing).
Something else I’ve learned through studying history and getting to know folks from other groups: Not all the good guys are white men, and not all the bad guys have darker complexions and weird, scary accents. In fact, in real life, the exact opposite has been true, as often as not. If you don’t believe me, study a little history.
The most important thing I’ve learned though, is that no matter how different those “others” may seem, we’ve all got way more in common than we have differences. No matter where we’re from or who we are, pretty much universally, people want to live in peace, we all want to raise our children in safety, we all want to make a decent living, and be able to live with some dignity and self-respect, without fear. That goes for me, for Africans, Asians, Russians, LGBT folks, men, women, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists, liberals, conservatives, whites, blacks, even Baptists* and the French, and, in all likelihood, you too.
We’ve just got to learn to give each other the benefit of the doubt, at least try to see things from the others’ point of view, and stop listening to those who, in their search for power, try so hard to divide us.
Now I know that at this point you’re saying, “Hey Moon, how can I get me some of that empathy?” Well, it’s really not all that hard – just try seeing the world through the eyes of others. It doesn’t have to be anything important, in fact, entertainment is a good way to start. Just seeing how other cultures see, and portray common things, including themselves is a good start. Here are some links you might (or might not) enjoy.
Movies:
https://www.hbo.com/video/the-no-1-ladies-detective-agency/seasons/season-01/videos/s1-trailer The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is a great show about a female detective in Botswana. I’m not sure if it really counts as multicultural, since the novels it’s based on are written by a Scottish white guy, but I’m pretty sure he spends a lot of time in Africa. Anyway, it’s a really good show, very simple, very sweet, very charming. Great characters, lots of humor, virtually no bloodshed, violence, sex, bad language (at least not in the first novel or episode). Listen, if it has none of those things and I’m still highly recommending it, you know it’s gotta be good. Available on HBO. I also highly recommend the book
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbfkuN_MpvQ In Order of Disappearance is a Norwegian revenge thriller/comedy. There is an American remake with Liam Neeson, Cold Pursuit, but the original is better (lets face it, Liam Neeson going on a revenge rampage is nothing we haven’t seen 1000 times already). You probably know Stellan Skarsgard from the movie Mamma Mia! Revenge is definitely funnier with him. Available on Netflix.
Books:
Well, I guess that’s probably enough to start with. Enjoy!
*I really don’t have anything against Baptists. I just think it’s funny. I’m sure many Baptists are fine people. No, really, some of my best friends are Baptists.
Well, us Baptists can even love you still, cuz!. Well, I guess I really don’t consider myself a Baptist anymore even though I was baptized in a Baptist church. I would consider myself a non demoninationalist (probably a made up word) and I still think you are a pretty great guy and I enjoy your writing. I don’t always agree with you but you do make me stop and think about what you say. Even after thinking I may or may not agree with you. Keep up the writing. It is always interesting and entertaining.
Hey Delores, glad you’re enjoying it. I’m a non-denominationist too (I actually think that denominations are unAmerican, but that’s another post). Also, glad to see you have the good sense to disagree with me! Thanks for reading.
Funny reading your conversation with Delores above as I grew up in non-denominational churches then when I was a much older adult found myself longing for ritual and a need to feel more grounded, so I started going to a Episcopal church, but didn’t stay too long because I wasn’t use to staying in one place for a very long time. So…I’ve always envied those who have roots, either in church or a hometown.
Anyway, your post made me think about humans being empathetic towards other races etc., and I thought it probably should start with the people closest to us. I’m talking about myself here, as many times I’m not very empathetic to my family, friends or fellow employees. Showing empathy to those closest to us is the hardest, IMHO.
Also, your trip to the Pine Ridge Reservation every year puts empathy into action rather than just words and talk. It was a very humbling and joyful experience for me to see the world through another culture’s eyes. I got to practice at being empathetic and loving to another race of people for at least a week, and that I am so grateful for, what a life time experience I will never forget.
Hi
I wanted to leave another comment, something that has always been at the back of my mind with all this talk in our country about acceptance, tolerance, multiculturalism etc.. I was watching a Rick Steves program on Europe the other night and he made a comment which made me think about what has been at the back of my mind. He said don’t assume when you are in another country that they speak English, even though English is spoken more today than it use to be. Isn’t that how people from other cultures should think when they visit our country? They shouldn’t expect us to act or talk like them because it isn’t their country. I remember hearing more as a little girl that people from other countries came to our country and learned our language and became an American Citizen. Not that we are any better than they are, it just shows respect for that culture.
I agree with you that we have a lot more in common than we have in our differences with just being human. I don’t really know as it’s a difficult one for me so I’m not certain how I feel about any of it? I do know whoever we are, we are to love and treat other’s as we’d want them to treat us.
I’ll end by saying I”m a lot like you, not real sure if I know what I’m talking about? ha, ha.
p.s. and thanks for the recommendations, but I think I’ll skip the zombie horror movie. I don’t have any empathy for zombies!
Hey Ellen,
I’m pretty sure that when foreigners come here to visit, they don’t expect us to speak their language. I think that the fact that so many foreigners bother to learn at least some English, while we take offence at the idea that WE might wanna think about learning another language is pretty telling.
As far as immigrants go, many of our own European ancestors didn’t speak much, if any, English, and many still preferred their native language in their homes, but worked to learn enough to get by in the workplace. Their children grew up much more fluent in English, because in reality, to succeed in America, you’ve got to speak English.
As far as asylum seekers go, it’s pretty much the same. Imagine living in a place where conditions were so bad, so dangerous, that you felt the only hope for you and your family was to move to a foreign country where you didn’t speak the language. Imagine how desperate you’d have to be, and how much courage it would take to make that move.
Just think about it: if their country was so awesome that they wanted to change our country to be just like it, why in hell would they come here in the first place? Let’s face it, we’ve publicized the United States as the greatest nation on earth, a “Shining city on a hill” to quote Ronald Reagan, and done it so effectively that apparently everyone on earth believes it, except us.
It is ridiculous to expect people who are fleeing oppression, poverty, and violence to become fluent in English before they come here. That stuff takes time, time that they may not have.
As far as all the pundits and politicians who are likening immigration to an invasion, then it’s the stupidest freaking invasion ever staged. Take our own ancestor’s invasion for example. We came here from a position of power, armed with advanced weaponry, as well as diseases against which the native people had no defense, and we quickly subdued not just one, but two continents pretty quickly and completely.
As far as expecting immigrants to abandon their native culture, don’t we bemoan the fact that we ourselves did everything we could to eliminate the Indians’ cultures that we found here, to the point of taking their children by force? And don’t we now celebrate their determination to maintain their own culture?
When you get right down to it, what’s the difference?
Also, Train to Busan, while definitely a zombie movie, with all the blood and gore that entails, also has a lot of heart, something that is almost always missing from American zombie movies. Of course, I do realize that those movies don’t trip everyone’s trigger.
ok, instead of saying “sorry I asked” I’ll say “sorry I commented”, and brought what was at the back of my mind to the front. I think I’ll keep it tucked away at the back,, ha, ha. All kidding aside, I can tell you have done your homework and you brought up some very good points that I haven’t heard or thought of because honestly it takes work and concentration to do research and learn the truth about an issue on one’s own time and who has any time as we Americans are kept so busy. I myself can find 100 excuses not to, first one is I’m kind of lazy and would rather just listen to the news, have someone tell me what is going on or read what is going on without ever questioning anything. Ah ha…now I kind of see where you are coming from. I did do a little of my own homework by reading the book Neither Wolf Nor Dog that you recommended. That was and excellent book, it’s just that I can never remember what I read?
Thanks Lloyd, I can tell you have a passion to get people to think outside of their “normal thinking box” and you are doing that for me.