Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism has been recently brought back to my attention. This, I think, is an interesting topic for discussion and it has shown itself in all places that I have studied. Now I do not really know what is meant by “multiculturalism” but I do know that when I was up in northern Minnesota by the reservations, there were cultural clashes going on. I have moved into western Chicagoland and there are cultural clashes going on. Even the move from a smaller, more rural northern Minnesota to the ‘burbs in Illinois became a culture shock for myself. I understand that even some have called America a melting pot of culture and people, there are way more cultures within America than I thought.


Yet there is room to consider if there is something (like a thread in a tapestry) that runs through the minds of the people that live in this land between the oceans. Because in the midst of all the multi-cultures, I believe that there are some commonalities found here. In other words, it is not a chaotic smorgasbord. I think that these threads are:


· Democratic values
· Capitalistic values
o Both lead to individualism


Let me expound a little on what I mean by these.
Democratic values are valuing such things as “equal rights” or even the terms of “rights”; “fairness”; or “equality” is democratic values. This essentially leads to an essential view of humanity as individuals because to live in a democracy, you have to be an individual. This is seen in the tangible ways such as voting which is “one voice equals one vote.” A person does not vote because of tradition, family, or arbitrary laws but based on what they value (which seems to usually fall in line with the democratic or republican party which seems to be dictated by issues of money). Equal rights are not based upon tradition, creeds, townships or customs but upon individuals. Essentially it becomes my “rights” vs. your “rights” and the law is to arbitrate between the two parties so they do not kill each other, while still having to choose between the two who is in the right and who will be in the wrong. Equality and fairness are not based upon the differences between peoples or sexes but are based upon an assumed sameness between people; this sameness being that we are all essentially individuals.


Capitalistic values are concerned with the acquisition and accumulation of personal wealth. It becomes about saving and spending, investing in retirement and in insurances, it is about becoming individually rich. It is the economic value that can create a situation where the poorest neighborhoods become islands surrounded by the richest neighborhoods and people generally will not see the problems with this. It creates a life where people can live in apartments and not know the neighbors. It creates an understanding that the poor are really getting rich off of begging or are at best just lazy or have not learned the lessons they should learn from choosing to be poor in the first place.


Hence, people are taught to essentially see themselves as individuals. Rousseau said it best in his work Social Contract that man was born free but is everywhere in bondage. This is telling us that to become free again we have to release ourselves from the bondages that surround us, which means also from each other.

Where I want to go from here is to see if there is a alternative to this.