undefined | Better HN

0 pointsserge2k10y ago0 comments

> The claim that unlimited immigration would ruin American culture is laughable, because there is no such thing as "American culture". America has always been a melting pot of different cultures, much more so than any other country in the history of the world. That is what makes it unique.

This same claim gets made about Canada, and I always found it particularly offensive to anyone who isn't an immigrant with a foreign culture. It's a riduclous statement anyway. The south doesn't have their own culture? East vs west coast? Europeans were pointing out yesterday that Americans have different expectations for housing (bigger housing, suburbs), is that not a part of the culture?

Isn't the idea that we are welcoming to foreign cultures, and actively embrace multiculturalism a part of the culture?

0 pointsserge2k10y ago0 comments

Isn't the idea that we are welcoming to foreign cultures, and actively embrace multiculturalism a part of the culture?

0 comments

3 comments · 1 top-level

enraged_camel10y ago· 2 in thread

That's exactly what I am saying: there is no homogeneous "American culture." It's a combination of many different cultures and cultural elements, some originated in America (e.g. jazz), others brought by immigrants and recalibrated for America (e.g. Tex-Mex). This cultural diversity is what makes America, America.

Compare this to, say, Norway, which is significantly more culturally homogeneous, so a sudden influx of a great number of immigrants would actually noticeably erode or at least dilute the native Norwegian culture.

harryh10y ago

While our culture is certainly more diverse than Norway's, I absolutely think that there are American values that, while certainly not held by all, do define us as a nation. Among them I would include:

- Pluralism

- A belief in the value of hard work

- A strong commitment to individual rights / individualism

- A certain degree of puritanism

- A belief in American Exceptionalism

- A belief that fairness should always be aspired to

- A fairly strong commitment to market capitalism

- A healthy dose of skepticism that government intervention is the solution to many problems

- A commitment that the "American Dream" is something that we should always strive to make real for everyone

enraged_camel10y ago

None of those are American values or uniquely American. The belief in the value of hard work is a Puritan value, for instance. And everything else you listed is, to a certain extent (sometimes exceedingly so), shared by many other cultures. You think only Americans are skeptical of government intervention? You should travel to Turkey sometime and talk to some of my countrymen about what they think of the Turkish government. :)

1 more reply

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse