The problem with the word Multicultural.

[Quantum Quack]

Such a serious issue I was going to write a long and winding post deep in profudity and deluded consequences. I shall spare you.
Briefly then.

We all know how powerful terms and phrases can be, inadvertently or even with deliberate intent, in setting the scene for cultural conflict, feeding the bigotted and xenophobic.

Claim:
The term "Multicultural" is fear fodder for the xenophobic.

It is certain that often Western communities are multi ethnical but really are they multicultural. Or do they actually aspire a single culture with multi-ethnic subcultures?
Positive implication:
For example to say that the USA is a multi-ethnic mono-culture suggest social integration of various ethnic groups forming one culture (Culture USA), whereas to say that the USA is multicultural suggests that the USA is divided into multiple cultural groups and to the xenophobe and patriot this would imply a certain threat to national cohesion and solidarity.

Would changing the use of the term multi cultural to something that reflects the reality better be of benefit?

A way of looking....( to the future)
Ideal:
The USA is a mono cultural society made up of varied ethnic groups (sub-cultures) that when properly integrated into a national undivided complex cultural mono- culture achieves social cohesion due to a shared national mono-culture. (Culture USA)

When you get down to it the entire humanity is a monoculture with diverse subcultures due to multi ethnicity.
Surely by changing the language used the xenophopic fears may be minimised somewhat.

Is there a better more erudite way of expaining the "impovement" I'm attempting to suggest?
Or is it a waste of time and digital ink?

Care to discuss?

 

[Bebelina]

If the word is changed, deliberately because of this, then the xenophobic would most likely use the new word to express the same fear and hatred. How could the word change to avoid this? What would the new word be? Then again, to accomodate the xenophobic by changing the word is caving in to their fear, is that what you want?

 

[sculptor]

Australia: Home of the indefinite mandatory detention of aliens.

 

[Quantum Quack]

If the word is changed, deliberately because of this, then the xenophobic would most likely use the new word to express the same fear and hatred.

True....
However, I tend to feel that encouraging all residents of a nation to give more attention to common and shared values (Culture USA) rather than focusing on differences due to ethnicity would only achieve a greater sense of national social cohesion. The xenophobic fears would be increasingly mitigated by the increase in a mono-cultural patriotism supported by a tolerant, diverse and varied subculture.

Currently when the term multicultural is used, it is taken for granted that there is an underpinning set of core values that is shared by all cultures. Yet to the xenophobe the fear associated with cultural change (maturation) will force the xenophobe to be severely distracted from what are commonly held values and instead focus on cultural differences, leading to conflicts that further divide a community.
By placing emphasis on the common shared values by changing the label of multiculturalism to a more accurate term that includes, by implication and definition, those common values (eg. Mono-Culture USA) a better, less divisive and more inclusive approach could be achieved.

to accomodate the xenophobic by changing the word is caving in to their fear, is that what you want?

To engage in impasse strategy instead of solution based strategy is in fact surrendering to the irrational. The whole point (context : your post) is about finding solutions to the fear of "loss of culture" by acknowledging the reality rather than perpetrating the delusion that the term "Multi-culturalism" can inadvertently and subconsciously inspire.

The reality is that the USA has a single culture made up of multiple and diverse subcultures. (As is Australia - my country) I seek to encourage and strengthen the shared core values that are already existing and yet acknowledge the diversity of cultural ethnicity simultaneously. This would lead to greater social integration with associated benefits.
Simply changing the language used can make a huge difference over time and generations.

 

[DaveC426913]

By placing emphasis on the common shared values by changing the label of multiculturalism to a more accurate term that includes, by implication and definition, those common values (eg. Mono-Culture USA) a better, less divisive and more inclusive approach could be achieved.

How would this not have the inevitable effect of institutionalizing the pressure of the "melting pot"?

I mean, it will give license for anyone to call out any ethnic tendencies they happen to see.
"Hijab? That's not American! Take it off!"
"Spanish? That's not American! Speak English!"
I'd say the road to inclusivity is to embrace differences, not demonize them.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

The term "Multicultural" is fear fodder for the xenophobic.

reminder as im reading
is the fear formed by a sense of normalcy for genocidal cultural practice ?

to the xenophobe and patriot

must be the biggest(note not best) in the world and have all the power

The USA is a mono cultural society made up of varied ethnic groups (sub-cultures) that when properly integrated into a national undivided complex cultural mono- culture achieves social cohesion due to a shared national mono-culture. (Culture USA)

if you posed this as a question i would like it.
when you pose it as a actuatory posit, it sounds distatseful by the overt nature of the singularity defined as culture to be an over ruling sense of one culture over anaother.
while i do not subscribe to wholesale numerology, there are some very interesting useful correlative concepts to the human intellectual consciousness and capability coupled with social intteligence(& EQ).

baby boomers 2 &/or 3 (they can pose a conscious reality of a 2nd or 3rd persons intellectual and emotional perspective)
generation X 3/4 they can pose the above into a 4th position
generation Y & Millenials they can freely pose the inttelectual empathic consciousness into variant numbers because they are no limited by boundarys of stereo types.

soo.. we are efectively on the Door step of the age of 5 which is an excellent question for philosophers & Theologens because no time before has the human mind as a general large interacting society ever been as advanced enought o ponder thw question fo greater minds than its own.
(if you have a broken record in your head asking what this has to do with culture and racism, then you probably need to stop reading and go find a physical hobby while you work out some issues).

[i got distracted so im posting this now before i decide to delete it]

 

[RainbowSingularity]

Surely by changing the language used the xenophopic fears may be minimised somewhat.

was pondering this yesterday.
if the nature of the xenophobia is able to be removed.
is the nature of racism able to be removed ?
is xenophobia/racism(when correlating the 2) able to be removed by 'will'(through some means of experience or education etc aside from forced compliance)?

thus leaving a question swinging in the breeze.
can racists become non racists ?

 

[RainbowSingularity]

Is there a better more erudite way of expaining the "impovement" I'm attempting to suggest?
Or is it a waste of time and digital ink?

Language drives culture
culture drives personality
personality drives morality
morality drives reality
reality(& co-partnered with fantasy) drives perception

err-go its never a waste of time

why has public flogging become morraly unacceptable to 1st world cultures ?

 

[RainbowSingularity]

Australia: Home of the indefinite mandatory detention of aliens.

calling them all aliens is an act of inherant racism
the government process in the usa of defining people as aliens is institutionalised racism at its very finest form of indoctrination.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

xenophobic fears

shouting fire in a over crowded cinema.

Xenophobic fears are always mixed with fantasy AND reality.
they are woven together to make a quilt which is nice and warm and serves the Ego and bent perception to appease psychosis.

pandering directly to the fear is like giving a hard core drug addict another fix to keep them quiet.
it works, but only for a short time.
morality has no place in such a process, only a means to an ends.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

"loss of culture"

this is who created the term "entitlist" as a process of Jealousey from the feeling of loss projecting it as the bully at others.
the same people who created the term "snowflake".

maybe inside that debate should be the question of in what way or amount should validity be given to those who are drug addicts looking for something to fill the missing/loss

"loss of culture"

thing with ?

Simply changing the language used can make a huge difference over time and generations.

how many political oponents are concerned with the future of societys grandchildren ?
less than 5% ?
climate change is a clear example of how those in power look at serving the future concepts of society.
slow, resistant and opposing everything and dividing it into a fight to try and grab at power at every possible turn.

 

[Quantum Quack]

How would this not have the inevitable effect of institutionalizing the pressure of the "melting pot"?

I mean, it will give license for anyone to call out any ethnic tendencies they happen to see.
"Hijab? That's not American! Take it off!"
"Spanish? That's not American! Speak English!"

I'd say the road to inclusivity is to embrace differences, not demonize them.

You have posed an interesting conundrum.
Yes as it stands today, any attempt to enshrine the constitution, bill of rights in the way intended would feed the Anglo/Irish xenophobe and racist twins.
However this is the point of the change suggested; to install and enshrine what Culture USA actually is. That it is a mono-culture with diverse ethnic subcultures including the Anglo/Irish subculture and not excluding them as the Anglophile supremacist tends to prefer.

At the moment I guess the Anglo/Irish culture is deemed by those who belong to it as being the "Culture USA" when the hard reality is that this is a delusion of grandeur, for the reality is that Culture USA is made up of diverse subcultures. (whether they like it or not)

The way being suggested is to embrace differences by adding emphasis in the language used to describe Culture USA, and that being that it is a single culture that is inclusive of all sub cultures with in it's residents.

For a multicultural society to function properly it must integrate under the umbrella of nationwide mono-culturalism.

Where I live in Melbourne is one of the most multicultural areas of Australia. We have over 120 different ethnic groups all living with in a few square kilometers in reasonable harmony evolving a mono-culture that is tolerant of all the subcultures being demonstrated, whether that be hijab, Sari, turbin, smock, nikab, bikini, jeans, shorts, brown, black or yellow or white skin.
The whole region co-exists under the rule of law and human rights granted by the National Governments application of the constitution, and human rights idealism. ( UDHR 48) (all Subcultures must adhere to the rule of law)
This is essentially a mono-culture with high degrees of tolerance towards and actual encouragement of diverse ethnicity and associated subcultures.
(multi ethnic festivals are reasonably common - celebrating multi ethnic foods, dance and art.)

"Spanish? That's not American! Speak English!"

The national language is American English. It in itself is quite different to English if I am not mistaken. It was even deliberately taught nationwide and still is taught, originally to establish a cultural difference to Great Britain and help distinguish the new republic USA from colonization of the British Empire. (arguable?)
The same solution applies IMO.
National umbrella language with diverse sub languages ( as is the actual case any how)
To condone people that make the complaint as you have suggested, is only pandering to the xenophobe and the racism associated.

Using the term Multi-culture reinforces division by allowing one culture with in that multi culture to state a claim on the national culture. By changing the language to say "Culture USA" as an example the claim to cultural superiority ( Anglo white ) becomes hollow and in fact un-patriotic. Racism is unconstitutional is it not?

Essentially the revolution fought against the British has not yet been won whilst Anglo White (British) culture is allowed to falsely dominate and not find it's more natural state (balance) in a multi cultural society under the protection and thus mono-culture that the USA constitution and rule of law allows.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

By changing the language to say "Culture USA" as an example the claim to cultural superiority ( Anglo white ) becomes hollow and in fact un-patriotic.

take-a-knee Vs the racists Vs the patriot Racists Vs those seeking to make power grabs while making everyone else fight amongst themselves...
Vs
Democracy & freedom of speech...
note no republicans came out publicly declaring take-a-knee was an act of freedom of speech and should be protected.

no one publicly asked that question or demanded it by the party to protect freedom of speech or democracy

why is that ?

 

[DaveC426913]

The national language is American English.

American English is the de facto standard, but officially, in 32 states, the language is simply English.

 

[Quantum Quack]

Maybe they could use "multkultura" (Esperanto) instead of multicultural? ...just kidding..

 

[Quantum Quack]

take-a-knee Vs the racists Vs the patriot Racists Vs those seeking to make power grabs while making everyone else fight amongst themselves...
Vs
Democracy & freedom of speech...
note no republicans came out publicly declaring take-a-knee was an act of freedom of speech and should be protected.

no one publicly asked that question or demanded it by the party to protect freedom of speech or democracy

why is that ?

I am not ignoring your posts. I see your interest in the subject is quite strong. A sense of injustice perhaps?
It is really difficult to respond to your posts in any meaningful way.
You have written some good points though that I find interesting and will post later once I work out how best to approach them. My apologies.

 

[RainbowSingularity]

I am not ignoring your posts. I see your interest in the subject is quite strong. A sense of injustice perhaps?
It is really difficult to respond to your posts in any meaningful way.
You have written some good points though that I find interesting and will post later once I work out how best to approach them. My apologies.

yes, my scientific interest is quite strong.

A sense of injustice perhaps?

"injustice" is a cultural term.
it has no meaning outside a specific culture so is entirely relivent to that particlar culture.

i have no specific interest in the concept of "injustice" by its self as its far too broard a subject nature to do anything with short of pure philosophy.
... and we are not discussing philosophy here.

psychological anthrapology is more this thread(?)

It is really difficult to respond to your posts in any meaningful way.

i am not unfamiliar with your point.
had i thought you the nature to seek damage of the ego i would have put you on my ignore list and so would not be responding to you now.
feel free to speak your mind as it occurs.
i always seek to clarify and explain to those interested(they are soo few thats an easy claim).

and will post later once I work out how best to approach them. My apologies.

Thanks
this is why it would be really great to have a "read later" or "favourites" button on threads so they can be added to a "to respond later" list.
there are many times i have simply missed a thread subject because i was not able to respond accordingly to how i wished to interact.

 

[Quantum Quack]

Ok, I'll have a go...

yes, my scientific interest is quite strong.

and I detect a significant passion as well... which is why I mentioned the word "injustice".

"injustice" is a cultural term.
it has no meaning outside a specific culture so is entirely relivent to that particlar culture.

i have no specific interest in the concept of "injustice" by its self as its far too broard a subject nature to do anything with short of pure philosophy.
... and we are not discussing philosophy here.

Oh.. no ... I was referring to your own experience of injustice and how that reflected or was other wise demonstrated in your passionate response to racism, discrimination and white supremacy.
Perhaps having experienced at some stage significant abuse that such can inflict?
Racism etc are good examples of injustice, where by a person surrenders through racist attack some of their hard won self esteem to the perpetrator.
Racial targeting being just a poor excuse for someone seeking to compensate for poor self image at someone else's expense. (a form of bulling perhaps?)
Seeking to unjustly prop up their own failing self esteem by stealing it from others. (sounds like a certain POTUS yes?)

psychological anthrapology is more this thread(?)

exactly... although admittedly I had to google it to find out.

take-a-knee Vs the racists Vs the patriot Racists Vs those seeking to make power grabs while making everyone else fight amongst themselves...
Vs
Democracy & freedom of speech...
note no republicans came out publicly declaring take-a-knee was an act of freedom of speech and should be protected.

no one publicly asked that question or demanded it by the party to protect freedom of speech or democracy

why is that ?

This offers a way of describing the way the racist hierarchy seems to work starting with:
equality activist ( take a knee) vs the basic racist (the racist) vs the racist that justifies it with a false patriotism ( the patriot racist) vs those who consider power to be their only objective regardless of race but will use racism and the conflict and division it causes as a tool to achieve that end. The kings of population manipulation; the classic sociopath?.
Out of all those vs's which do you think has the highest reality based self esteem?

this is who created the term "entitlist" as a process of Jealousey from the feeling of loss projecting it as the bully at others.
the same people who created the term "snowflake".

maybe inside that debate should be the question of in what way or amount should validity be given to those who are drug addicts looking for something to fill the missing/loss

As DaveC mentioned working on the label may indeed encourage the problem of xenophobia by highlighting the issue of xenophobia. But alas one can not solve a problem with out solving the problem or at the very least describe it.

By mentioning drug addiction as an analogy, for a xenophobe jealously hoarding their stash of self-esteem props and being envious of those who don't need to, adds the addiction factor to the discussion.
I agree the xenophobe is addicted to the false sense of security he believes he has. Any one threatening his stash beware! Yet on a positive note, his envy of others happiness may eventually drive him to greater efforts to improve his self esteem the hard way instead of relying on racist violence ( verbal or physical) in an attempt to do it easy. Withdrawal symptoms are inevitable.

how many political oponents are concerned with the future of societys grandchildren ?
less than 5% ?
climate change is a clear example of how those in power look at serving the future concepts of society.
slow, resistant and opposing everything and dividing it into a fight to try and grab at power at every possible turn.

I think you will find if you could remove the politicians mask that the vast majority do indeed have concern for their legacy beyond petty lifetime politics.
But the more aggressive the political landscape is the less likely we will see such altruism. Buried as it may under the intense competition that aids no one.

Climate change is actually disempowering for those who think being in control is paramount. Control freaks simply have a lot of difficulty dealing with a life changing tsunami on the horizon.
Knowing that they have no control, not really, forces them to seek even more control or should I say the delusion of control. Fear of losing it leads to greater efforts to maintain it or gain it... time will show that to be a rather painful and futile exercise IMO.

shouting fire in a over crowded cinema.

Xenophobic fears are always mixed with fantasy AND reality.
they are woven together to make a quilt which is nice and warm and serves the Ego and bent perception to appease psychosis.

pandering directly to the fear is like giving a hard core drug addict another fix to keep them quiet.
it works, but only for a short time.
morality has no place in such a process, only a means to an ends.

I like this... almost poetic in form and I agree If I read it right.
====
Ok so I had a go and how did I do?

 

[RainbowSingularity]

Perhaps having experienced at some stage significant abuse that such can inflict?

i have experienced many things(some far less than others, some things far intensly than the average person on levels that defy some peoples comprehesion), however i am no going to detail any thing personal in here.

This offers a way of describing the way the racist hierarchy seems to work starting with:
equality activist ( take a knee) vs the basic racist (the racist) vs the racist that justifies it with a false patriotism ( the patriot racist) vs those who consider power to be their only objective regardless of race but will use racism and the conflict and division it causes as a tool to achieve that end. The kings of population manipulation; the classic sociopath?.
Out of all those vs's which do you think has the highest reality based self esteem?

i am a little unclear on your discription term.
"highest reality based self esteem"
do you mean selfesteem in general, or false superiority complexs where they position themselves into the position of superior and so their self esteem is perceptualy high.
etc...
(sorry im a little tired replying now excuse typos etc)

i will come back to the rest of your post if a few hours

 

[gamelord]

take-a-knee Vs the racists Vs the patriot Racists Vs those seeking to make power grabs while making everyone else fight amongst themselves...
Vs
Democracy & freedom of speech...
note no republicans came out publicly declaring take-a-knee was an act of freedom of speech and should be protected.

no one publicly asked that question or demanded it by the party to protect freedom of speech or democracy

why is that ?

I took a knee. An arrow to the knee.