European cultural chauvinism vs. American multiculturalism

Submitted by D. Wells (Germany), Jan 22, 2004 at 13:38

One key difference is:

-Europe is based on national identity, a culture identity. France, for example, is not an idea but a language, culture and history. Therefore people who do not share the culture, history and language are not truly French. Immigrants are marginalized to the extent they do not adopt everything French. The French dream is to continue being French and not change to much. This is true of most of Europe--it is essentially conservative and inward looking, largely concerned with its own cultural identity and its preservation.

-America is an idea. Anyone is potentially an American, not just an honorary American but a real one. Indeed, immigrants like Albright and Kissinger were born elsewhere and climbed to the highest offices in the U.S. government--almost inconceivable in Continental Europe. People who are willing to join the idea and participate in it can. Culture, religion and ethnicity are irrelavant and are allowed to flourish as they do not directly effect the country.

So we have a competition of ideas here. The European "leading culture" idea vs. mulitculturalism. Thus, Europeans are oft to brag about the superiority of their culture versus the derivative or confused mixing of culture and traditions on the other side of the Atlantic. While the mono-cultural idea is indeed the rule through out the world, I would say the multicultural U.S. model offers more hope for a global world of cooperation and co-mongling, where difference are not threatening, and democratic freedoms allow each to celebrate their own traditions, arts, music, literature, religion and so on.

http://doggod91.blogspot.com/

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