The American Dream
The hopes of coming to America is finding a great, job, home, have freedom, achieve life goals, get married, but immigrants who come here seeking those things, end up being a minority and they may struggle to find their way. People who are culturally different have at one point faced discrimination and stereotypes. Instead of putting down people who are culturally different people should be applauding them for coming to a country that is different them where they have to adapt to their new surroundings and having to adjust to new people who may not accept their differences. Especially in a place where people might not celebrate their own traditions or even speak the same language.
The hopes of coming to America is finding a great, job, home, have freedom, achieve life goals, get married, but immigrants who come here seeking those things, end up being a minority and they may struggle to find their way. People who are culturally different have at one point faced discrimination and stereotypes. Instead of putting down people who are culturally different people should be applauding them for coming to a country that is different them where they have to adapt to their new surroundings and having to adjust to new people who may not accept their differences. Especially in a place where people might not celebrate their own traditions or even speak the same language.
America is known as the “melting pot” it contains a variety of ethnic groups, races, religions, and languages. While we all like to meet others from other nations it comes with drawbacks people in general want to stay within their comfort zone with people who are like them and can relate to the traditions they celebrate and speak the same language they speak without any struggle having to translate.
Comfort Within America
For example places like ChinaTown Manhattan, it is the nation’s largest Chinese American citizens, this is a destination that new Chinese immigrants are drawn to. The town is covered in buildings with the same looks as it would be in China and the majority of citizens know little english instead their first language is Chinese. While we focus on fireworks and the ball dropping in New York for New Years, in Chinatown they celebrate China’s New Year which is February 15th 2015 their traditions consist for lanterns, elaborate dragons, shows, and a 15 day festival! For the rest of the country going downtown you find Italian, French, Japanese, and fast food restaurants while in Chinatown you find tradition Chinese restaurants similar to ones in China. This comfort of people who are very similar to themselves, gives people a sense of security and a place to find people who understand and relate to some of the problems they face. The locations and others like it is a huge draw to immigrants while you get the freedoms of America and can venture out and see American lifestyle in some ways living in towns like this its like you never really left your home country.
Language
The Merriam-Webster definition of the word language is “the system of words or signs that people use to express thoughts and feelings to each other” (Merriam Webster, “Language”). Someone who doesn’t speak English and lives in America may have difficulty communicating, simple things like sharing feelings and thoughts are a struggle. While people who speak English as their first language have a lot easier of a time.
Struggles and Benefits of Not Speaking English as Your First Language in America:
Stereotypes:
Living in a country where your culture and race is a minority can be difficult they face stereotypes or an idea of a person because of their race, ethnicity, culture, looks, etc for example “blonde hair people are stupid”. We often joke around about stereotypes personally I have heard jokes like “all people from Asia are smarter than us”, “hispanic people are from Mexico and take drugs”, “british people have messed up teeth”, and “southerners are racist and stupid”. All of these stereotypes are the same they generalize a race, they are not backed up with any real reasoning, and they are false. Society creates these stereotypes in order to generalize people you no longer think of an individual person but rather a people in general, you don’t want to understand who that person but rather base your information on a misleading stereotype.
Comfort Within America
For example places like ChinaTown Manhattan, it is the nation’s largest Chinese American citizens, this is a destination that new Chinese immigrants are drawn to. The town is covered in buildings with the same looks as it would be in China and the majority of citizens know little english instead their first language is Chinese. While we focus on fireworks and the ball dropping in New York for New Years, in Chinatown they celebrate China’s New Year which is February 15th 2015 their traditions consist for lanterns, elaborate dragons, shows, and a 15 day festival! For the rest of the country going downtown you find Italian, French, Japanese, and fast food restaurants while in Chinatown you find tradition Chinese restaurants similar to ones in China. This comfort of people who are very similar to themselves, gives people a sense of security and a place to find people who understand and relate to some of the problems they face. The locations and others like it is a huge draw to immigrants while you get the freedoms of America and can venture out and see American lifestyle in some ways living in towns like this its like you never really left your home country.
Language
The Merriam-Webster definition of the word language is “the system of words or signs that people use to express thoughts and feelings to each other” (Merriam Webster, “Language”). Someone who doesn’t speak English and lives in America may have difficulty communicating, simple things like sharing feelings and thoughts are a struggle. While people who speak English as their first language have a lot easier of a time.
Struggles and Benefits of Not Speaking English as Your First Language in America:
- Schooling
- Always having to translate
- Jobs
- Friends
Stereotypes:
Living in a country where your culture and race is a minority can be difficult they face stereotypes or an idea of a person because of their race, ethnicity, culture, looks, etc for example “blonde hair people are stupid”. We often joke around about stereotypes personally I have heard jokes like “all people from Asia are smarter than us”, “hispanic people are from Mexico and take drugs”, “british people have messed up teeth”, and “southerners are racist and stupid”. All of these stereotypes are the same they generalize a race, they are not backed up with any real reasoning, and they are false. Society creates these stereotypes in order to generalize people you no longer think of an individual person but rather a people in general, you don’t want to understand who that person but rather base your information on a misleading stereotype.
The reason why we stereotype others is to empower ourselves and to feel better about our own cultural group. Bringing someone else down makes us feel better and our confidence goes up. Stereotypes affect people’s behavior, they become more conservative and feel overpowered and restricted of doing things, while others might conform to the stereotype because it is easier to give in to what society is moving us to do. People who face stereotypes are often low self-esteemed because they can’t change what society’s view on them is and they can’t change where they are born or what race or what religion they are.