Forget what the racial make up of the USA will be in 50 Years

What seems to be more important is the country's cultural identity.

As a society, in my opinion, America seems to have a nasty habit of appropriating the most shallow and senseless interpretations of other cultures' ideas; case in point is the younger generation's obsession with anime/manga. They wander around spouting Japanese words with a terrible accent and emulate some of the cultural behaviors of Japan, but do not have a value/ethical basis for what they're seeing. The historical importance and roles of concepts such as honor, politeness, sincerity (and how it differs from honesty), and dedication are seemingly missing.

Also, spanning at least as far back as my generation, is the total misuse of the word "karma" by Americans. So few people have any clue that Karma a Hindu religious concept that is directly tied into the concept of Dharma which is an extremely complicated idea in itself.

And then there's the word "ninja" . . .uggh.

In 50 years I'm interested in knowing what the cultural landscape will look like. We seem to be masters of appropriation but don't have the sense to embrace cultural ideology in it's entirety. I blame popular culture for reducing everything we encounter to it's most rudimentary form and for sucking the beauty out of those concepts in favor of it's potential marketability.

originally posted by: frostjon361
What seems to be more important is the country's cultural identity.

As a society, in my opinion, America seems to have a nasty habit of appropriating the most shallow and senseless interpretations of other cultures' ideas; case in point is the younger generation's obsession with anime/manga. They wander around spouting Japanese words with a terrible accent and emulate some of the cultural behaviors of Japan, but do not have a value/ethical basis for what they're seeing. The historical importance and roles of concepts such as honor, politeness, sincerity (and how it differs from honesty), and dedication are seemingly missing.

Also, spanning at least as far back as my generation, is the total misuse of the word "karma" by Americans. So few people have any clue that Karma a Hindu religious concept that is directly tied into the concept of Dharma which is an extremely complicated idea in itself.

And then there's the word "ninja" . . .uggh.

In 50 years I'm interested in knowing what the cultural landscape will look like. We seem to be masters of appropriation but don't have the sense to embrace cultural ideology in it's entirety. I blame popular culture for reducing everything we encounter to it's most rudimentary form and for sucking the beauty out of those concepts in favor of it's potential marketability.

You bring up some good points.

As for manga and anime....Japanese kids appropriate US hobbies without knowing all about them.

As for karma...I think people have a general idea that what you do will come back to you...good or bad. You could always post something more in-depth about karma.

Ninja

I think this may be world-wide. Certain phrases or hobbies get assimilated - full and complete research isn't done. In 50 years, and I am an optimist, the information will be even easier than a google search or watching a you tube vid.

I like the point you make, though.

add: In particular about Japan, more and more US citizens move there, and no, you don't have to be an English teacher. I love this vid blog, it is informative and relaxing : Cowboy in Japan

a reply to: frostjon361

In 50 years I'm interested in knowing what the cultural landscape will look like. We seem to be masters of appropriation but don't have the sense to embrace cultural ideology in it's entirety. I blame popular culture for reducing everything we encounter to it's most rudimentary form and for sucking the beauty out of those concepts in favor of it's potential marketability.

If we can keep from destroying ourselves; in 50 years the technology will have us living in a cyber entertainment universe of banal, violent and sexual content, provided the www. can be maintained uncensored.

This will be for the market that the rabble demand; but hidden among the trash will be beauty and art, created by a new breed of artist working in Media yet to be discovered. The digital universe has changed everything; I wish I could live long enough to explore the web in 50 yrs but alas....

a reply to: frostjon361

I don't think there will ever be a single American cultural identity. There never has been one in the first place. American cities in the Midwest were once part of Mexico, and their cultures reflect that. Louisiana was a French colony & it reflects that (plus its Creole cultures are distinct, as well). New England has a very different set of cultures quirks than the West Coast.

Then there are the various ethnic groups that brought their individual cultures to America. Like the Irish (and "Little Italy"), Germans, Hasidic Jewish communities, Chinese & Chinatowns, etc. Then there are the various African American communities, some of which have newer immigrants who are bringing in new cultural ideas. And let's not forget the original "Americans", the Natives. They're still alive, have many large & small reservations and communities, and some have even integrated into American culture. And these are just the ones off the top of my head.

In other words, I think we'll keep doing as we're doing. Absorbing & exporting new ideas & lingo while growing as a country.

I think that's basically a side-effect of being a melting pot. We've adopted a lot of cultural quirks from all over the planet that we found endearing for one reason or another. Kind of like an Irish person being very partial to Polish food & cooking it like one. Same idea, just other than cuisine.

On Louisiana, if I remember correctly, Louisiana's Cajuns came from Acadia in Canada (thus something held highly as so uniquely American is really Canadian in origin) As are the Cajun & Creole French languages not entirely American in origin. Someone once told me a French-speaking Cajun would be able to amble about the 1600's easily, as it's an old dialect of French from that era. Creole is a little different, in that it borrows, like English, words from other languages. Various Creole dialects all over the Caribbean operate basically with the same bottom line there. Ethnically, the Cajuns are French (be it Acadians from France who went to LA, or directly from France) while the Creole are, quite simply, very much multi-ethnic (though white & black are predominant heritages)

Then you have the places like the FL Keys. They might as well be a laid-back Caribbean country all their own down there. I've been there many times, and it really never felt "American", so much as "laze about in the sun with a drink Caribbean stereotype".

Oh, please! Enough with appropriation already.

I'm whiter than white bread and most of my cookbook is a mélange of different ethnic recipes. We have more or less lived on authentic Mexican food (not Tex Mex) for most of the last two months. Why? Because it's what we like. I must have missed the stamp on the recipe that said "For Grade A Mexicans Only" when I downloaded them.

It's not degrading at all to enjoy something from another culture. It's the idea of the melting pot. You come here and you learn the overlay of the US while keeping what's your own to pass on. Sometimes, bits get adopted. American English is hard to learn because of this - we have a lot of foreign words and phrases we've adopted. It's not a sign of degrading you, it's a sign of welcome. We brought you in.

We aren't Spain where a delegation of academics sits in judgment over the language to keep its purity intact so it doesn't get contaminated.

a reply to: frostjon361

In 50 years I'm interested in knowing what the cultural landscape will look like. We seem to be masters of appropriation but don't have the sense to embrace cultural ideology in it's entirety. I blame popular culture for reducing everything we encounter to it's most rudimentary form and for sucking the beauty out of those concepts in favor of it's potential marketability.

I find comfort in knowing that before something becomes culture, it was subculture, and before that, the work of one artist and innovator.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Oh, please! Enough with appropriation already.

I'm whiter than white bread and most of my cookbook is a mélange of different ethnic recipes. We have more or less lived on authentic Mexican food (not Tex Mex) for most of the last two months. Why? Because it's what we like. I must have missed the stamp on the recipe that said "For Grade A Mexicans Only" when I downloaded them.

It's not degrading at all to enjoy something from another culture. It's the idea of the melting pot. You come here and you learn the overlay of the US while keeping what's your own to pass on. Sometimes, bits get adopted. American English is hard to learn because of this - we have a lot of foreign words and phrases we've adopted. It's not a sign of degrading you, it's a sign of welcome. We brought you in.

We aren't Spain where a delegation of academics sits in judgment over the language to keep its purity intact so it doesn't get contaminated.

Does Spain do that too? I thought that was France & the French language? Then again, I think some Nordic countries only allow names if they can be spelled in the native language and/or are from select lists of acceptable names. So I wouldn't be surprised in Spain did guarded the Spanish language too.

a reply to: enlightenedservant

I don't know for sure, but I remember we had a Spanish teacher in college from Spain who told us it had taken them a really long time in Spain proper to come up with an official Spanish word for computer because the one that had crept into the language sounded like a curse word, so they weren't sure if they were going to allow it.

None of my other Spanish teachers in college mentioned it, but then one was American, one was Puerto Rican, one was Mexican, and the last was Cuban, and including the Spaniard, they every single one of them sounded as different as night and day. I found the Puerto Rican gal the hardest to follow.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: enlightenedservant

I don't know for sure, but I remember we had a Spanish teacher in college from Spain who told us it had taken them a really long time in Spain proper to come up with an official Spanish word for computer because the one that had crept into the language sounded like a curse word, so they weren't sure if they were going to allow it.

None of my other Spanish teachers in college mentioned it, but then one was American, one was Puerto Rican, one was Mexican, and the last was Cuban, and including the Spaniard, they every single one of them sounded as different as night and day. I found the Puerto Rican gal the hardest to follow.

I believe it. I took 2 years of "official" Spanish in high school & it was very different from the Spanish I learned in Mexico. I'm really rusty now ("use it or lose it"), but the dialects & lingo were really different. I actually preferred the way in Mexico, but that's probably because the people there were so kind & patient w/me. I'd say something wrong or "wrong" & they'd laugh & correct me. It seemed like everyone simply appreciated the fact that I was trying to learn & was polite about it.

It taught me to be more patient w/immigrants here on language issues. Because many times, English is their 3rd or 4th language. And I know how frustrating it can be to not be able to communicate complex thoughts in a foreign language. (tip: Always learn how to ask "Where is the bathroom?")

a reply to: ketsuko

I'm actually speaking to the fact that many people (maybe it IS just young people who don't know better) don't seem to explore as much of the background and basis for something multicultural that they like or that is part of their familial heritage. I guess using the word appropriation is setting off the PC alarms.
Maybe my problem is the entertainment industry who seem to disrespect and stereotype customs and other cultural aspects outside of the generic "US Middle American" pass-times, making them the "hip" thing to do at the time but losing the depth and beauty of them.

I'm super glad to hear that you have taken the time and effort to reproduce Mexican food in a way that is as authentic as possible and that you have a real fondness for it. I wish I could be exposed to as many different tastes as possible. I lived in FL for 20 years and became very comfortable with Central and South American cuisine there.
Since moving to TX I've had Tex-Mex and I have to say there's no comparison to what was offered in South Florida.