very interesting take! many individuals in Europe have a mixed ancestry, some going waaaay back and including exotic places and cultures from the former colonies: multiculturalism has a slightly different meaning and not per sé a negative one. many actors and internationally famous models are of mixed descent, which again gives the term 'multiculturalism' a specific meaning and not necessarily a negative one. from a student's thesis we don't necessarily see which gender, ethnic or religious background there is, and ideally universities teach higher science, not group think. the process of peaceful secularisation has been long, almost ona par with the rise of individualism, yet ideally it doesn't need to have a negative impact - different, yes, but values (adjectives) used to describe these social processes is subjective. while the public might have, sadly perhaps, left the church, traditions are ever-important. merry christmas!
Thanks for the interesting comment! I want to emphasise that I rejoice in multiculturalism if it means the dynamic confluence of different cultures and ethnicities. I don't want to live in an ethno-state. I live in Australia, and I consider it a blessing that here people from different cultures, in all their beauty and variety, can live peacefully and share the same civic space.
My concern is that some official policies, however well-intentioned, might actually flatten out these differences and turn everyone into a corporate drone.
to 'turn everyone into a corporate drone' has been official policy for ages, through all kinds of segregationist rules, and in many societies. however those eugenics' mandates are no match for our (individual) hearts and eyes: falling in love, mutual respect for our alledged differences and genuine friendship are able to bridge the divide time and again. the psychopaths can't win.
Having reread your post, I will admit I clearly don't know enough about either multiculturalism or capitalism but I see your point and having been part of the big COVID staff flush from Australian Universities, I agree that many seem to have lost their way.
I need to answer a few questions before commenting further, namely;
1. What was the original idea behind multiculturalism and what was the original thought process behind implementation in a largely secular country like Australia?
2. And dear old capitalism... It's given us so much but at what cost?
As an aside, I have just started reading Marx in the Anthropocene because degrowth communism from the bits I have read seems very interesting.
Thanks for this post William. Look forward to reading more IDC.
Yikes - those two questions require multiple books to answer. I might be a bit sparing in this comment because I'll probably return to these topics in later posts.
Can you tell me more about "degrowth communism"? It sounds interesting, but I think people are very unlikely to vote for anything that doesn't "grow the economy," as it's put. My view is that "capitalism," (again, a word that needs a more precise definition) has made us materially much better off but spiritually much worse off.
And it's always worth remembering:
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Matthew 19:24)
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Mark 8:36)
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)
very interesting take! many individuals in Europe have a mixed ancestry, some going waaaay back and including exotic places and cultures from the former colonies: multiculturalism has a slightly different meaning and not per sé a negative one. many actors and internationally famous models are of mixed descent, which again gives the term 'multiculturalism' a specific meaning and not necessarily a negative one. from a student's thesis we don't necessarily see which gender, ethnic or religious background there is, and ideally universities teach higher science, not group think. the process of peaceful secularisation has been long, almost ona par with the rise of individualism, yet ideally it doesn't need to have a negative impact - different, yes, but values (adjectives) used to describe these social processes is subjective. while the public might have, sadly perhaps, left the church, traditions are ever-important. merry christmas!
Thanks for the interesting comment! I want to emphasise that I rejoice in multiculturalism if it means the dynamic confluence of different cultures and ethnicities. I don't want to live in an ethno-state. I live in Australia, and I consider it a blessing that here people from different cultures, in all their beauty and variety, can live peacefully and share the same civic space.
My concern is that some official policies, however well-intentioned, might actually flatten out these differences and turn everyone into a corporate drone.
Merry Christmas!
to 'turn everyone into a corporate drone' has been official policy for ages, through all kinds of segregationist rules, and in many societies. however those eugenics' mandates are no match for our (individual) hearts and eyes: falling in love, mutual respect for our alledged differences and genuine friendship are able to bridge the divide time and again. the psychopaths can't win.
Very beautifully said.
thank you :-))
Is it multiculturalism or capitalism that's killing culture?
You would need to give a more detailed definition of capitalism but I'm sympathetic to the question.
Having reread your post, I will admit I clearly don't know enough about either multiculturalism or capitalism but I see your point and having been part of the big COVID staff flush from Australian Universities, I agree that many seem to have lost their way.
I need to answer a few questions before commenting further, namely;
1. What was the original idea behind multiculturalism and what was the original thought process behind implementation in a largely secular country like Australia?
2. And dear old capitalism... It's given us so much but at what cost?
As an aside, I have just started reading Marx in the Anthropocene because degrowth communism from the bits I have read seems very interesting.
Thanks for this post William. Look forward to reading more IDC.
Yikes - those two questions require multiple books to answer. I might be a bit sparing in this comment because I'll probably return to these topics in later posts.
Can you tell me more about "degrowth communism"? It sounds interesting, but I think people are very unlikely to vote for anything that doesn't "grow the economy," as it's put. My view is that "capitalism," (again, a word that needs a more precise definition) has made us materially much better off but spiritually much worse off.
And it's always worth remembering:
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. (Matthew 19:24)
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? (Mark 8:36)
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4)