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It's you who is seeing this as virtuous. Interesting
I don't know how you could come to that conclusion.
It's clear that I don't think that it's necessarily virtuous nor that it is necessarily un-virtuous.
It just *is*. Or *isn't*.
There is no shortage of New Yorkers who are hostile and even angry about all the ambient diversity there but who still stay put - because that's just where they're from.
Whereas you can also easily find people living in rural Maine who are quite open and generous to diversity and have a sincere interest in learning about other cultures.
I don't know how you could come to that conclusion.
It's clear that I don't think that it's necessarily virtuous nor that it is necessarily un-virtuous.
It just *is*. Or *isn't*.
There is no shortage of New Yorkers who are hostile and even angry about all the ambient diversity there but who still stay put - because that's just where they're from.
Whereas you can also easily find people living in rural Maine who are quite open and generous to diversity and have a sincere interest in learning about other cultures.
Probably because you said this?
"I just have an issue with the notion that cities that are very diverse (and their populations) are somehow more virtuous simply because of this fact."
"I just have an issue with the notion that cities that are very diverse (and their populations) are somehow more virtuous simply because of this fact."
Yes. I have an issue with the fact that some people equate diversity with automatic (civic/societal) virtue.
If I have an issue with it, it means I don't agree.
Yes. I have an issue with the fact that some people equate diversity with automatic (civic/societal) virtue.
If I have an issue with it, it means I don't agree.
Key word is " automatic ". Virtue means having high moral standards. Some, I agree, have no such standards and do pretend to accept diversity more than they do, perhaps to seen as virtuous. It doesn't make those who truly believe in diversity less.
Accepting diversity and co-existing with others is going to be even more important in the next 100 years, than ever before.
Key word is " automatic ". Virtue means having high moral standards. Some, I agree, have no such standards and do pretend to accept diversity more than they do, perhaps to seen as virtuous. It doesn't make those who truly believe in diversity less.
Accepting diversity and co-existing with others is going to be even more important in the next 100 years, than ever before.
My extended family is spread out all over the place in urban and rural, diverse and non-diverse locales.
Maybe we're just a weird family but openness to and interest in other cultures isn't even close to dovetailing perfectly with what some people might expect based on daily exposure to people who are "different".
My extended family is spread out all over the place in urban and rural, diverse and non-diverse locales.
Maybe we're just a weird family but openness to and interest in other cultures isn't even close to dovetailing perfectly with what some people might expect based on daily exposure to people who are "different".
Well nothing is one glove fits all.
I never said that people who live in non-diverse locations can't be accepting of diversity, but they do have to experience it and live it to a degree, to be truly accepting of it. Otherwise it's just lip service.
Conversely, there are those that live in very diverse places and aren't accepting. The majority of these IMO are afraid of change, feel threatened by others, sometimes quite ignorant of the differences. Plus they seem miserable.
I never said that people who live in non-diverse locations can't be accepting of diversity, but they do have to experience it and live it to a degree, to be truly accepting of it. Otherwise it's just lip service.
Iceland is kind of like this too, BTW. As are the continental Scandinavian countries. Or at least, in the case of the latter, they *were* like this until somewhat recently.
I grew up with Italians, French Canadians, Polish, German, Russian, Greeks, Chinese, Japanese, Hungarians, and others. All speaking their native tongues and broken english.
So why is this good? Well, as you will probably agree, it prepared me a little bit better for the world. My world was perhaps bigger than someone growing up in a small town with no diversity. As a child I heard stories from the father of my friend who were Polish, about concentration camps. I ate real Italian, Chinese etc food in the homes of these people. I saw bits of their culture daily.
When I travelled, I was already familiar with some of the food, and the languages, although not understood always, didn't sound so odd to me.
It made me learn that different doesn't always mean bad.
I don't think I'm fetishizing it, it's just a fact.
I would agree with you NAT. I'm actually happy to live where I do and i'm not going to look at any 'opportunity' costs because I don't live in a place with a strong monotonous culture. There are some benefits to those places but whether you call it functional harmony or whatever, living with people from a variety of cultures/ethnicities, as well as experiencing the culinary, musical differences and engaging with folks who may actually bring a different p.o.v to the table, being either in a work meeting or in a social setting is pretty gratifying for me. It really is all I've ever known and i'm ok.
That said, I don't think it is superior either just different. I have nothing against cities or places that value long standing traditions, strong native culture and character. I do however have an issue with any notion that places that embrace diversity are somehow 'missing' something and are just not in a natural state of being. Throughout history we have many examples of cities that have been settled by people from all over - crossroad cities.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natnasci
Accepting diversity and co-existing with others is going to be even more important in the next 100 years, than ever before.
Fact is the world is becoming a smaller place. 100 years ago it would be unimaginable that one would be able to fly across the world - literally the other side of it in a day. Technology brings us ever closer together. So yeah - fast forward 100 years from now and I think you're absolutely right.
Most diverse cities didn't choose to become diverse. That decision is generally made by some higher authority or sometimes it's even just happenstance. They're diverse just because they *are*, not because they chose to be so.
.
Initially I think you're right. There is usually an event that triggers this. In the case of Toronto it was Canada's decision in the 60's to ramp up immigration. The city would never be the same again after that. However, I don't think you can really maintain a pretty sustainable level of immigration and ever more diversity if the city/populace don't embrace it. It tends to kind of snowball. The more diverse you become, the more you attract diversity - the more it is just a way of life.
Last edited by fusion2; 04-11-2018 at 07:32 PM..
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