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I'm an American of Irish, English, Scottish, German and French descent. Is it strange that I feel absolutely no attachment to it (or fondness for it) whatsoever?
Americans constantly describe their nationality according to their ancestral background, and I find this to be not only incredibly misinformed, but also somewhat disrespectful in relation to the U.S.'s historical attempt to break from Europe. Many Americans don't realize the general disdain that Europeans have for them (at least so far as I can tell), yet continue to believe that we're all one, big, happy "western civilization." Don't even get me started on the Europhiles of our political Left...
Anyway, are there any Americans who share my thoughts on this? Or, better yet, might there be any Europeans who care to validate my thoughts on this?
If one hasn't lived in Europe and at the very least understand the culture and language, then one is not European. People such as you and countless others are above all AMERICAN which there's nothing wrong with that and its something to be proud at just as anyone else should be for what they are.
You are as American as American-Indians ,American-Italians, American-Mexicans etc. Notice that I but American first before the ancestry.
Even though you're in a different continent, you are part of the western philosophy and highly influenced by European culture with all its goods and bads.
Europeans don't hate Americans individually but do dislike its imperialistic, breathing down your throat, in your business attitude in foreign policy and I don't blame them for that.
That said there is such a thing as the "ugly American" where some Americans go overseas and act like dumbasses and disrespect other cultures.
Europe for many Americans is our background and is something hard to ignore and break away from.
Last edited by WildWestDude; 07-15-2012 at 03:16 PM..
Europe for many Americans is our background and is something hard to ignore and break away from.
This is absolutely true and especially among first generation Americans whose parents are born in Europe or Asia. Most of us are the sons and daughters or grandchildren of immigrants from other countries and that is true from Hudson Bay to La Tierra del Fuego. Yet one thing is curious, we (people from the USA) are the only ones who are "hyphenated" people. You don't hear from Argentinians, Brazilians or Canadians etc "I am Brazilian-Italian etc. They are simply Brazilians, or Canadians (except the french Canadians and that has nothing to do with France really), People of German descent in Chile are simply Chileans and Peruvians are not Spanish-Peruvians. I am sure that most Americans (I mean people born in The Americas) are aware of their backgrounds but we are the only ones who constantly advertise it. Maybe we should bother with that unless asked or it becomes necessary in some cultural context.
I'm an American of Irish, English, Scottish, German and French descent. Is it strange that I feel absolutely no attachment to it (or fondness for it) whatsoever? ....Anyway, are there any Americans who share my thoughts on this? Or, better yet, might there be any Europeans who care to validate my thoughts on this?
Nope, you're loss.
Born and raised in the U.S., and at sixty-two I packed a suitcase and bought a one-way ticket to Europe. Since then Europe's been home, and in a five-week visit to the USA in 2009 I saw and heard enough of today's America to know I won't be making another visit.
Yet one thing is curious, we (people from the USA) are the only ones who are "hyphenated" people. You don't hear from Argentinians, Brazilians or Canadians etc "I am Brazilian-Italian etc. They are simply Brazilians, or Canadians (except the french Canadians and that has nothing to do with France really), .
I have to disagree about Canadians. You hear Italian-X, Chinese-X, Ukrainian-X, all the time in Canada too, just like in the States. (You are correct when it comes to French Canadians, which is a different situation altogether.)
I have to disagree about Canadians. You hear Italian-X, Chinese-X, Ukrainian-X, all the time in Canada too, just like in the States. (You are correct when it comes to French Canadians, which is a different situation altogether.)
I ahaven't heard that from the Canadians I've met and I am from Detroit so we have a pretty good contact with Canada. But then maybe they just don't bring it up with us. Maybe that idea has something to do with our Anglo heritage. How about Aussies and Kiwis?
I ahaven't heard that from the Canadians I've met and I am from Detroit so we have a pretty good contact with Canada. But then maybe they just don't bring it up with us. Maybe that idea has something to do with our Anglo heritage. How about Aussies and Kiwis?
I live in Canada and this country has an official multiculturalism policy that actually encourages immigrants to retain their original identities and form a mosaic of cultures, supposedly in opposition to the Great American Melting Pot. Hyphenated Canadians are definitely an issue for some people at least in Canada.
Overall, as I said, it is very similar to what you have in the U.S.: some people of origin X will refer to themselves as Canadians only, others from the same group will have a hyphenated identity. It varies from person to person.
Americans and Europeans think about origin, ancestry and nationality in different ways.
When an American says (for example), I am a quarter Scots on my mother's side, my reaction is ... no .... you are 0% Scots, you just happen to have some Scots ancestry.
For Europeans, where they were born, where they grew up and where they went to school defines where they think they are from.
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I was born in the East Indies (now Indonesia), with parents who were German on my Mother's side, and Scottish on my Father's side, raised in The Netherlands, Schooled in Germany And the USA, worked and lived in many different countries, and when I have to fill out a form, where they ask what your ancestry, race or whatever is, I always enter the word *human*.
Only once did the lady at the desk object ... which tells me that most of the forms are not even read !!!
A long time ago, at work, they came around, and asked me if I was Asian (I do have a Chinese Great-Grandmother), or if I was Pacific Islander (You've seen one, you've seen them all problem ??).
I asked why that was important, and then they explained to me that they needed a certain amount of *minorities* on their records, to fulfill the *government requirements*.
I asked what they were *short* of, and then use that classification as their answer.
No idea what they entered on their questionaire ...
If you ask me straight in my face, I would say I am an American and dang proud of it !!
Just sad that we really do not have a good word for it.
Our country is officially called *The United States of America*.
You are in Russia, You are a Russian.
You are in Canada, You are a Canadian.
You are in Spain, You are a Spaniard.
My ancestors were Irish, Cherokee, and English. Is it wrong to be proud of or recognize that heritage? Is it up to anyone else besides yourself to dictate what you can and can't be proud of?
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