August 11, 2005
Multiculturalism
I thought it was hilarious. The BBC radio “show” I listened to this morning. It seems that multiculturalism, as an idea, is so many different things to so many people. Absence of racism, sharing of cultures, mixing of light and dark people, chips and curry sauce. You name it, multiculturalism is the word for it.
My guess, before I looked it up, was that multiculturalism was pretty much the other end of the monoculture stick. Not the mixing of cultures but the existence of multiple cultures in a given area (say the UK).
Of course, as soon as I started looking things up in the dictionary I realised how wrong I was. Not about multiculturalism itself but about monoculture which is, apparently:
The agricultural practice of cultivating crops consisting of genetically similar organisms.Pffft. I blame my crappy British state education. I feel forever disadvantaged that I did not have the opportunity, and the right, to frequent a Cypriot school, in London, paid for by the British tax payer. You bustards!
Anyhow, here is a dictionary definition of multiculturalism:
[n] the doctrine that several different cultures (rather than one national culture) can co-exist peacefully and equitably in a single country.I was close, missing off the most important aspect of the whole thing which is the fact that it is a doctrine, a belief system. An authoritative belief that different cultures can co-exist peacefully side by side.
But that’s not what we are really talking about here is it? What we are really talking about is multiculturalism+. A policy of multiculturalism. A belief that all cultures are equal; that not only can multiple cultures co-exist side by side but that it is actually best for everyone if the existence multiple cultures is encouraged; that the dominant culture should bend the rules to accommodate cultural demands (no school uniform for you young lady); that integration and actual cultural dilution are not really a worthy or desirable aim.
Contrary to the evidence suggested by my bad English above I am actually more qualified to discuss this subject than many others. You see, I spent my formative years living in a multiple culture environment but one that had a single (and very important) advantage over the current state of affairs ie. there was no doctrine or belief that cultural differences should be maintained. It was a free for all with a “may the best bits win” attitude. There was no attempt at maintaining differences, no attempt at appeasing ridiculousness, no attempt to encourage me to take any particular path. The result is a Greek Orthodox who experiments with atheism, who can speak neither Greek nor Italian, and who considers himself primarily English.
I am who I am and what I am is integrated. Overall it is English culture that has won the day but I come bearing gifts. If you want I can teach you how to cook a fantastic pasta sauce (hint: don’t use olive oil and make sure you have at least three hours of simmering time). I can show you how to outrun any angry wooden spoon wielding Italian mother from a standing start. I can show you how to fill your house with the smell of burning frankincense and charcoal, and I can tell you a little something about halva and growing oranges.
I am sure that there are those who write for the Guardian who would think that I am worse off because of my parents' attitude or that it would have been equally fair on me and on the country in which I live if my parents demanded the primacy of one of their cultures. Well, I don’t feel disadvantaged. I feel exactly the opposite.
