The thing I was really getting at is that pigeonholing people based on a common characteristic is a negative gesture. There's a trend too that it's okay to deride white culture - which to me is an oxymoron, since there are so many different societies across the whole of this world that who on earth knows which one is the true "white culture" anyway?
I guess I see myself more as a British person than as belonging to a specific ethnicity. My culture is British, not white. That said, I speak Japanese and am studying Japanese history and literature, but it doesn't mean I want to be Japanese or that I'm somehow disconnected from my own ethnicity. Looking at people based on something external is the first step to putting divides between ethnic groups. It's a dangerous road to walk down, even in jest.
Whilst it's true that surroundings have an influence on everyone's lives, they don't dictate every single thing a person does or chooses. If that were the case, we'd have a world of clones and we really don't.
For the record, the British also don't eat horse. I have no clue about goat - I've never thought about it. Rabbit has recently begun reappearing in high street butcher shops, though, and a lot of young people in the UK atm are put off the idea of eating rabbits. Older generations, however, remember it as normal and don't bat an eyelid. That's not an ethic deviation, but one based on passage of time.
Really, this world is too full of different choices to allow people to be pushed into just one box. For the most part, America and Britain speak the same language - but I'm absolutely sure there are enormous cultural differences based on the ways in which our countries have evolved since America's independence and what's more, that those differences are a healthy and normal part of human society.
For the most part, America and Britain speak the same language - but I'm absolutely sure there are enormous cultural differences based on the ways in which our countries have evolved since America's independence and what's more, that those differences are a healthy and normal part of human society.
Taffeta! Yay!
And because you posted the above I thought I'd share, on one of the a HP community there was a actual discussion and debate about the differences in English and American culture; I think it was mostly for the fanfic writer. The group kind of slowed down this past week or so but I was enjoying the fun with language differences.
Here is the link - Not sure if it will work correctly but the discussion is titled Welcome to the second fanfic discussion at The Castle, "UK vs US - it's not just spelling and grammar."
On the 'stuff white people like' - I just find it kind of funny that so far the top ten barely if at all applies to me. So it's just strange how ungeneral the list actually is. The list isn't at all a general list of funny things. I think it must basicly be leaning towards whatever group this writer/guy is part of or grew up around.
I guess I see myself more as a British person than as belonging to a specific ethnicity. My culture is British, not white. That said, I speak Japanese and am studying Japanese history and literature, but it doesn't mean I want to be Japanese or that I'm somehow disconnected from my own ethnicity. Looking at people based on something external is the first step to putting divides between ethnic groups. It's a dangerous road to walk down, even in jest.
Whilst it's true that surroundings have an influence on everyone's lives, they don't dictate every single thing a person does or chooses. If that were the case, we'd have a world of clones and we really don't.
For the record, the British also don't eat horse. I have no clue about goat - I've never thought about it. Rabbit has recently begun reappearing in high street butcher shops, though, and a lot of young people in the UK atm are put off the idea of eating rabbits. Older generations, however, remember it as normal and don't bat an eyelid. That's not an ethic deviation, but one based on passage of time.
Really, this world is too full of different choices to allow people to be pushed into just one box. For the most part, America and Britain speak the same language - but I'm absolutely sure there are enormous cultural differences based on the ways in which our countries have evolved since America's independence and what's more, that those differences are a healthy and normal part of human society.
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Taffeta! Yay!
And because you posted the above I thought I'd share, on one of the a HP community there was a actual discussion and debate about the differences in English and American culture; I think it was mostly for the fanfic writer. The group kind of slowed down this past week or so but I was enjoying the fun with language differences.
Here is the link - Not sure if it will work correctly but the discussion is titled Welcome to the second fanfic discussion at The Castle, "UK vs US - it's not just spelling and grammar."
http://community.livejournal.com/the_castle_lj/8822.html#cutid1
On the 'stuff white people like' - I just find it kind of funny that so far the top ten barely if at all applies to me. So it's just strange how ungeneral the list actually is. The list isn't at all a general list of funny things. I think it must basicly be leaning towards whatever group this writer/guy is part of or grew up around.
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