Posted by alexandra_k on July 18, 2019, at 17:19:02
In reply to Re: Those 4, posted by sigismund on July 18, 2019, at 4:42:33
I was thinking about racial segregation yesterday. Whether voluntary or imposed. It is easiest / easier to feel comfortable around people who are `like you' in some way. And food is important.
I was reading this (old now) book about becoming a Medical Doctor in the US for international medical graduates. The book was old and I haven't seen a new version... But I found it curious how it was going on and on and on about food. About finding your community which is to say a community of other immigrants from your home country. It was saying that they basically will be your patient base. Marrying one of them is your citizenship... It was very odd...
America is funny (strange) I think about race. I do understand that it is easier for people to feel comfortable around people who are 'like them' in some sense. It lightens the cognitive load and is easier to relax. It is hard to be confronted by people who make differnet life choices / who choose to live differently. Both within a culture and outside. Maybe I don't mind the diversity so much because I have never felt at home / comfortable in my own.
Where I am now... I am very much a minority. I feel that. I don't see many NZ born white people. I'm in the city, I guess. The city is mostly filled with immigrant students and young professionals is what I see. Hong Kong, China, India, Korea... Then Maaori New Zealanders... I guess the white New Zealanders are more likely to be living in suburban houses to be fair. Students still with parents or tucked into a few particular of the residential halls (the ones with tutoring support).
The immigration is good for New Zealand. Really crucial, I think. Especially the Hong Kong immigration. People bring... Maths. Engineering. Technology. That's probably racist... But I hear it is actually truly true. Asians do better (as a group) on maths tests and the like. I think it probably is something to do with the culture. Order. Or something. Sequential operations. One thing then the next thing then the next thing. One simple part at a time. A calmness.
It seems only on American TV that you get culturally diverse communities. I don't know. Beyond the 'token representitive', I mean. More to proportional representation of race.
So the land becomes mosaic, I mean. I don't know what you call it... Instead of pockets here and there.
I want the new book now to see what it says now.
Othewise... I guess I feature alimony into the cost of things?? Why should one have to marry and American for citizenship? I do understand this idea of.. Something along the lines of investing in the country. But why in the form of children? I understand that if you have children you want the people to have their children part of the country (otherwise it seems allegiance is not there, or something). But I don't understand this hangover from the idea that people must procreate.
We have exceeded carrying capacity. There are too many people. We need to get better at looking after the people we've got.
Anyway...
I am faintly obsessed with this short story by Phillip K Dick that is called something along the lines of 'Clancy'. Clancy is a construct. Written / scripted by people who... Well... They are a bit like the ministry of truth people in 1984... Clancy was a figure head. To bring out certain things in the people. There was this thing in it about whether you could try and genuinely use such a... Construct. To help rather than to exploit.
They thought not. Because things would be too complex. You could get people wanting to do simple things because Clancy liked them. For example, playing a simple sport with a expensive piece of sporting goods but you probably couldn't get 3d chess to take off in quite the same way... You could maybe get people drinking scotch because that's what Clancy liked... But maybe not drinking spirulina...
I wonder if Trump is supposed to be a mirror, in some way. So many americans do respond to aspects of Trump with... Disgust. Or with disagreement or whatever. The National... Self image... Has become one in which travelling academics begin by saying something self-depreciatory about the state of America.
It is a lot easier for non-Americans to bear than alternative attitudes of... Well... Something that feels an awful lot to the non-Americans like smug self satisfaction or something... Something... Not palatable at all. Trump allows for... Trauma bonding? I don't know. Something something along those lines.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:1105306
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/poli/20190413/msgs/1105311.html