Lisa Lowe and Shishir Kurup, Assimilation

Assimilation is a particularly important topic for myself. In the readings by Shishir Kurup and Lisa Lowe, the authors provide examples and interesting pieces of thought for immigrants who must face assimilation. I find it interesting that there is both a demand to assimilate as well as personal desire not to assimilate. For many immigrants, this is an impossible decision, not because they are unable to do on or the other but how it affects the results. Based on my understanding, immigrants will always be considered in a middle ground where they are not considered native, but if they assimilate then they may no long be considered foreign. It is a difficult place to be due to the possibility of receiving both benefits and hindrances of either side based on how society views you. To a degree, society pressures immigrants to act in a way that is clearly negative. Yet, in order to fit in and be accepted, immigrants often fall into some form of those bad habits or situations. As shown in the reading, immigrants may often change their diets or daily routines to better their acceptance into the immigrated nation. This in turn affects their progeny and causes a distancing or loss of their native culture. I have experienced this first hand. My grandparents immigrated to America and I am the third generation to live here. However, my Japanese heritage and culture has been lost to me. I mostly have to seek out the history of my culture through other means, rather than learn from my parents or even grandparents. By every definition, my family has been “white -washed.” I think this is a very sad trend that pieces of great historical or personal significance are lost due to the desire to fit in.