politik said:
But the only way to understand why 'assimilation' didn't work the way others wanted it to is to analyse exactly what it means. And in truth, how can you ask someone to be something they're not?
You cannot say that Greece or Italy has no culture - because they do. And its so strong that they didnt lose it when they came here. Is that what makes many people racist here? Funnily enough, most of the whingers are those rich North Shore types - who drink 'Cafe Lattes' all the time and substitute English words with Italian words because its 'chic'. I know that a massive generalisation, but I think its a bit of a cliche.
I'm not in favour of assimilation, and I was just trying to criticise your point regarding Australia's culture.
I didn't say that such countries have no 'culture', I merely said that you are mistaken if you think that Australia is essentially a cultural wasteland.
That all aside, it's interesting to note that what many consider to be an alien culture in many cases no longer exists back in the home country - immigrants often cling to what they consider to be dear in order to differentiate themselves from the cultural mainstream, and in many cases this has led to immigrants themselves romanticising what they consider to be their 'culture'.
Cultures of the sort that we are discussing are dynamic and they only exist in relation to the other (be it an external or internal other), and I'm just of the opinion that there is nothing to be gained by suggesting that Australia has no culture merely because other notions of culture appear to be more lively and 'wholesome' than our own.
Edit: In saying this, I'm not saying that I can quantify the Australian 'culture'. Much like that of any other nation or nation-state, it is forever being reinterpreted and repackaged by all who engage with or within it, and as such its meaning is quite fluid and complex.