Assimilation And Cultural Pluralism example essay topic

Many may wonder what the true definition of the American Dream is. Personally, the American Dream is a something that people desire to achieve in America because it is considered a land opportunity. It is all about making a change. This change refers to socio-economic position in the society. It is important to note that it is fair. The amount of diligent work one puts in always equals the outcome that is appropriate outcome.

The amount of hard work, which can also considered as an input, is the exact amount you get as an output or a reward. This reward can be anything from upward-mobility to higher social status or greater financial freedom. These concepts are well illustrated in the work of Eric Liu's "Notes of a Native Speaker" and Mike Rose's "I Just Wanna Be Average". Liu's work is well fit in the areas of ethnic identity and multiculturalism and Rose's work discusses institutional forces that hinders upward movement in socio-economic system that convey class oppressions.

Combining theses definitive concepts, it is going to be easier to make lucid that the American dream is surmounting the difference in socio-economic system, overcoming the institutionally oppressive forces and reinventing the ethnic identity in the multicultural society. It is recognizing and assessing oneself and making a difference. All common final output of the American Dream is that you fit into the society and you are in the social status where one desires to be. Thus reinvention of new ethnic identity, and living it up with the cultural pluralism is the key to the success in the society. This is the only way that you can open the door of American dream.

First of all, it is important to note Eric Liu's conditions and his reinvention of the ethic identities. But precisely because the times have changed, that aspiration - and the imputation of the aspiration - now seems astonishingly outmoded. The meaning of 'American' has undergone a revolution in the twenty-nine years I have been alive, a revolution of color, class, and culture. Yet the vocabulary of "assimilation" has remained fixed all this time: fixed in whiteness, which is still our metonym for power; and fixed in shame, which is what the colored are expected to fell for embracing the power.

His notion of assimilation is crucial in understanding the reinvention of new identity. One has to assimilate oneself first in order to reinvent a new ethnic identity that fits his new "revolution of color, class and culture". Liu means by revolution that his old ways of perception had changed to something new and extreme. He thought that white represented the power in his mind and he transformed himself into white internally so that he also can share this power. Thus his "amputation" meant his letting go of old Asian American, Chinese immigrant weakness and his reinvention of new ethnic identity is key to his American Dream. Liu is able to do this because he was able to understand what assimilation is.

He was able to take in something that he did not have and he modified it to fit it to himself. This idea of assimilation is also present in the work of Mike Rose where he had to assimilate himself into students who were in the vocational track. Even though Rose did not belong to the vocational track where intellectually inferior or "slow" kids are grouped, he was able to assimilate aptly. The new self whom Rose created himself from the vocational track made him more competitive and keen when he was placed back in the college prep track. Rose's social hurdle of intellectual capability and Liu's socio-economic hindrance that only A SWP can succeed were both surmounted by both authors by reinvention of the second identity which is more apt to the new environment where dreams are pursued. Second of all, it is important to note how assimilation supports the similarity among social groups and cultural pluralist celebrate difference among the social groups.

Thus, it is imperative to discuss who actually assimilates who is the cultural pluralist and what really happens. "Unlike assimilation, cultural pluralists celebrate differences among groups rather than seek to obliterate them. They argue that cultural diversity is a healthy and normal condition that does not preclude equal rights and the mutual understandings about civic responsibilities needed to sustain a democratic nation-state" (608). This is the reason that the assimilation and cultural pluralism have to coexist. If one only accepts something new and learn from the old self, then the process of the assimilation will no longer be meaningful.

This is the reason why you keep the old but modify with the new surroundings and ideas. Eric Liu knew the fact that he could not be white physically. He was Chinese. He also knew that he could fit into the white environment if he transforms himself internally. What he could not do externally, he was able to do it internally. Furthermore, it is very important to understand and relate the concepts that are mentioned above are with Fredrickson stated about the cultural pluralism.

"Of the four models of American ethic relations, the one I believe offers the best hope for a just and cohesive society is a cultural pluralism that is fully inclusive and based on the free choices of individuals to construct or reconstruct their own ethnic identities" (608). Fredrickson's best hope for the just and cohesive society is a cultural pluralism. Cultural pluralism gives options and it is individual will to construct or reconstruct his or her image. Without a doubt, cultural pluralism is the key to this difficult and a long struggle in American society.

This battle can be seen in Liu's work when he reconstructed himself to an American who is most American-like. Even though he was an Asian American, he was whiter than most people and most American than most people. The reason is because he had completely transformed himself to a different person internally and externally. One of the options he was able to observe was being white fit in his high-class friends.

He is married to white woman, speak perfect English may be better than most of the Americans in this country since he was the speechwriter for the former Throughout the course of this paper, the key concepts of "institutionally oppressive forces" and the notion of "social class" will be broken down and overcome by the attitude of one's willingness to success and attainment of education. I believe that in order to gain a standing in the social ladder or to overcome an "institutionally oppressive forces" one has to gain an alternative perspective from the original point of view. One of the most affective in doing so is attainment of education. Above all, there are many obstacles that are in the way of the American Dream. They are simply color, class and culture. However we have assimilation, cultural pluralism and equal opportunity to fight the battle against the obstacles that hinder our way to the American Dream.

The American dream is surmounting the difference in socio-economic system, overcoming the institutionally oppressive forces and reinventing the ethnic identity in the multicultural society. Eric Liu was able to do this with ease because he knew what chances to take and what he has to be in order to fulfill his dreams. He may be simply state that he was just trying to fit in and succeed. However Eric Liu did everything that he can do surmount and assimilate many obstacles and drawbacks.