The Melting Pot

[iBender]

Life is a Variety Act sometimes. I was lucky enough to come from a Melting Pot community. There are many around the world, the United States as a whole, is a good example of a Melting Pot. As I said, I do feel lucky or blessed, for it, broadening my mind aswell as my pallet and giving me, I feel, a unique look of the world we live in.

 

[Canadave]

The idea of the "melting pot" is kind of outdated, IMO. In elementary school, we used to learn that Canada is a "salad bar" instead of a melting pot, the idea being that there are many different cultures that co-exist along side one another. I think that's a more apt analogy for the United States, too, as the idea of assimilation has faded a little in favour of co-existence (or at least, this is the impression I have).

And personally, I don't think that's a bad thing. It's impossible to turn many cultures into one, monolithic culture, so I've always been a fan of the idea of multiculturalism. Understanding and embracing differences helps people get along, I think, as opposed to forcing one societal idea on many different groups of people.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Life is a Variety Act sometimes. I was lucky enough to come from a Melting Pot community. There are many around the world, the United States as a whole, is a good example of a Melting Pot. As I said, I do feel lucky or blessed, for it, broadening my mind aswell as my pallet and giving me, I feel, a unique look of the world we live in.

More content, por favor. Ask a question; set a direction for the topic to go in. Do you want people to discuss their own experiences growing up in a melting pot (or not)? I know it's sort of implied by your comment, but in the future it's best to spell these things out and give the thread a launching point for broader discussion. Thanks.

 

[iBender]

Sure mi amigos en amigas, Are you from one? What do you think of them? Have you ever seen one? and anything else you wish to share.
Hotlinked illustrations unless you own/have made/taken it, I guess, and also,
Is this Melting Pot trend just a domino effect for the world to be?
I guess we do have to challenge our views of Devolution too, breaking up what was once unifed, and acknolweding that, but also NOT ruling out a Melting Pot, within such a Devolved state, and how might that prosper?

If Scotland was to become it's own Soverign State/Nation tomorrow because of, I don't know; Prime Minister Cameron and President Obama and newly oppointed President and Lord Priminister Salmond had a P' up, suppose that happend?
If Scotland, in this very made up and very hypothetical Scenario, for the sake of this point, were to Devolve the United Kingdom over night, tonight. That'll be devoultion, and many will be right to assume that, they don't want any part of anything Unified, how ever. - an Inderpendent Scotland might decide to open up to the world. - That would be be both Devolution and Unity.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Are you sure English is your first language?

 

[Shatnertage]

I think it's a pretty bad restaurant that's way overpriced for what it delivers.

I went there once because someone gave my wife a gift card, and we were both pretty underwhelmed. Although it might just be that I was bitterly disappointed that you didn't get to dip bits of steak into cheese, just bread. And in the US I don't think fondue's been that big since the 1970s, though I think dipping anything in cheese makes it better. Just about, anyway.

 

[Kestra]

I think it's a pretty bad restaurant that's way overpriced for what it delivers.

I went there once because someone gave my wife a gift card, and we were both pretty underwhelmed. Although it might just be that I was bitterly disappointed that you didn't get to dip bits of steak into cheese, just bread. And in the US I don't think fondue's been that big since the 1970s, though I think dipping anything in cheese makes it better. Just about, anyway.

I loved it but I was also drunk and it's where we started out my bachelorette party.

 

[Captain_Nick]

Life is a Variety Act sometimes. I was lucky enough to come from a Melting Pot community. There are many around the world, the United States as a whole, is a good example of a Melting Pot. As I said, I do feel lucky or blessed, for it, broadening my mind aswell as my pallet and giving me, I feel, a unique look of the world we live in.

The random capitalisation of Words is Germanic in origin, is It not?

 

[Amaris]

I look at it more like gumbo. You throw in everything you can think of, some things work well together, some don't quite work as well, but altogether, it makes a delicious meal of freedom.

 

[Star Wolf]

I look at it more like gumbo. You throw in everything you can think of, some things work well together, some don't quite work as well, but altogether, it makes a delicious meal of freedom.

Nice image. You can't be a pure tomato ready to be picked out as in the salad bar analogy. You are effected by the flavor of the other ingredients when cooked, but you're not melted down to an indistinct mush either

 

[RJDiogenes]

The United States is definitely a Melting Pot, and I've been lucky enough to live and work in a very melty area. I've got friends of many ethnic groups and nationalities-- some are immigrants, some are first generation, some second et cetera-- and I know many people in so-called mixed marriages-- Thai-Jewish, Vietnamese-Irish and so on. Some stick mostly with their own traditional culture still, others have embraced the cultures of their partners or friends, others have embraced American culture in general to a greater or lesser degree. That's one of the great things about this country. Several of my friends have become citizens during the time I've known them, and as soon as they did they became just as American as me or anybody who can trace their ancestry back to the Revolution.

 

[think]

I am having this overwhelming urge to type

so what

but i wont I'll let someone else do that..

unique LOL

unique is farting a new smell that has never been farted before ,, impossible I say but for the "individual" it can happen. two possible reasons

they have immediately forgotten what any fart smells like and there by everytime they fart it is a new smell

or the just ate something they never had their entire life and there by it is new till the next new food is eaten...

I write this in the hope I would not type this again; as usual should any of my information I have typed change our existence in time and space as we know it please disregard it as non-sense.

 

[thestrangequark]

I'm a product of a melting pot I suppose - being mixed. Even in a highly racially and culturally diverse environment, like that within which I was raised (Seattle) and where I live now (NYC), being mixed presents it's own unique challenges and perspectives.
As for the tossed salad analogy, I've heard that one too. I appreciate what it attempts to convey: a world where every "flavor" of person can reside peacefully and harmoniously with the rest. Sometimes it works like that, but sometimes it doesn't. While the word assimilation carries a lot of negative connotations, a bit of assimilation can be a good thing and can add to, rather than detract from a person's cultural identity. To continue the analogy: the salad dressing that adds a bit of tang to each unique flavor!

 

[SmoothieX]

As for the tossed salad analogy

Rusty trombone pwns a tossed salad anyday of the week.

 

[Captain_Nick]

You can't just throw any ingredient you like into a salad willy nilly.

A salad is like a piano. Each vegetable or flavour corresponds to the different keys.

If you mash the keyboard you will most likely produce dissonance and noise.

DITTO SALADS

You can't chuck together any old vegetables and expect them to get on with each other.

Now go to a piano and hit the notes C and E together. That sound that is produced, that is harmony.

Eat a piece of tomato with a leaf of basil. That flavour that is produced, even in its raw state, that is harmony.

Some flavour combinations are more adult than others. It takes a sensitive and well-practiced mind to appreciate certain ingredients, and chords.

Take from this what you will.

 

[Captain_Nick]

As for me, I love my salads with garlic oil and chilli, as well as scads of dressing, salt and pepper. Must have fetta and roasted capsicums, spanish onions, tomatoes, cucumber and olives! I'm also quite fond of Liszt.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

You can't make friends with salad.

 

[iBender]

The US President; President Barack Obama -- said it best when he addressed the Houses of Parliment (The British Parliment) yesterday, he said:

"Unlike most countries in the world, we do not define citizenship based on race or ethnicity. Being American or British is not about belonging to a certain group; it’s about believing in a certain set of ideals -- the rights of individuals, the rule of law. That is why we hold incredible diversity within our borders. That’s why there are people around the world right now who believe that if they come to America, if they come to New York, if they come to London, if they work hard, they can pledge allegiance to our flag and call themselves Americans; if they come to England, they can make a new life for themselves and can sing God Save The Queen just like any other citizen"...

^http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press...ks-president-parliament-london-united-kingdom

 

[Pingfah]

I do not sing God Save the Queen nor do I believe being British is about holding any particular values, certainly not the rule of law, although I do believe in that personally. Becoming British might require that, but not being British.

 

[iBender]

I think it means, being British (or American) isn't about being of any particular ethnicity, to quote the President again;
"that in a world which will only grow smaller and more interconnected, the example of our two nations says it is possible for people to be united by their ideals, instead of divided by their differences"...