Should Asian immigrants assimilate?

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There are some Asian people who are willing to go all the way and try to assimilate into the wider White culture in the West. They have Caucasian names, adopt a Western way of living, and even try to adopt the customs of the West as much as they can. But even so, because of their yellow/brown skin, they cannot totally be seen as 'West'.

What can the Asians in the West do? Should they keep their Asian-ness, or should they try even harder to be more like the native people, like the Caucasians?

Note: the West - Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Ireland, Canada, United States and other parts of Europe

In the U.S. Asian immigrants and their families assimilate rather well. The kids, except for appearance, can hardly be distinguished from the children of families who have been in the U.S generations and generations.

ruveyn

Asians who come right off the boat probably have a tougher time adjusting and assimilating. For immigrants of any race/ethnicity/religion its always been up to the 2nd and 3rd generations to prove their value and assimilate before being accepted by the larger population. That seems to be the pattern in the United States. The problem is with the Spanish population in the U.S is that they are demanding services, illegally entering the country, and not assimilating their children into the larger culture.

I'm not sure what you mean by assimilate.

So long as they abide by the laws of their host country, why should they assimilate if they do not want to? All people of whatever race, creed or culture should be rightly proud of their history and celebrate their differences. I am stating this as a Brit living in asia. I live in a very asian area with few other westerners. I am proud of my identity and, while I am integrated into my community and respect my neighbours, I do not intend to assimilate.

So it's just a matter of appearance - as long as Asians act and follow societal norms, they'll be ok?

Very much so. Asian immigrants on balance and on the whole have been a very valuable addition to the United States. To Asia: Please send more.

ruveyn

So BassMan_720, yes, I would like to retain my creed, proud of my history. It's part of me.

But at the same time there are lots of Western customs to learn and adapt to, as the West are more advanced socially than much of Asia.

You are one person though...you don't have the numerical strength to demand the host country change itself to fit your lifestyle, language, religion, etc. When its a large population moving in, in a country such as the United States where we have a political tradition not rooted in ethnic identity, than its crucial that new citizens and their children learn the language of the land, the political tradition of the country, and the laws of the country.

I actually think that the reason these Asians are still viewed as Asian as opposed to Western is because of the steretypes created by the vast majority of Asians who do not conform. The stereotypes that many have are the result of the Chinatowns and close-knit ethnic communities that oftentimes refuse to learn English, let alone adopt Western culture.



I am an Asian myself, and I personally do not think that the vast majority of Asians attempt to adopt the Western culture, and it bothers me. So, in my opinion, they need to TRY, which is a precursor to trying harder. If we were to turn things around; would it be acceptable for a Westerner to move to some Asian country and then refuse to adopt their social norms and conform to their culture? No. Why should we be so accepting of their rights to not adopt Western culture?

That's what I meant. Even the Hmong Americans do their best to learn English and practice Americans customs as much as they are able to. So why can't other Asians?

My wife is Asian. Her elder relatives have assimilated very little - they hold on to their language, their customs, and their values. The go "back home" at least once a year, and tend to speak only their natal language.

The people of my wife's generation have assimilated more, but only those customs that are advantageous to their lives and careers. At home, they are very much their parents' children, with the same linguistic skills, the same customs, and the same mannerisms. At work, they are Americans, albeit with an accent and some odd mannerisms.

The third generation, however, has grown up in America, and have taken on just about every American custom that is not of their grandparents' native land. Most do not speak their grandparents' native language, nor do they seem interested in visiting their relative "back home" (as their parents and grandparents call it). If you could only listen to them, they would sound exactly like any American kids of the same age.

It may be safe to assume that by the fourth generation, these people will be as assimilated as they're going to get - for better or for worse.

"Should" they assimilate? It seems inevitable, but only as they generations go by.

Indeed. Thank you for answering my doubts

I think anyone moving to another country should do their best to learn the language and not break the law.
Aside from that, I don't see why anyone should feel obligated to assimilate.

Americans usually view Asians as smart and hardworking. In some ways, Asians benefit from a kind of "positive racism", if such a thing can be said to exist.

I can't speak for all of Asia but some parts that I have been to have been far more socially advanced than parts of the west, which in my view are degenerating socially.

Assimilation is not in a Western nation's economic best interests. Immigration is a driver of two crucial aspects of a modern nation-state: population growth and international trade.

Assimilation may seem relatively neutral as far as the first issue goes, immigrants will come and they will join the productive economy whether they assimilate or not; but the openness of a society and its acceptance of diversity go a long way towards presenting attractive "pull" factors for immigrants. Canada has generally scored over Australia as a destination of choice for Asian and African immigrants in part because of the broader acceptance of diversity in Canada, stemming from our linguistic duality.

But the real dollars and cents come with trade, and it is in the links to their countries of origin that the foundations for global trade lie. When we think of international trade we may be tempted to think about tankers full of sweet crude; ships full of cars; and millions of containers with goods destined for Walmart. But the bulk of international trade is still in the hands of small and medium sized businesses--and those that trade are in large part run by new arrivals who maintain strong links with the countries where they were born.

[Is intequote="JeremyNJ1984"]You are one person though...you don't have the numerical strength to demand the host country change itself to fit your lifestyle, language, religion, etc. When its a large population moving in, in a country such as the United States where we have a political tradition not rooted in ethnic identity, than its crucial that new citizens and their children learn the language of the land, the political tradition of the country, and the laws of the country.[/quote] Yes I am one person living in Hong Kong near to the chinese border. On Hong Kong Island there is a large western population which has no intention of assimilating. The various populations respect each other. Luckily. For me English is an official language here.