Are African Americans doomed?

[Heraclitus]

As a ethnic group I mean, being "black" will remain as a significant subcurent of US culture but it will become more of a choice (like being Emo) rather than something you are born into, as the rate of Latin immigration increases and as does intermarriage between all groups, I can't really see objectivley Black people existing in the US after 2100 (I define objectivley as about 50% slave ancestry).

Off course the same is true of whites. But since being "white" seems to be the "default" cultural category in the US, this could change at one point, but I doubt it will and since "white" or "European American" or "Angolamerican" is not a real cultural force its loss is not a tragedy compared to the vibrant and creative black cultural current.

The eventual loss of Native American culture due to assimilation is also a tragedy.

[Jon Miller]

There are areas where african americans are very insular

(same with other groups)

JM

[Wezil]

Re: Are African Americans doomed?

Originally posted by Heraclitus

The eventual loss of Native American culture due to assimilation is also a tragedy.

Why?

[Kidlicious]

I love when Europeans try to understand our culture. Hera, whites try to be black, not the other way around.

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Kidicious
I love when Europeans try to understand our culture. Hera, whites try to be black, not the other way around.

That is what I am saying.



Being "black" will eventually turn into something like being "emo" or "punk". And the distinct ethnic group known as African Americans will cease to exist and will become nothing but a subculture.

[Wezil]

I was asking a serious question...

Why such a strong word?

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Wezil
I was asking a serious question...

Why such a strong word?

True that... but why would the loss of the polar bear be a tragedy? I am a supporter of both bio and cultural diversity since I think both enrich humanity as a whole.


Also Native Americans where there first, and its sad to see them disappear completley. Don't you consider most cultures as valuable and worth preserving? Would you consider a world with one culture and language an improvement (hit: imagine that language and culture being something other than English )?

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Heraclitus
Being "black" will eventually turn into something like being "emo" or "punk".

No. The only thing you don't want to be is too white. That's like being a geek or hick.

[Wezil]

Originally posted by Heraclitus


True that... but why would the loss of the polar bear be a tragedy? I am a supporter of both bio and cultural diversity since I think both enrich humanity as a whole.

You asked and answered in the same sentence. Of course one is a species the other is a culture.

"Enrich"? In what way? Cultures are constantly changing/evolving and yes, disappearing. Where is the tragedy?

Also Native Americans where there first, and its sad to see them disappear completley. Don't you consider most cultures as valuable and worth preserving? Would you consider a world with one culture and language an improvement (hit: imagine that language and culture being something other than English )?

Native Americans aren't "disappearing". They are still here. Their culture however is disappearing.

Is it (native culture) worth preserving? I suspect any aspects of it worth preserving will be. Isn't that the way we have generally worked our way along? Take the best ideas to move forward with and eventually discard those that don't work for us? Don't idealize pre-white man native culture in NA. It wasn't all running with Bambi and picking berries. Starvation, famine and warfare were well known.

No, a world with one culture would be boring and I don't see it happening. New cultural ideas will constantly come into being just as we lose older cultures. Several "new" cultures in NA could be pointed to (Quebec is the easy one).

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Kidicious


No. The only thing you don't want to be is too white. That's like being a geek or hick.

Geek culture is not white exclusive.
There are many Black and many many many Asian geeks.



Being a Geek is almost cool over here (note there is a difference between geeks and nerds).

[Riesstiu IV]

Originally posted by Kidicious
No. The only thing you don't want to be is too white. That's like being a geek or hick.

Uhh, you aren't you white?

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Wezil

"Enrich"? In what way? Cultures are constantly changing/evolving and yes, disappearing. Where is the tragedy?

This is different from species how?

The problem is like with species, that they are disappearing at a far faster rate than new ones are appearing.


Also the process isn't meritocratic like you seem to think, modern popculture is backed by strong government and corporate interests.

[Heraclitus]

Originally posted by Wezil
Native Americans aren't "disappearing". They are still here. Their culture however is disappearing.

I'm not operating with racial terms here, but cultural ones.


If you a nationality is assimilated it disappears, I think that is quite well accepted.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Riesstiu IV


Uhh, you aren't you white?

The strange thing is a lot of my black friends actually consider me black.

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Heraclitus




Geek culture is not white exclusive.
There are many Black and many many many Asian geeks.



Being a Geek is almost cool over here (note there is a difference between geeks and nerds).