progressive liberalism and the death of the west

(This is not my idea, but I’m elaborating on my understanding.) I read a book by a gent called Patrick West. The first problem being that reading something that attacks liberalism, elements of democracy or the reality (rather than the ideal) of free speech suggests that you fit into the negative connotations of fascism, being “right wing” (whatever that is), a “neo-con” (even more ambiguous) or generally showing favour to absolutist or authoritarian government. This is absurd. “Labels” should be put to one side for the time being and cynicists should bear in mind that religious people should allow their faith to be tested (rather than following blindly) in the same way that people of certain political persuasions should know the contrary arguments thoroughly.

This book had amassed negative connotations because of political prudes being unable to ignore these “labels” – it was in fact a pragmatic and intellectual reality check of things as they stand with a disregard to the controversy that truth creates. I appreciated the tone – whilst disagreeing with many of his points.

The fundamental point is one which, for me at least, sums up a lot of the frustrations that arise when sociology meets reality. In order to “assert that no culture is better than another [the basic idea behind a multiculture], they [the government] happily elaborate that Western culture is actually inferior, and shy away from celebrating it for fear of causing offence”. One example being the traditional nativity play being removed from use in primary schools (I am an atheist but at my school we learned about the story of Hanukah as well suggesting there is a secular element to putting on a play in general). This is the difference between cultural toleration and cultural promotion. The book could easily be misinterpreted as a reassertion of our country’s nationalism: but it is in fact quite to the contrary. It suggests that culture overall is loosing out – not any specific culture but the fact that multiculturalism in reality overshadows individual cultures in favour of tolerance.

If interested the book is called "The Poverty of Multiculturalism" by Patrick West. Perhaps prepare for funny looks on the tube (although reading "And then there were none" by Agatha Christie was maybe a little more awkward - because my copy had the original title).

The irony is that the Western world’s predominant cultures are the ideas of social liberalism, freedom of speech and democracy: arguably the very things that are allowing the Western world to eventually lose its own identity. Whether this is a good or bad thing is another story.

the disguise of diversity

This is short because if i start to rant it might be misinterpreted.

A white middle class male approached me today. He attends an institution which is famed for its ethnic and national diversity. It boasts its status as the most diverse institution where people from every corner of the globe, from every minority, are welcome to come and unite. The male told me that these people come and form societies based on their ethnic origins or nationalities. Consequently these societies cut themselves off slightly by being a united group in themselves. To be in the societies you have to fit the criteria. The institution is proud because they have hundreds of societies representing hundreds of minorities. Not only does the male have no society to which he fits but the societies have also segregated themselves from the others. They do not need to open themselves up to diversity or blending. So the institution is not a compound but a mixture. And it is not the role model of multiculturalism it says it is.

xenophobe

i live in london, sheffield, england, britain. my english is perfect. i have no accent. i am defined by my appearance. i appear pale and young and nervous but i am none of these things. i dont define myself by my ethnic origins. i dont say "i'm not a very good muslim". i dont say "i have jewish blood so i dont eat pork". i have english blood, jewish blood, islamic blood, italian blood, swedish blood, saxon blood, fascist blood, racist blood. i have given blood. now other people have my blood too. a palestinian now has jewish blood. a jew now has fascist blood.

i only buy my spices from the market: i have to support my people. i buy halal meat, i buy kosha meat. i write "jewish" on equal opportunities forms so that i can define my difference. my father is irish so now i am "white irish". i put "other" to confuse them. i am none of these things. i am all of them.

i am in love with a white boy. my father hates white boys. my father speaks with such a heavy accent i cant understand him. i grew up here. i was originally from argentina. i was born in england. i was born in pakistan. i am embarrassed by my white boy. he tries to understand. he learns a bit of punjab. he reads about moses, the holocaust, learns how to cook bahjis, learns about the culture, the history. i am embarrassed and i cannot take him home. he is a black boy, he is a white boy and my father has a history of white power bands and black hand gangs. my father hates my boyfriend from nigeria, my boyfirend from india, my boyfriend from israel.

my estate is ghetto. i live in an ethnic area. the food here is better than yours. i live in brick lane, headingly, bradford and glasgow. i am loyal to my culture: i fight to preserve it, i fight to emphasise it, i cannot lose it. i teach my children to braid hair and to play the drums, to dance. i teach them their history i tell them "you are jewish you will live like this", i say "this is your culture, your heritage". they will never see a synagogue, they will never see a church or mosque but they will live the culture.

we are modern people. we are a multiculture. i am multiculture. my children will not sing christian carols at school, they will not go on a field trip to derby i will deny them their multiculture to preserve their heritage. They will fear the black man, they will fear the WASPs, the jews, chinese people, all of them, they are all better and more successful, they are cooler, they can dance better, they are richer, they are taller, they are more intelligent, they are more cultured, they write better, talk better, love better, live better, stronger, happier. we will be divided and we will be conquered.