The Olympics makes it quite evident where people’s cultural identities lie. I have friends rooting for China and Korea, but it confuses me. They’re Americans! Why aren’t they cheering for America?
Growing up I never wanted to cheer for anyone other than Team USA. When I would ride bikes and race around with my brother and friends, we were always Team USA, and whoever lagged behind we called Team China.
So what’s the deal here? What’s the attachment? It’s not like any of these countries have strong historical and cultural ties to figure skating or cross country skiing.
Am I wrong to think this way? Why does it seem that everyone who is assimilated well into the American way of life passed off as “someone who lost his own cultural identity?” Why can’t I just be an American?
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Because to other people who do not know you, you’re viewed by the way you look, as in Asian (it’ll be a lucky guess if they could correctly guess your chinese ethnicity). Of course if you go to China they’ll view you as a foreigner, an American (if you’re speaking English). Unfortunately that’s how society works. In an extremely diverse melting pot metropolitan like Los Angeles, you probably won’t notice the difference. But once you head towards a community where 99% of the residents are “white/caucasian” you’ll definitely feel “unAmerican.” In fact, take the recent UCSD fiasco re: the “Compton Frat party.” I can see why the 1% African-Americans feel alienated at UCSD, even though it is located in a “diverse” region such as San Diego.
It is ok to become assimilated but it is also important to recognize your own family history/heritage. That’s one of my goals in life, to trace back my family line from Taiwan to China. You can ignore, but you won’t be able to deny your ancestry, it is part of your identity. It is who you are.
However, in re: to cheering for certain countries. I’m all of the US, but I would be happy for “China/Taiwan” and other Asian countries too. Being Asian-American, I feel I have a very thin silk thread-like connection to Asia (but some bond at least), and a 25 gauge wire-like bond with the US.
Funny that you mention this. The other night I was sitting on the steps of a waterfall outside a hotel downtown, drinking with my friends (we’re classy) and we began talking about the differences between Americans and Canadians. We had a couple Americans with us, friends from college, who had come to Vancouver for the Olympics. A point was made that Americans are so, so proud to be American, whereas Canadians are happily Canadian, but often use Canada as a location, and sift through their heritage to determine their ‘nationality’. Grandparents born in Poland? It isn’t uncommon for someone here to then claim they are Polish, despite both their parents and themselves being born on Canadian soil. Our conversation certainly had Americans being much more proud of BEING AMERICAN than Canadians are of being Canadian, so it is interesting to hear you talk about your friends strong attachment to China/Korea.
I think overall there is something to be said for both. To be proud of your country, to cheer your country on, but to respect your roots.
For myself I don’t think I’m so far removed from my ethnic roots that I can say that Chinese culture doesn’t define part of who I am. I’m the first generation born in the states. Still, unless someone socializes you in a way that links back to that culture, just being of the ethnic background doesn’t mean it defines you culturally.
Please find me a Chinese cultural center to visit when I hit up Vancouver. Best bachelor party ever. If not, please find a set of steps to drink on at night. Is that legal or just what you do?
U-S-A! U-S-A!
I love that chant, and no I’m not an ignorant American as that chant usually implies.
sooo, hate on haters! I couldn’t really get into the winter olympics, but I’m really looking forward to the World Cup this year where I can chant U-S-A obnoxiously.
U-S-A! U-S-A!
You bring up very good points about cultural ties. What I thought was especially interesting about the Olympics this time around was that the representatives from each country seemed to be more diverse than in previous years. Yeah, China was repped by Chinese and Korea by Koreans, but look at that one chick from Australia– she’s Chinese and Black or that one Japanese girl that was skating for Russia. Does that mean anything?