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In which “third world” country have you experienced this?

How does ethnic identity threaten a mixed person?

Being mixed myself, I'd love to know why you think ethnic identity is a threat to me and others like me.

In my experience, it has been a tremendous advantage, despite the fact that I have lost friends and opportunities simply because I am not "white enough". And that isn't a guess or misread, I've been told that explicitly. It hurts, especially as a child, but knowing this happens allows me to understand the importance of exposing everyone to as much diversity as possible. Why? Because each and every time someone has mistreated me or judged me negatively based on ethnicity, it was quite apparent that they have lived a very cloistered life and oftentimes carry some sort of grudge or sense of victimhood despite their advantages. And they quite often look up to someone (e.g. their father or other adult role model) who exhibit the exact same prejudices, insecurities and victimhood.

I've also been threatened and harassed by the out-group because they thought I was of the in-group. Not a fun experience in the least. But again, it became quite clear why they behaved that way: a lack of diverse real-world experience (particularly a lack of positive experiences) combined with misguided lessons from equally misguided role-models.

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rayiner a day ago | parent | next [-]

> In which “third world” country have you experienced this?

Bangladesh. My uncle fought a war to gain independence from Pakistan and establish a homeland for our ethnic group.

> How does ethnic identity threaten a mixed person?

Because ethnic identity is maladaptive in individualist American society.

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chimpanzee a day ago | parent [-]

>> In which “third world” country have you experienced this?

> Bangladesh. My uncle fought a war to gain independence from Pakistan and establish a homeland for our ethnic group.

I appreciate that, as a family history you carry. I'm curious, how do you feel about it in the context of your arguments made here? Do you think ethnic groups should fight for survival and a safe harbor (homeland)? (Rereading your prior answer, it sounds like a definitive "no")

Do you think there is value in maintaining a living culture outside of the homeland?

Do you recognize any potential loss to individuals when their family's culture or ethnicity is erased?

>> How does ethnic identity threaten a mixed person?

> Because ethnic identity is maladaptive in individualist American society.

How so? Would you consider all group identities maladaptive?

	▲	rayiner a day ago \| parent [-]
		> I'm curious, how do you feel about it in the context of your arguments made here? Do you think ethnic groups should fight for survival and a safe harbor (homeland)? (Rereading your prior answer, it sounds like a definitive "no") If an ethnic group can realistically achieve self determination, that is the best course. Bangladesh's independence came at a terrible human cost, especially to the Hindus that were purged from the country during and after independence. But the result is a country that, for all its myriad other problems, doesn't suffer from significant sectarian or ethnic conflict. If that's not realistic--and in the U.S. it isn't--then the best course is aggressive assimilation. In China, for example, 90% of the population is considered "Han Chinese," even though in reality that designation papers over a tremendous amount of underlying diversity.

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a day ago | parent | prev | next [-]

[deleted]

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chimpanzee a day ago | parent | prev [-]

I’m quite curious why this, me sharing my own highly-applicable experience, is being downvoted. I’ll take the additional downvotes simply to be given an answer.

If it’s due to a lack of clarity, I’ll gladly elucidate here. (I can’t directly edit the comment at this point)

Edit: Haha thanks for the extra downvotes HN. So predictable.