In discussions of whether we are as a diverse nation as we claim to be, some controversial topics have been segregation within the classes as well as racial diversity in our country. Some argue that even though different people from all over the world enter this country every day, we are losing a sense of diversity. On the other hand, some contend that we are as diverse as any nation could be, a melting pot of cultures. Still others maintain that from the outside looking in, it may seem that way yet within these communities, towns, and cities; physical and mental borders are keeping people apart. In my opinion, just because there is segregation between different groups, it does not mean we are not a diverse nation. Some states might be less diverse than others, but compared to any other country we have the most variety of cultures and people living together.
Living in the Silicon Valley we experience first hand the segregation of classes, with more and more neighborhoods looking the same due to the the high cost living and only the rich being able to afford to live here. Although is true that something needs to be done to decrease the financial gap between the classes, I believe that having some segregation of the classes in communities is not always a negative thing. For example, in “People Like us”, David Brooks acknowledges “there are limits to how diverse any community can or should be. I've come to think that it is not useful to try to hammer diversity into every neighborhood and institution in the United States.” This is an important point to acknowledge because if we have some areas like the Silicon Valley it will motivate people to work and educate themselves to become part of the upper class. By not hammering diversity into every neighborhood it can lead to social awareness that we ourselves should strive to be a part of these communities. Every person in America should be given the opportunity to succeed and that is through education and hard work, not through handouts. If the government starts placing people that haven’t worked hard into these communities just for the sake of having a diverse neighborhood how will that help us as individuals. Personally knowing that I have the opportunity to be a part of those communities pushes me to work harder and educate myself to get there.
Some believe that these segregated communities develop due to people migrating to areas that feel familiar and safe to them not because of class separation. Their reasoning is that humans tend to interact with people that they can relate to so they would want to live in an area with people that are similar to them. For example, Brooks claims “we are finding places where we are comfortable and where we feel we can flourish. But the choices we make toward that end lead to the very opposite of diversity.” Furthermore, Brooks explains that neighborhoods may start out integrated, but as they start to develop their own sense of personality “(that’s where Asians live, and that’s where Hispanics live)” separation begins to occur and over time they become segregated. Even though these neighborhoods untimely become segregated of a certain demographic, it does not make our nation less diverse as a whole.
Segregated neighborhoods tend to establish borders within cities that lead to separation of cultures. While these borders may be mental or physical some believe that they are not separating cultures, yet creating a map of memories and identities. When a person is able to have these different communities in one city it leads to a having a bigger upstanding of the world around them. When you live a city that has a “China Town” or a “Little Saigon” you are able to experience more of the world which in a way can shape who you will become.For example, in Who am I Where?, Rebecca Solint views San Francisco as not just one big city but as city with different parts separated by borders and districts, and for her these segregated communities are a part of how she views the city and herself. The Latino Mission district in San Francisco may not have any significance for you or I, but as Solint states “In the Latino Mission, Guillermo’s Mission, I am la güera neovictoriana.” These communities that may not be diverse within themselves are not only creating memories for individuals they are creating an identity for the city itself.
With so many different types of people, sometimes borders that separate communities are a healthy way of allowing people to live amongst each other. People come to this country for a better life with more opportunities, while not wanting to feel judged or alone. Borders are a way of setting boundaries to allow people to feel safe, while not containing one’s culture. In “Ode to The Bay,” Andrew Lam makes a compelling observation: "Extreme individualism cohabits with estranged communalism, often within the same block. Tightly knit tribes -- Little Saigons, Chinatowns, Little Kabul -- with their own in-language media and temples and churches, exist alongside Latino Muslims, black Buddhists, Mien teenagers speaking Ebonics. Cities meld into one another here, where neighborhoods overlap one another, and where every system -- community, company, individual -- is opened by various degrees and communicating with every other, constantly readjusting itself in many marvelous and surprising ways." Even though there are various segregated communities they all exists next and amongst each other.
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While it may seem that these communities are alienating individuals, they are actually allowing all different groups of people to co-exist with one another. When people are able to co-exist they are able to share their culture and beliefs with others making for a more diverse America.While different forms of borders create their own problems, the most extreme situations seem to come when nations build walls to keep other nations out. An ongoing problem in America has been the issue keeping Mexican citizens from entering America by building walls along the American/Mexican border. These walls are built to keep people out, but for the people that live in towns where these walls exist it’s more than a wall. In Arizona there is a 14ft wall that separates the town of Naco from its counterpart town in Mexico. The people there have have mixed feelings about the wall since it has become a big part of their life. For people on the American side its more mixed feelings of whether its right to exclude these people that want to better themselves, while for the people on the Mexican side of the wall defines who they will become. For the Mexican people opportunity lies on the other side, yet attempting to get on the other side of the wall can cost them their life. In “Our Wall,” Charles Bowden explains “We think of walls as statements of foreign policy, and we forget the intricate lives of people we wall in and out” (228). While we may just see them as walls, they are shaping the lives of people and that could one day effect how diverse our nation could become.
As individuals we need to take it upon ourselves to live a more diverse life. As Brooks explains, “It's probably better to think about diverse lives, not diverse institutions. Human beings, if they are to live well, will have to move through a series of institutions and environments, which may be individually homogeneous but, taken together, will offer diverse experiences.” Living in Oakland for a brief period of time, I was able to notice different groups of people living diverse lives while not living in a diverse institution. From the Latino hipster riding his fixed bicycle to the white man practicing Capoeria, the Brazilian martial arts, these people were able to branch outside their normal culture, and in a sense make it part of their own culture. That is the beauty of living a diverse life, you get to chose what aspects of other cultures you want to include into your own.
Ultimately, what is at stake here is whether we are a diverse nation or just different groups of people living isolated amongst each other. Looking at my everyday life has lead me to believe that we are a very diverse nation. Every day I see people trying to experience different cultures and trying to be apart of these new hybrid communities. As Lam observes, “three decades ago, who would have thought that sushi -- raw fish -- would become an indelible part of California cuisine? Or that Vietnamese fish sauce would be found down Aisle three of Safeway? Or that salsa would replace ketchup as the most-consumed sauce?” This nation has come a long way from the early days of its existence, while not every part of America is as diverse as others, there are some vast improvements that show us moving in the right direction.
Works Cited
Brooks, David. "People Like Us." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, Sept. 2003. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
Charles Bowen “Our Wall” Beyond Words: Cultural Texts for Reading and Writing. 3rd ed. New York: Pearson, 2012. 226-230. Print.
Lam, Andrew. "Ode to the Bay: My Life as a Vietnamese Immigrant in California." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web. 03 Feb. 2016.
Solnit, Rebecca, Ben Pease, and Shizue Siegel. Infinite City: A San Francisco Atlas. Berkeley, CA: U of California, 2010. Print.
Brooks, David. "People Like Us." The Atlantic. Atlantic Media Company, Sept. 2003. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
Charles Bowen “Our Wall” Beyond Words: Cultural Texts for Reading and Writing. 3rd ed. New York: Pearson, 2012. 226-230. Print.
Lam, Andrew. "Ode to the Bay: My Life as a Vietnamese Immigrant in California." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com. Web. 03 Feb. 2016.
Solnit, Rebecca, Ben Pease, and Shizue Siegel. Infinite City: A San Francisco Atlas. Berkeley, CA: U of California, 2010. Print.
Formal Essay Reflection
Throughout the English 1S/T pathway I have developed various critical writing and reading skills which have allowed me to become a better writer. While this essay did show that I was able to articulate my own view, the organizational structure, format and scope of the essay were still basic. During the revision process I was able to not only notice how I have grown as a writer, but also as a reader. Through the revisions I have made, in which I will discuss in more detail, I feel that this essay has gone from basic to proficient. While my thesis articulated my point clearly for the larger conversation, there were still some cause-effect issues with the overall introduction. Before the revision I did not make it clear if we were losing a sense of diversity due to our government setting up walls or because our country was keeping out immigrants, which lead to some confusion for the readers. With fixing the cause-effect confusion, my introduction demonstrates that I am responding to the prompt beyond the basics of the topic.
Another area in which my essay needed work was with paragraph structure. There were a few instances in which I did not elaborate further on the topic sentence. For example, in paragraph seven there was no clear topic sentence before my revision. With the addition of the topic sentence it allowed for me to expand and show my understanding of the assigned readings. Prior to the revision this paragraph focus was developing due to a lack of a topic sentence, yet now I feel that it is proficient due to a clear and a meaningful topic sentence which is proven with arguable assertions. The area in which I feel I have seen vast improvement is with the organization and format of my essays. I feel that with the revisions with my quote integrations the overall format has improved from basic to proficient. I feel that paragraph eight shows my ability to successfully integrate a quote that relates to the topic of that paragraph. What this paragraph also demonstrates is that I am able to relate to the previous two paragraphs and transition into my own perspective.
Ultimately, this essay demonstrates that I am able to understand the larger conversation and articulate my own thoughts in response to the prompt. Through proper paragraph structure and organization I am able to come to tie the body of my essay to the thesis and come to a conclusion that aligns well with my thesis.
Another area in which my essay needed work was with paragraph structure. There were a few instances in which I did not elaborate further on the topic sentence. For example, in paragraph seven there was no clear topic sentence before my revision. With the addition of the topic sentence it allowed for me to expand and show my understanding of the assigned readings. Prior to the revision this paragraph focus was developing due to a lack of a topic sentence, yet now I feel that it is proficient due to a clear and a meaningful topic sentence which is proven with arguable assertions. The area in which I feel I have seen vast improvement is with the organization and format of my essays. I feel that with the revisions with my quote integrations the overall format has improved from basic to proficient. I feel that paragraph eight shows my ability to successfully integrate a quote that relates to the topic of that paragraph. What this paragraph also demonstrates is that I am able to relate to the previous two paragraphs and transition into my own perspective.
Ultimately, this essay demonstrates that I am able to understand the larger conversation and articulate my own thoughts in response to the prompt. Through proper paragraph structure and organization I am able to come to tie the body of my essay to the thesis and come to a conclusion that aligns well with my thesis.