Ethnocentric Behavior

Perhaps because I am so ethnically mixed myself I am a little more sensitive to certain things like ethnocentric behavior than most people probably are. As I really do detest it when people only hang out with certain types of people, listen to only certain types of music, eat only certain types of food and so on to the point of being homeostatic. It's like when I was in High School and I noticed how black people would only hang out with and be friends with other black people, or Asians with Asians, Mexicans with Mexicans and so on. For I can't tell you how pathetic I found such behavior to be and still do to this day. Hence any sort of ethnocentric behavior just leaves me cold, for I just don't feel that any one race is better than the other or that one should only do things specifically associated with their respective race or ethnicity. Case in point, I am Currently living in a house with 5 other people. 4 of whom happen to be Sri Lankan, which would be fine if they weren't so damn rigid and predictable in their ethnocentric behavior all the time. For all they do is eat Sri Lankan food, listen to Sri Lankan music, watch Sri Lankan TV/Movies, sing Sri Lankan songs, play Sri Lankan drums and so on. It's like having a mini Sri Lankan village in the house 24/7 and it's ridiculous. I also cannot say anything because I am out numbered in the house and all they have done when I have brought up stuff in the past is talk about me in their own language.


Now despite the fact that I also possess French Citizen ship because of my mother, I consider myself to (also) be an American through and through. But you will never don't catch me doing everything the supposed American way every single moment of the day. I like variety in my life and one of the great things about living in the US is the fact that there are so many cultures and ethnicities here, that you can pick and choose what you want to do, what music you want to listen to, what movies you want to see, what you want to eat and so on. The choices are endless! But when you limit yourself to only one way of life, you are doing yourself a huge disservice, plus it's annoying as hell! I shouldn't have to listen to Sri Lankan chanting, singing, drums or what not every night til like 2 in the morning. Nor should I have to deal with nothing but Sri Lankan people and influences in the house every single day. Plus my thoughts are that if you are so enthralled with your own culture or ethnicity and don't wish to live outside your ethnocentric bubble as it were, then why are you even in the US to begin with? If you prefer everything the Sri Lankan way, then move back to Sri Lanka? Why be miserable here if you can be happier there?


Which I am aware might sound somewhat racist, but I have a legitimate point to make. Especially since as some of you already know from earlier posts of mine, I lived in Europe for 3 years, mostly in Innsbruck, Austria. So I know how it feels to be a stranger in a strange land and experience a different culture or way of life first hand. But that is in no way an excuse to completely cut ones self off from the outside world and it's influences. For while I was there I did as the locals did, ate their food, listened to their music and so on. I didn't just hang out with Americans, speaking nothing but English and eating at McDonalds all the time. I tried to experience as much of the Austrian culture as I could while I was living within their culture, but I didn't stop there. For trading one set of cultural traits for another is still ethnocentric behavior, you have simply swapped one set of behavior for another one. I also tried all sorts of things form neighboring cultures and countries, as Europe is just as diverse, if not more, than the US.


Hanging out with only one type of people, eating only one kind of food, or doing things only one sort of way will get you no where in today's world. People who cannot or will not welcome change into their lives are doomed to forever stand still. No kind of progress or growth whether it be emotional, intellectual or spiritual can come about if the mind is not open to change and different opinions or more importantly different perspectives. That is how wars are started or continue to rage to this day. There are so many people who are unwilling to make change or even allow for other influences, that it's really detrimental to the overall state of the world. We are all different and that is a good thing, it would be boring if we were all the same. We need to be able to use and make the most out of everything we can from every single source available out there! Hopefully making use of the best bits and pieces from each and every culture. But that's just my opinion, you on the other hand, might like having McDonalds everyday.