If we look at humans throughout history, we'd notice that we have always put ourselves into smaller groups. This group mentality has resulted in so many conflicts and wars. Take away the race, religion, caste, gender and everything else you can think of, we will still form group based on some weird criteria and develop this group mentality. Why can't we think ourselves as part of a wider community that includes everyone? Why this compulsion in wanting to belong to a smaller community?
All because of a conditioned mind from the childhood and one is trapped by habit and environment. We have the thought in us that we need to identify ourselves with something.
Yes, I agree that we seem to have this need to identify ourselves to something. I don't think that is wrong in anyway and I can see some benefits in that as well. I used to be part of an Indian community a while ago. It had lots of advantages like regular get-togethers, opportunity for kids to learn about Indian culture/language, etc. Overall my experience has been positive but problem is when we start to get too involved (so don't have time to make friends with our neighbours for example) and make it part of our identity and start distancing ourselves from people from other groups. My daughter shared this experience with me, she has friends from different races and she has gone out with them as a group several times and she never had any problem due to her race. One day she went out with one of her asian friend and they met few other asian guys in the mall. They were standing together and chatting with each other and there was another group of white guys nearby. I don't know what happened apparently, one guy from her group was staring at one from the other group and suddenly both started name calling...nothing bad happened but still when she was part of a multi-ractial group she was seen as an asian but when the same girl was seen in a group of other asians...same girl is seen as an asian girl. Why this difference?
I guess it has to do with our sense of identity...the trick is to find the balance between 'where we came from' and 'where we are.' I used to volunteer with a young woman in London...her family moved from east Africa in the 70s...their fore fathers had moved to Africa during the British times from what is now in the N W Frontier...no connection to my deep south Indian roots, right? Interestingly enough, she was more comfortable with me (as were her parents) than with their English neighbors... factoring in the time when they moved to England...in the 70s (during idi Amin's years), the social structure must have made it tougher to assimilate. Even within India, experiences of people who moved around as children is very different from those who stayed in one or two places all their lives. And when we meet in indian communities (at least in the US) in tight knit group there is not much talk of individual statisms...but when you meet new people I've always heard 'oh we're from here...we don't really like people from there.' It is amusing until you have to explain the concept to non Indians who are listening to the interchange
True...balance seems to be the key! It's strange isn't it. While watching Question Time last week, I was wondering...among the panel members who would I be conformable talking to. I came to the conclusion I would prefer to talk to the female in the group rather than the rest. I don't know why but if I had an issue and if they were the only people who could help, I would more comfortable talking to a female. Maybe it was my conservative upbringing or maybe I identify myself as a female more than other criteria...I don't know!
