Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

[Mos]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

I've also been studying American culture. Nice to know that we study where we live and that defines us and we study those we have more limited contact with and that is not 1% of us. Also, that metaphysical identity that is so hard to put into words for you, I have to put something of that and in words in ways that people who don't even know what an Armenian is will understand. You go along now. I'm going to be true to myself as best I know myself, and you have made clear that you and those like you have no part of me. Bye bye.

What are you exactly disagreeing with me on?

[Hyegirl]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

You come to an Armenian forum wanting to learn more about Armenian culture and values. It's pretty obvious your situation and intentions. I was merely making a valid statement about identity and how any identity, including Armenian, is attained. Which is not through blood, but more through the important upbringing of one. It's as simple as that and nothing I said is controversial or disputed. In pursuing your interest of Armenian culture and history, you should keep this notion of identity in mind, so your direction is not skewed.

I've also been studying American culture. Nice to know that we study where we live and that defines us and we study those we have more limited contact with and that is not 1% of us. Also, that metaphysical identity that is so hard to put into words for you, I have to put something of that and in words in ways that people who don't even know what an Armenian is will understand. You go along now. I'm going to be true to myself as best I know myself, and you have made clear that you and those like you have no part of me. Bye bye.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

You can't pick your relations and it's not reasonable to expect people who emigrate, not to assimilate and intgrate into their host societies.

Well I agree that you have to integrate into your host society but I don't believe you have to assimilate. Government policies are created FOR assimilation. The problem with America, U.K, Canada, Australia, etc. is that the entire structure of society is created such that the children belong to government and not the family or parents. However, it's the parents responsibility to feed, clothe and shelter the kids but after doing all that, the government has the right to impose their governing laws on your own kids regardless of your culture. Immigration into the west somewhat about enslavement and forced assimilation.

[retro]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

Although I think that if someone truly looks into their history and somehow "finds themselves", sometimes the draw into their heritage can be extremely potent. This can only be explained by perhaps a feeling of being "robbed" of their culture and heritage.

You can't pick your relations and it's not reasonable to expect people who emigrate, not to assimilate and intgrate into their host societies.

[Mos]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

I agree to some point but there are many examples where Armenian kids were raised in the community, spoke Armenian, etc. but still married a non-Armenian. There was a study done recently in Canada that male and female immigrants differ in that females are more social and can learn language quicker and blend into their new society/surroundings while males have a harder time dealing with their new cultural surroundings. I also think males experience racism while females are like chameleons.... they can "change their colours".

Of course such an upbringing doesn't 100% ensure that the person will remain loyal to the culture. The corrosive Western culture as its ways, but of course chances are much, much higher the person will respect the culture and values. There is such a degradation in the Western assimilation, for example, spitting on the family ("rebellion") and viewing the family's culture and customs as "backwards". All this revolves around a fake and disgusting hollywood culture that has invaded so many places and is so good at assimilating people into a bland soup. America continues to export this culture to the world and thus continues a cultural imperialism (in addition to a military one). In the end, fighting assimilation lies with the parents firstly, and then after sometime the child and his view of his identity and willingness not to assimilate.

Would it be too much of a metaphysical concept for you to explain how my initial post here demonstrated a 100% American core and not a 95% or 90% American core?

And could you at least apologize for the presumption on your part that I would think I would suddenly be all Armenian overnight?

And when I say our genocide, I met my family that let Armenia, and that was my family, who they were matters and it influenced my mom's upbringing, and she is my family. That will never change.

You come to an Armenian forum wanting to learn more about Armenian culture and values. It's pretty obvious your situation and intentions. I was merely making a valid statement about identity and how any identity, including Armenian, is attained. Which is not through blood, but more through the important upbringing of one. It's as simple as that and nothing I said is controversial or disputed. In pursuing your interest of Armenian culture and history, you should keep this notion of identity in mind, so your direction is not skewed.

[Hyegirl]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

-You're from a mixed Family.
-Didn't grow up Armenian.
-You picked lokum as a food... which is leaning more towards the Turkish side of Armenian food.

Although I think that if someone truly looks into their history and somehow "finds themselves", sometimes the draw into their heritage can be extremely potent.

Does mixed mean none at all?

I didn't say I didn't grow up Armenian. I just said that it was not as Armenian as I would have liked. How did you get that I didn't grow up Armenian?

Lokum was one of the only ones I can spell. My mom has been too sick over the last 15 years to do much of the cooking. Choregg is one of my fav, and the name pizza-like dish with the meat on the flat bread completely evades my memory at the moment. When I was five, my brother and I made our mom stop making fassoulia because we did not like the veggie taste. I haven't quite got the recipe down now that I like it again. And part of my family came from what is now Turkey. It was called Lokum back in the day in New Jersey. Now we usually have to settle for "Turkish delight" from the local middle eastern markets except for the rare occasion I get out to Los Angels.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

Would it be too much of a metaphysical concept for you to explain how my initial post here demonstrated a 100% American core and not a 90% American core?

And could you at least apologize for the presumption on your part that I would think I would suddenly be all Armenian overnight?

-You're from a mixed Family.
-Didn't grow up Armenian.
-You picked lokum as a food... which is leaning more towards the Turkish side of Armenian food.

Although I think that if someone truly looks into their history and somehow "finds themselves", sometimes the draw into their heritage can be extremely potent. This can only be explained by perhaps a feeling of being "robbed" of their culture and heritage.

[Hyegirl]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

It is clear from your posts that you have grown up as an American, clear and simple. Your core is American. My example of the chinese was if I wanted to change my core. I could not change the core, maybe I could change at the surface, but that means not that much.

Would it be too much of a metaphysical concept for you to explain how my initial post here demonstrated a 100% American core and not a 95% or 90% American core?

And could you at least apologize for the presumption on your part that I would think I would suddenly be all Armenian overnight?

And when I say our genocide, I met my family that let Armenia, and that was my family, who they were matters and it influenced my mom's upbringing, and she is my family. That will never change.

[KanadaHye]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

Assimilation forces in places like US, Canada, etc. are very strong than assimilation forces in countries such as Germany. Often you have families be poisoned by the corrosive Western culture and assimilation just end the Armenian line right there. It's tragedy some of the things happening with assimilation. But I would put the blame mostly on the parents for not taking initiative.

I agree to some point but there are many examples where Armenian kids were raised in the community, spoke Armenian, etc. but still married a non-Armenian. There was a study done recently in Canada that male and female immigrants differ in that females are more social and can learn language quicker and blend into their new society/surroundings while males have a harder time dealing with their new cultural surroundings. I also think males experience racism while females are like chameleons.... they can "change their colours".

[Mos]

Re: Hello and Parev (getting in touch with my roots, and not with hair dye)

I really don't think a lot of Armenians were thinking this far ahead when they decided to migrate to the "west". Honestly, they wanted a better future for their children but didn't really think their children would get lost in "assimilation". The Armenian diaspora really took a fall in the last half a century.

Assimilation forces in places like US, Canada, etc. are very strong than assimilation forces in countries such as Germany. Often you have families be poisoned by the corrosive Western culture and assimilation just end the Armenian line right there. It's tragedy some of the things happening with assimilation. But I would put the blame mostly on the parents for not taking initiative.

I was not the one presuming anything about changing identity over night. You seemed to think I would presume to do so.

I did grow up with some Armenian culture/family, just not the 20-something years of deep saturation in the culture I think so highly of. If you grew up around Chinese people in your life, I mean as an integral part, not a distant acquaintance something that notably influences your childhood and young adulthood, then and only then can your example be valid.

It is clear from your posts that you have grown up as an American, clear and simple. Your core is American. My example of the chinese was if I wanted to change my core. I could not change the core, maybe I could change at the surface, but that means not that much.