—“Do you think “conservatives” who claim that some American problems stem from culture do not want to make the country a better place?”
No. Thats far too broad of a statement. I tried to be specific in my original comment. I was directing it at conservatives who follow this line of thinking - “Culture is causing the problem. It’’s not my culture. Therefor, it’s not my problem.” This same line of thinking is also sometimes used in an attempt to eliminate racism and discrimination as drivers. I don’t think it does that. I am not against an analysis of culture to identify what is driving the dysfunction and using that information to shape solutions. I just don’t like when people analyze culture like they are an insurance adjuster, looking for a reason to deny a claim.
I actually tend to agree with conservative solutions and think most left wing solutions don’t account for human nature and will backfire. I know plenty of conservatives who point to culture, but also want to be part of the solution.
—“As for the Vietnamese immigrant, it could just as well be a Russian immigrant, or a Swedish immigrant. And the latter two are “white.” Their race isn’t essential to my question, it is rather their proximity from the historical oppression that may have contributed to the problem.”
I figured thats why you used a recent Vietnamese immigrant as an example. To separate the person from white and black Americans with deep roots stretching back to Jim Crow or slavery. Proximity is an interesting question once a generation has passed and its tough to draw a straight line. It might be a far fetched utopian vision, but I would love to eventually be n a country where that doesn’t matter. Americans all work to solve American problems regardless of race/ethnicity/recency of citizenship. Where that Vietnamese immigrant would care as much about Chicago as he would if the people suffering were Vietnamese-Americans. Thats a lofty goal because all people, myself included, have tribal tendencies.
The last 2 paragraphs of your response I tried to cover with - “In a practical sense there are many problems in this world and for some people its all they can do to just get by.”
Certainly it’s just logistically impossible to work on all problems. You have to have a priority list based on your personal situation, which is why I declined to lay out concrete actions the Vietnamese immigrant should take. By duty I meant it in a more general sense, like a civic duty. Not as in, you must submit a timecard and be judged on how much time you’ve spent trying to eliminate black poverty.
—“Do you think “conservatives” who claim that some American problems stem from culture do not want to make the country a better place?”
No. Thats far too broad of a statement. I tried to be specific in my original comment. I was directing it at conservatives who follow this line of thinking - “Culture is causing the problem. It’’s not my culture. Therefor, it’s not my problem.” This same line of thinking is also sometimes used in an attempt to eliminate racism and discrimination as drivers. I don’t think it does that. I am not against an analysis of culture to identify what is driving the dysfunction and using that information to shape solutions. I just don’t like when people analyze culture like they are an insurance adjuster, looking for a reason to deny a claim.
I actually tend to agree with conservative solutions and think most left wing solutions don’t account for human nature and will backfire. I know plenty of conservatives who point to culture, but also want to be part of the solution.
—“As for the Vietnamese immigrant, it could just as well be a Russian immigrant, or a Swedish immigrant. And the latter two are “white.” Their race isn’t essential to my question, it is rather their proximity from the historical oppression that may have contributed to the problem.”
I figured thats why you used a recent Vietnamese immigrant as an example. To separate the person from white and black Americans with deep roots stretching back to Jim Crow or slavery. Proximity is an interesting question once a generation has passed and its tough to draw a straight line. It might be a far fetched utopian vision, but I would love to eventually be n a country where that doesn’t matter. Americans all work to solve American problems regardless of race/ethnicity/recency of citizenship. Where that Vietnamese immigrant would care as much about Chicago as he would if the people suffering were Vietnamese-Americans. Thats a lofty goal because all people, myself included, have tribal tendencies.
The last 2 paragraphs of your response I tried to cover with - “In a practical sense there are many problems in this world and for some people its all they can do to just get by.”
Certainly it’s just logistically impossible to work on all problems. You have to have a priority list based on your personal situation, which is why I declined to lay out concrete actions the Vietnamese immigrant should take. By duty I meant it in a more general sense, like a civic duty. Not as in, you must submit a timecard and be judged on how much time you’ve spent trying to eliminate black poverty.