The downside of diversity

by Susan Jones | August 8, 2007 at 04:41 pm

352 views | 10 Recommendations | 1 comment

We knew this, it just hadn't been proven. Glad it has, now we can get on with the business of civi-ness-ness. (Susan Jones Photo)

The downside of diversity

[qA Harvard political scientist finds that diversity hurts civic life. What happens when a liberal scholar unearths an inconvenient truth?

[qBy Michael Jonas | August 5, 2007

IT HAS BECOME increasingly popular to speak of
racial and ethnic diversity as a civic strength. From multicultural
festivals to pronouncements from political leaders, the message is the
same: our differences make us stronger.

But a massive new study,
based on detailed interviews of nearly 30,000 people across America,
has concluded just the opposite. Harvard political scientist Robert
Putnam -- famous for "Bowling Alone," his 2000 book on declining civic
engagement -- has found that the greater the diversity in a community,
the fewer people vote and the less they volunteer, the less they give
to charity and work on community projects. In the most diverse
communities, neighbors trust one another about half as much as they do
in the most homogenous settings. The study, the largest ever on civic
engagement in America, found that virtually all measures of civic
health are lower in more diverse settings.

"The extent of the effect is shocking," says Scott Page, a University of Michigan political scientist.

The
study comes at a time when the future of the American melting pot is
the focus of intense political debate, from immigration to race-based
admissions to schools, and it poses challenges to advocates on all
sides of the issues. The study is already being cited by some
conservatives as proof of the harm large-scale immigration causes to
the nation's social fabric. But with demographic trends already pushing
the nation inexorably toward greater diversity, the real question may
yet lie ahead: how to handle the unsettling social changes that
Putnam's research predicts.

"We can't ignore the findings," says
Ali Noorani, executive director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and
Refugee Advocacy Coalition. "The big question we have to ask ourselves
is, what do we do about it; what are the next steps?"[/q]

Susan, Good stuff. Many in Canada and especially many I find in Vangroovy do not want to hear about this. Why? Well it makes them feel all warm and fuzzy and kissy face inside almost in a condescending manner that ohh, ohh we are helping other poor downtrodden non white third world cultures by letting them know we just "Wuv them to bits", making us feel so good inside whilst doing little to improve their lives in Canada, Politicians throw a parade for them, fire out a few bucks for community centre and then sit back have a tofu steak and say "See" look what I have done for you, now vote for me okay?

As I have said before many politicians feel "Diversity" is some New "University" somewhere whereby Politicians will spend every penny of your tax dollars in their quest to attain a Phd in Diversity so they can feel better. Yet they do very little to understand their culture much less have them over for a non media covered BBQ or as friends. Save for Layton and Chretien who do. Though I am not a big fan of these two, you have to give them credit.

Cultural groups know who they are, and have more pride in their culture than Western Society and do not need Posturizing Political Gad a Abouts and Big Hat wearing cafe clatch Citizens telling them they are special and different.

My opinion is help them assimilate in every way possible into Canadian society. If anyone needs help and understanding in maintaining their culture it is our First Nations, but it seems that Politicians and Citizens alike feel First Nations are either a lost cause, or won't vote for pandering politicians (First Nations can see through the bullshit from centuries of being lied to) or perhaps First Nations are not quite the media darlings and exotic flavour of the month because they were our first founding peoples.

Finally, Everybody should be respected and treated the same in my view, regardless of where they come from, no fractured communities, keep it one nation, one people period, that and only that will keep our pride as Canadians. Again Susan, Excellent story none the less, thanks for bringing it to us.

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