mediabean

VIDEO: Mike Birbiglia: “We’re not real Italian; we’re like Olive Garden Italian.”

Europeans are fascinated by the concept of American heritage. When I visited France in the 10th grade, my tour guide couldn’t get over our answers to his request: “Tell me about yourself.”
“Well, I’m half Italian, a quarter Irish and a quarter French,” I said.
“Wait a minute—aren’t you American?” asked Oliver, feigning astonishment.

A few posts ago, I listed a few things that, unbelievably, we get to choose. Add heritage to that list.

While we can’t change our genealogy, we certainly do choose what elements of our heritage we wish to display. We can even choose to identify with cultures in which we have no, or very little claim; like the 90% English, 10% Puerto Rican dude in my high school (I’ll give you one guess as to which culture he prefered display).

Does the act of choosing a culture undermine the very fabric of that culture?

I just started reading Mark Poster’s Information Please. In it, Poster hypothesizes that, because culture is a product of individuals and “information machines”, and because those information machines are generally the same across the modern world, culture can no longer be linked to one particular people or place. We’re quickly developing a global culture, where “local beliefs, values and practices can no longer be held as absolute or as exclusive” (Poster 9).

Gentrification isn’t a new phenomenon (though I’m always amazed at how far it reaches. My roommate, Ryan Hagerty, spent a semester in China, and his discoveries, documented in his Blog, Shanghais and Lows, have frequently amazed me). And it seems that Poster’s suggesting a gentrification of ideas and values.

Are the complications presented by our increased options for cultural identity outweighed by the ability to find and connect with a fitting identity? Or will our ability to choose a heritage eventually undermine our cultural identity so much that choosing it is no longer relevant or necessary?

I’m not sure. But I am considering joining http://www.i-italy.us/, “a social network for all those interested in Italy and Italian America.”