Pete, I completely agree with what your saying and this was the also the point that I was trying to make in class. Ethnicity in my opinion is becoming a symbol for something rather than a relevant idea in people’s lives. Just like you mention your ancestors I feel the same way. I’ll never be able to understand what they went through from leaving Italy to actually becoming an American and in a lot of ways I am very blessed to not have to go through all the heartache of that. I don’t really understand how anyone could say that they know what it is to be “Italian” for instance, especially when half the people saying it have never even been to Italy. I mean I think embracing an ethnic background and heritage is important and great, but I don’t honestly believe that people, especially in the future, will really even comprehend what it is to be whatever it is that they are. I read a really funny article that I wanted to bring up in class but I didn’t get the time to. I think the program Jersey Shore is ridiculous but I also think that it’s really funny. Now, the cast portrays stereotypically Italian Americans in their opinion and embraces what they believe to be an Italian background. With this being said they are planning on doing their new seasons in Italy. When this was announced the Italian council wrote a letter to MTV to not do the show or bring the cast to Italy, as the cast is a poor representation of the Italian people. I just thought that it was so funny to think about these Guido’s sitting around the MTV studio being all “Italian” and such and hearing from Italy that they aren’t wanted. I am Italian and I embrace it to some extent. But, I don’t embrace it because I understand an Italian way of life, but rather because I am proud of whom my grandparents and great grandparent are. Lets get real here, if you’ve lived in American your whole life and were born here, you don’t and cannot really have an appreciation for the “land” of your heritage.
No comments:
Post a Comment