Cultural Diversity in a Diverse World: Fact or Fiction

By Beth Theve

The Interview Basics

In SecondLife, a world based on diversity.Hope Delpaso, very good friend and business partner in game.IRL located in Canada

Was curious how prevalent racism and diversity issues were where she was from.

Hope’s Background

So, Hope…what does the word

“culture” mean to you?

... it's a way of going about your business, type of food, customs..

With what cultures do you

identify?

So, did you grow up with other languages?

Which ones? Do you think knowing these languages has affected

your experiences?

Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Canadian. One of my parents is Caucasian and the

other is Vietnamese. I married into a

Chinese family. But I’ve been born and raised in Canada, and so exposed to Canadian/French

culture.

I can speak and read French,

Chinese, Vietnamese and

English. Being able to speak all of

these languages, fluently, grants me acceptance in areas

where I might otherwise have

been excluded or ignored. It makes me feel powerful, intelligent, and

more in control of my surroundings

than other people.

Hope’s Feelings on Race & Ethnicity

So, with all those different cultural

backgrounds, which race do

you identify most with?

Mongoloid and Caucasian.

And what race do most of the people you

encounter identify you as?

People always assume I am

white.

How do you feel about being

identified as a race that is only ½ of who you

are?

Honestly, being labeled as white makes things

easier where we live. I grew up in

a very racist area…it's all the

rage to be “white” where I was born. So I just felt like I could settle for

being that.

Is racism prevalent in Canada? I’d

always assumed it was a very diverse and

accepting culture!

*nods* It’s very prevalent here, as well. Racism exists everywhere. Here, the different races

and ethnic groups split out into their own

neighborhoods. Not as a forced

progression, but just by choice. Chinatown,

the Jews and the Muslims all have their own space. We just have to live around it.

Hope and SegregationDoes that kind of

segregation bother you?

I think people blocking off into their own areas

works for the most part. Then in the middle we have the

civilized area among us. All

colors can mix and match and get

along.

Are you concerned that people in those

segregated areas might not get

opportunities in life as good as people in other

areas?

Well, I think at least in Canada,

people don’t *have* to live in those areas – they

choose to. That is their right. So if they’re not happy about it, they can choose to change

areas.

Hope Questions Me!So let me ask you a question? If I

came to the states, and went into a restaurant and was served as a white. Then later, they find

out my background or my husband’s

ethnicity.... would service change

suddenly, do you think?

*ponder*

I think it would depend on the area. There are places in the States where

different cultures and races are not

accepted, and neither is the mixing. In

some places, especially in the

South, tempers can flare and violence

can ensue.

*frowns*

That makes me feel very sad, to think people would judged me based

on my heritage and not on who I am. Makes me wanna cry to think I

could be ostracized.

Yes, it is very sad. But as you said, that

racism exists everywhere, right?

Not just in the States. If it was only in the States, you wouldn’t be happy to pass as a Caucasian even

though you love and are proud of your cultural heritage.

Right?

Hmm. That’s a good point.

I think one of the saddest cases of

racism in the States is what we have done

to the Native Americans, basically

killing their culture slowly and

pretending it’s not happening. You hear

a great deal about Black and White, but

no one ever talks about the travesty of prejudices against American Indians.

This class has opened my eyes to some stereotypes I

had that I didn’t even know about.

Oh, Pfft…don’t get me started on Native

Americans. We have them here, too. *sigh* We have

had some very bad experiences with them. And

yes, ok? I get it. Way back when, land was taken and all. But these days, it seems the natives are just taking advantage of the

situation. They get these Indian Status Cards, which bring them tax, military and voting exemptions, but they live in the same place as all the rest of us. That I don't

agree with.

That’s the Impression That I Get.

What is your impression

of these questions in

general? How does thinking

about these topics make you feel?

Well, it's a fact... unfortunately. But

is a good discussion, Kaeko... it's

needed. To get into so many

minute details..... gawds, that would never be done in

public though. It's just the way

society is… you adapt. I mean no

one can be perfect.

Do cultural differences

make it easier or more

difficult to bond with

other people, especially in

an online environment?

Slightly more difficult due to

misconceptions in real life. But I have found no

judgment based on culture in online

relations. There’s no focus on ethnic background here.

And if there is.. you simply don't

*type* it. Everyone stays quiet. Much more peaceful and

at ease.