We learned in class about “The Melting Pot.” Simply put, this is a metaphor to represent when large amounts of immigrants move to a new country or environment. This metaphor was particularly used when analyzing the immigration wave that struck the United States, but can be used for any country with the same situation.

*What I would like to find out is everyone’s opinion on how this affects society. *

Multiculturalism is hard for most people to adapt to. What effect do you think it has on jobs and the outlook on those jobs? If you look at the United States for example, there are so many cultures being mixed together in one place, and some people just cannot get used to it. When you take a good look at America, it is a country made up of foreigners. Japan is the complete opposite. Japan is a heterogeneous society that holds true to their traditions and culture. The United States is a homogenous society, and because of this there will always be racial tension.

So, after thinking about the main aspects of the melting pot, I think that when someone immigrates to a new country they can choose to do three things: conform to the new culture, keep their old culture, or try to maintain a balance between blending in with the new and keeping the old culture as well. One of the most important aspects of this is being able to speak the language. If people cannot understand you or you cannot understand them, there will always be conflicts.

In my opinion, immigration is like a double-edged sword. It can help and hurt societies. For example, it helps keep the society growing, but then also leaves fewer jobs for the native people. This could in turn have people leaving the area in search of jobs. What other situations from immigration can you think of that would greatly affect the society?

by Aaron (AJ) Glass