… Hats and Rabbits: The Cultural Compliment Conumdrum.
It probably helps to live in a neighborhood like mine. Just the other day I saw a couple of Buddhist monks strolling down Washington Avenue — there's a temple a few blocks from here — and I have to say I was kind of thrilled. We had a Mexican festival a couple of weeks ago, complete with a mariachi band and Aztec dances. I feel odd in the suburbs. Not enough variety.
Hmm, that is very nice of him. But there are two sides to it. One is manners. Because you are commenting on a culturally different entity, it's a good idea to be sensitive. The other is unnecessary caution. If I am not a douche, I shouldn't let too much caution worry me. Too much care kills the fount of creativity, me thinks. BTW, that quote about Indian men was superb.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, Frank, I've had the opposite experience: suburban Central Jersey, where I grew up, has turned out to be far more diverse--culturally, economically, religiously, racially, and politically--than the cities where I've lived or spent significant time.
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