Making another culture our own.

Subject: Making another culture our own.

We are rightly concerned about hurting others. In a balanced caring community we try to evoke amongst its members a sense of letting be, by that I mean we recognise that people are different and have for a myriad of reasons and other points of view.
In a mature society we insist on freedom of speech within the law and would be dismayed if someone denounced our right to disagree with someone, particularly with the governing class who's modus operandi is to pursue politically objectives that are not always our own.  The balance we observe is largely based on 'reciprocity', an exchange which has at its heart, mutual benefit.
Societies today are becoming more and more complex as ethnicity, culture, religious affirmation, a proclivity towards sexual preference, complex gender issues, and so much more, as the dust on the heels of those seeking to join a society come from all corners of the world and who's affinity is purely an economic one.
Politics these days try's to represent all reaches of society, not only the core values and in its attempt at being open handed it is often open to conflict from the sections it wishes to appeal to as well as those who are ignored and left behind.
Labour is in a pickle because it has voters, some of whom voted to come out of the EU largely because of open door immigration (free movement of people) which had put tremendous pressure on the Health Service, Schools, Employment and generally where ever a service provision is made to the people. Others within the party see the economy being hit so hard that the immigration issue will fade into insignificance if we don't find a market to trade into.
UKIP have stung the middle class commentators by drawing issue with the insistence of the Muslim population to demand the wearing of the Middle Eastern, Burka on the streets of Britain. The security gained by seeing someone's face and reading their acquiescence or resentment and one presumes their intention, is something which in a court of law has been a prerequisite of the trial. The suggestion also that the Burka precludes any sort of integration and leads to ghettos being formed where women do not learn the language or mix in society, still less are able to go out to work, has no place in a modern Britain. But the "rights" we decree to all get in the way.  We seem oblivious of the fact that the Muslim population is doubling every 10 years, 9 million by 2020 and will make up 50% of the population by 2050. This wouldn't be so controversial if they were not seen, tied as they are by their strong religious adherence, to be a consolidated group who speak with one voice. Their insistence of conforming to Sharia Law is already a fact of life within the community, a fact to which we close our eyes for fear of social disruption but of course the disruption later will be greater unless of course we turn over and capitulate.
Foreign culture whilst richly informative is the result of many things, not least of which is time. Culture is an organic expression of the norms which describe a society and religion plays an enormous part in identifying the values within a culture.
Chinese culture is ingrained with the philosophical acceptance of Confucius who instigated, within the society, a system of social and ethical awareness.
Japanese culture is likewise indebted to Shintoism for its inter personal respect.  Countries who practice the Muslim religion are seen at odds with the conflicting interpretation of Shia and Sunni, seeming incompatible towards each other, an incompatibility taught at home to the children who grow up hating the other sect. Christianity is still hugely influential, particularly in South America in the guise of Catholicism whilst the foundation of a mix of evangelical and orthodox Protestants vi with Catholicism in North America.
Each religion or philosophy is entrenched in its belief and so long as the beliefs are contained to the geographical areas where they are strongly represented all is well.  But bleed that influence across boarders and continents, one begins to see the inevitable displacement of the indigenous culture, with un-fortelled consequences.
The advent of mass communication, mass travel and the instability of North Africa has meant that the cultural bleed is now a haemorrhage into Europe and the cultures of Greece, Italy, France and Germany are being placed under tremendous strain. The strain is leading to a rise in nationalism and closed borders and was the catalyst for Brexit.
The liberal elite are caught in a bind with their Athenian consensus of a freedom based on democracy which itself relies  on the law to make democracy work. If laws are in place but the politicians dig their heads in the sand, it is left to law enforcement to take the strain but who have over the last few years taken a beating as the "human rights" lawyers run rings around them and made them frightened to act for being accused of racism.
It's a rum old world and unless we clearly define our own character and the institutions that define it we will eventually have to take on another.