IS MULTICULTURALISM BETTER THAN ASSIMILATION? We think it’s better if there’s a little bit of both multiculturalism and assimilation. Although the former one can bring cultural diversity and new concepts, the inevitability of assimilation (which is the eventual adaptation of immigrants to the new country) is also necessary for the balance between the different cultures and their well being. (11ºCT1-André + António) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------On the one hand, multiculturalism brings a lot of advantages for a country because it allows it to enrich its culture with new traditions, types of food, objects, music, clothes, etc. On the other hand, assimilation is important too. Even though we believe that an immigrant must never forget its cultural background, we think that he/she should try to learn about the traditions, language and habits of the country where he/she is living in order to adapt and integrate himself/herself in society. (11ºCT1-Carlota + Kate) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------In our opinion, multiculturalism is better than assimilation, because we both find very interesting the fact that while meeting people from other places we learn about their cultures and traditions. But if we all start to assimilate each other’s cultures we may forget about our own customs, habits and even our mother tongue, which was learned a long time ago. (11ºCT1-Liliya+ Kilmer) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In our point of view, multiculturalism is better than assimilation. Multiculturalism manages diversity and accepts all types of cultures. With assimilation, immigrants forget their origins and consequently some part of themselves. Living in a multicultural society will give us the opportunity to know and discover other traditions and learn new things, which would change our points of view about the world. (11ºCT1-Raquel+ Ricardo) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Perhaps in assimilation differences become less important than unity. So we think that multiculturalism is better than that. We can have a better functional society if different cultures co-exist, because we become more fulfilled. (11ºCT1-Beatriz+ Beatriz Maria) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------On the one hand, people who emigrate can integrate well in the society. On the other hand, sometimes they are discriminated because of their different culture and language. Even if they want to spread their own culture, the society may not be interested in learning it because they don’t want to. (11ºCT1-Ivo+ João Ferreira) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Multiculturalism is better than assimilation, because in a multicultural society we have a great variety of cultures. It means that everyone who lives in that same country doesn’t change their habits, it is to say, there is a cultural sharing that enriches the society. (11ºCT1-Margarida+ Pedro Martins+ Pedro Isabel) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------We think that multiculturalism is, in many ways, better than assimilation, because multiculturalism allows people to learn about different cultures and customs as well as living in harmony with the others whereas in assimilation people don’t make an effort to learn about the other people who surround them. (11ºCT1-Rita+Rodrigo+Tiago Sena) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In our opinion multiculturalism is better than assimilation, because in multiculturalism we don’t have to forget our roots, but share it with other people from different countries and learn their origins too. Opposed to this, there is assimilation in which people have to forget their origins and adapt themselves to a new culture and their habits. So multiculturalism is funnier and fairer than assimilation. (11ºCT1-Catarina+ Marta) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------In a multicultural society we learn about new cultures and share our own, but never forgetting our roots whereas assimilation makes you forget your origins completely and move forward to your new culture and deal with it the best you can. (11ºAV-Tiago +Tatiana) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------When you go to a host country, you shouldn’t forget your roots but remember that you have to adapt to a new culture in order to be accepted by them. (11ºAV-Carla + Basir) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------Assimilation is not a good way to share your origins, your culture. You have to change your way of living to integrate in the society that you are planning to live, like in Iraq. There you must change your religion in order to survive. (11ºAV-Geraldo+ Mariana) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Multiculturalism leads to diversity in the world. We can learn more about other cultures and become richer in knowledge: customs, clothes, festivities, food, music, literature and so forth. (11ºAV-Ana Catarina +Pedro + Patrícia) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------We think that multiculturalism can change the way people think about the world and make them more tolerant to one another, learning how to respect and live with different people. (11ºAV-Catarina+Nivaldo) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A free country like Portugal doesn’t force people to adapt to a religion that is not ours. (11ºLH2-Filipe + Adriana) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------It is important to keep the traditions of our home country but we also need to learn the host country rules and adapt to their lifestyle. (11º LH2-Cláudio + Francisco) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Assimilation makes immigrants lose their roots. (11ºLH2- Sérgio) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Multiculturalism is positive because people need to evolve in many areas, so the different cultures with different views/opinions help countries to develop. Newcomers shouldn’t be forced to adapt to a new culture, but they must realize that if they don’t adapt, they will never be understood. (11ºLH2-Inês+Ana) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Multiculturalism is better than assimilation, because we don’t need to change. We think that cultures have equal rights and we have to respect them. Everybody has the right to be loyal to their own culture. (11ºLH2-Andrea+Celeste) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------