NationStates Jolt Archive

I've noticed that a lot of people, when asked about their 'race', describe themselves in fractions of nationalities e.g. 1/4 dutch, 1/4 irish, etc. I was just wondering how many people do this and do they feel that their cultural background has any bearing on how they act or behave? I find that of the people I talk to it is mostly a canadian / american way of thinking but i'm sure i could be wrong in this

All four of my grandparents came from Ireland. Until I was 11 years old my Mom, Dad, and two sisters lived in the same house with my grandfather and two aunts. Without question, my grandfather's Irish-Catholic background had an influence on the way I think and act.

I'm English and my Grandad was Welsh but I don't think that really influences me

I usually use fractions because I'm describing my ancestry, not my cultural heritage. I've absorbed only minimal culture from my mom's side of the family (German), and none at all from my dad's (Irish/Scots), except for his tendency to say "luck of the Irish!" when I get a lucky break.

Usually when asked about race, I say "human". Culture and upbringing are something completely different.

culturally i am an american.

I don't put my cultural heritage down to my ancestry, I would be part Swedish, part Austrian and part Czech from that, but rather to where I grew up.
I was born in Germany and grew up both in Germany and Austria. That did set that base for my view of the world, it influenced the values and ideals I try to live up to, but it doesn't determine me as a person.
I lived in Canada for a while and am now living in Ireland and I keep picking up influences as I go along...

If someone asks where I'm from, I say Scotland... I may ancestrally originate from Irish and Egyptian stock, but meh, the Egyptian would be so diluted, and pretty much all Scots are Irish anyway, though there's doubtless some picts left :D I don't really identify as a race though, just a humie born in Scotland.

Cultural heritage is a product of your enviroment. Enviroment would be where you were raised. How you were raised. What you were taught. Lots of examples in America how immigrant children do not behave like there parents. I see it alot. It takes one generation to assimilate into American culture. Much like the borg i would imagine.

Pretty much all Scots are Irish anyway, though there's doubtless some picts left.

Many Scots are of Irish descent, but actually there are many more people of Anglo-Saxon origin and of Norse origin than you might think, and plenty of people of Pictish descent. The Scotii's moves eastward into Pictland were not altogether successful, and they were more often assimilation than conquest. Irish influence was largely limited to the northwest and the Western Isles.

When people ask what my origin is and I got the time to explain, I usually say that im half Czech, half English by blood, but am English and Dutch seen the way I was raised, and also my nationalities. I was born and raised in the Netherlands, so am probably most Dutch in my way of thinking,
On the other hand I was raised in English and Dutch, and with thinking through those ways, so even though I might seem Dutch at first sight, I've always had a very critical opinion on Holland.

I guess that where you're raised has the most influence, but also where your parents come from. I see that I have a lot more feeling for other cultures, and can be a lot more critical about Dutch and Holland..

When people ask where I feel most at home, i still say england, because thats more the way I liek to act and think, even though I wouldnt known, i Havent actually lived there, I just visit for shorter periods up till a month.

I dont know, its quite complicated, but I'll prolly find out when I (hopefully) go and study in England in a few years.. First need to deal with the Dutch system..

Many Scots are of Irish descent, but actually there are many more people of Anglo-Saxon origin and of Norse origin than you might think, and plenty of people of Pictish descent. The Scotii's moves eastward into Pictland were not altogether successful, and they were more often assimilation than conquest. Irish influence was largely limited to the northwest and the Western Isles.

Huh. Learn something new every day. Thanks. I should have remembered Nordic influence into both Scottish and Irish stock, and of course with the arrival of the Anglo-saxons in England, a fair bit of mixing is an inevitability. I thought the pictish were more.... nastily handled, however, killed rather than absorbed, but now it seems an unrealistic belief.

People who use these things usually are from the colonies (ie America, Canada, Australia) and have no idea what it actually means to be Irish, or Romanian etc.
Unless one of your parents is from the place, and your family actually cares about that, and you maybe get to wear a family kilt ;) , you are an American, or Canadian or Australian.
That's the culture you come from, and you've never known any of those things people claim to be.
And it's not like there's a genetic difference anyways.
Having said that, both my parents are German, so my choice is easy.