6 Comments
тна Return to thread

I'm not certain but I suspect if one wants to find people who still believe in the American Dream, one should start with the immigrant community.

Expand full comment

I live in little India in a medium sized town and you are correct they have a different outlook but its not the American dream. They no longer necessarily view the west as somewhere to settle or put down roots. Its more transactional they're here to make money, and really nothing more . They're very nationalistic and very community oriented but that doesn't even extend to other Indians let alone 2nd/3rd gen Americans. I guess what I'm trying to put into words is that although they personally have community they have little interest in bettering America.

Expand full comment

I would say this isn't consistent withmy experience of Indian immigrants. Nonetheless, if "they're here to make money, and really nothing more", that's pretty much the definition of the American Dream.

Expand full comment

They reject Rooseveltian construction of the Hyphenated Americanism. They are not Americans from India, they are Indians in America. These result in two very, very different conceptions of communal obligation.

Now, I don't want to extrapolate anecdote to define an entire ethnic group, so take it for what it is, I suppose.

The question to ask is, if we went to war with India tomorrow, which uniform are you putting on? There's only one right answer.

Expand full comment

Hehe a good % would join the Indian military

Expand full comment

That's certainly present in certain immigrant communities, especially ones from Western Europe and parts of South Asia and East Asia (although East Asian migration except China has basically ended)

Expand full comment