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Pros And Cons Of Jorge Assimilating Fully Into American Culture

Decent Essays

I have a new coworker at my office named Jorge who is from Central America. He is unfamiliar with American customs and claims that he is undergoing culture shock and needs my help with the adjustment. In this paper, I will define assimilation and present the pros and cons of Jorge assimilating fully into US culture. Also, I will explain the relationship between language and culture and list some ways that Jorge can viably communicate with others in a multicultural society to help his integration into American society go smoothly.
Cultural assimilation is when an individual or individuals adopts some or all aspects of a dominant culture (such as its religion, language, norms, values etc.). Cultural assimilation is a process of socialization. It can be a voluntary process, but can also sometimes be the result of involuntary political decisions (Wikipedia, 2015).
Some pros of Jorge assimilating fully to the US culture are that he will feel that feeling more of fitting in. Once Jorge feels like he belongs more in the US, that culture shock will dissipate. Living will be so much easier. For example, if he learns and speaks English, he won’t feel so out of place and will feel like he adapted and more independent. Another pro is he would be able to make many more friends (and …show more content…

One con is that he could lose some of his own cultures, customs, and values in the process. Maybe there are some traditions in Central America that we don’t take part in here in the US and Jorge decides to lose that in order to assimilate more to the US. This could end up hurting him in the long run and can end up resenting coming to the US. Another con is the risk of Jorge living his life as a result of other cultures thinking. Jorge may feel like he lost his original culture, which could possibly lead to identity issues. Lastly, Central America might feel as though he abandoned them. His relationship there can be altered for

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