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sUMMER200923TheevoluTionofculTurerelianceandintensedesiretox1ctinwiththeculturalexpectationsaredilutedaswemixmorewithothers.GenerallywearemoreBritish.Wewillqueueandtalkabouttheweatherrefrainfromgettingtoopersonalwithnewpeopleholdpolitenessinhighregardandfeeluncomfortablewithopendisplaysofemotion.AlloftheseareBritishtraditionsthatwehaveadopted.Butyoungerpeoplehavebecomemoredex1cant.Inmygenerationquietrebellionwasmorethenorm.Wewererespectfultox1cguresofauthorityforfearofourparentx19sdisapproval.Wefoughtaconstantbattletox1ctintoBritishsocietybeingmindfulofourparentsstandinginthecommunity.Buttodaywearecontinuallychallengedbythetwoculturespullingusindifferentdirections.Thisistheresultofstatemulticulturalism.Multiculturalismhasnowgonebust.Initswakecommunitiesareleftisolatedandsegregated.Hugecommunitiesofpeoplearealmosthavingtoleaddoublelives-oneathomeandoneoutside-tomaintaintheirx18multiculturalismx19.TherearenowwholegenerationswhohaveissuesaboutidentitynotsureiftheyareAsianorBritish.Todayvulnerableyoungmenaredrawntoextremistbehaviourindex1canceofauthority.AgrouptowhichtheyfeeltheybelongisbeingMuslim.InthequesttobelongtheyembraceIslam.Buttheydoitwithamoredex1cantx18IamwhoIamx19attitude.TheydonthefullrobesassociatedwithSaudiArabia-wearingtheirreligionontheirsleeve.ThisisalientotheirparentswhoworesuitsandWesternclothesinordertox1ctin.Theydidnotfeelthattheirreligionwasunderthreatsotheyfeltnoneedtodefendit.Furthermoreexposuretoamoreindividualisticculturehasmeantfamilybreakdownismorecommon.Theeducationsystemhasremovedauthorityfromparentsandteachers.Theresultisagenerationofchildrenwhohavenorespectforauthorityandnosenseoffamilybelonging.AreturntotraditionalvaluesofrespectanddisciplinetoabeliefinthesanctityofmarriageandtotheroleofthefamilyincreatingstabilityplusagoodworkethicistheroutetostemmingmanyoftheproblemsfacedbyAsianandotherminoritycommunities.ThereisnodoubtthattheimportedAsianculturewillgraduallybecomedilutedandanewculturewillemerge.Thisisthenaturalprocessofadaptationandevolution.Iclearlyremembermyfathertellingmybrothertolowerhisgazewhenbeingtoldoff.Hewouldthenbetoldofffornotpayingattentionwhenhedidthesameforateachertellinghimoff.Intheendthegazewasraisedorlowereddependingonwhowasdoingthetellingoff-aclearcaseofadaptationtonewsurroundings.TherearemanypositiveaspectsofBritishculturethatweareandindeedshouldbeadopting.InvitingourEnglishneighboursforteaacceptingtheirinvitationsforlunchdoingbusinessandgoingtoagatheringwithpeoplewhoarenotAsiandoesnotcompromiseourownheritage.TheyarecompatiblewithfundamentalAsianvalues.WehavetheluxuryoftakingthebestofbothBritishandAsiancultureandhaveauniqueculturetopassthroughtothenextgeneration.YouonlyhavetolookatSouthAfricanIndiansdescendantsofthex1crstIndianswholandedthereover100yearsago.Whilstferventlymaintainingtheirreligiontheirculturehasevolved.Theyhavecreatedauniquenewcultureexclusivetothem.Itisonethatiscompatiblewiththeirfaithandtheirnationalidentity.Isnx19tthatthenatureofcultureItissubjecttochangethroughattitudestechnologychangesinourgeographicallocationandtheexistenceofotherculturesaroundus.IfcurrycanbethenationalBritishdishifBollywoodcanbeahouseholdnameandifhennacanbepurchasedatClairex19sinthelocalHighStreetthenwecanconx1cdentlysaywehaveneatlyx1cttedintoBritishsociety.Nowisnx19tthatasuccessstoryAdeelaShax1cistheConservativeprospectiveparliamentarycandidateforBristolEast.ShealsolecturesinpsychologyattheUniversityoftheWestofEngland.