Jeremy Clarkson on Airport Immgration Delays

[Jon MW]

Yeah, but I'm not sure what is meant by 'integration'?
...

I think learning the language of the country you're living in is the only element of integration that I think really gets in the way of good relations between immigrants and the wider community. If this was universal it would solve a lot of the problems which aren't actually caused by racism.

 

Lots of British ex-pats go and live in other countries (e.g. Spain or Dubai) without attempting to learn the native language, and they can function there perfectly well without a clamour for them to 'integrate'.Or am I wrong? I agree that learning the native language makes a lot of sense to make life easier for the immigrant, but it's not universally essential.

As has been said, the British are generally pretty bad at integrating into communities when they go abroad.

Using Eck's description as a basis - integration such as learning the language helps you fit in and be accepted, it doesn't mean you have to conform to every habit and custom of your new community - you can bring your own customs and traditions to enrich the community and diversify it.

Integrating into the community just means you don't consciously make youself an outsider - the only example I can really think of is learning the language though; nothing else seems particularly important imo.

[kinboshi]

I moved house last Autumn.  Not done much to 'integrate' into my community.  If I was a Polish immigrant what would/should I be doing to integrate?  Learning the language makes life a lot easier of course, but if my English is already a decent standard how else do I integrate?  What should I be doing as an immigrant from Nottingham who's moved to Derbyshire?

[kinboshi]

Sorry, my bad.  I hadn't realised that immigrants that don't 'integrate' have caused the breakdown of British society:

"Real communities are bound by common experiences forged by friendship and conversation, knitted together by all the rituals of the neighbourhood, from the school run to the chat down the pub. And these bonds can take time," he will tell his audience.

"So real integration takes time. That's why, when there have been significant numbers of new people arriving in neighbourhoods, perhaps not able to speak the same language as those living there, on occasions not really wanting or even willing to integrate, that has created a kind of discomfort and disjointedness in some neighbourhoods.

"This has been the experience for many people in our country, and I believe it is untruthful and unfair not to speak about it and address it."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/14/immigrants-fail-integrate-discomfort-cameron

So the immigrants need to go to the pub?

[MANTIS01]

If everybody chose to avoid integrating into the community in which they live there would be no such thing as a community. Then all the advantages that a community and community spirit brings to residents will be lost. Why would that be a good thing?

If I was Polish I would join a cricket team or football team, do volunteer work, take a class at college, stop and chat with the neighbours, help out with vulnerable residents, watch Coronation Street, join a local gym, have a BBQ and invite people round & yeah drink in the pub etc etc etc etc etc. Or I could stay indoors and do none of that and be the hermit Kin mentioned. If I moved to a foreign country I would be inclined to invest time and effort contributing to the local community in order to integrate and gain acceptance, but also because as a member of that community I would have a sense of obligation in preserving it. Moving to a society where we don't give a fuck about each other and we just do our own thing doesn't appeal so much to me.

[kinboshi]

If everybody chose to avoid integrating into the community in which they live there would be no such thing as a community. Then all the advantages that a community and community spirit brings to residents will be lost. Why would that be a good thing?

If I was Polish I would join a cricket team or football team, do volunteer work, take a class at college, stop and chat with the neighbours, help out with vulnerable residents, watch Coronation Street, join a local gym, have a BBQ and invite people round & yeah drink in the pub etc etc etc etc etc. Or I could stay indoors and do none of that and be the hermit Kin mentioned. If I moved to a foreign country I would be inclined to invest time and effort contributing to the local community in order to integrate and gain acceptance, but also because as a member of that community I would have a sense of obligation in preserving it. Moving to a society where we don't give a fuck about each other and we just do our own thing doesn't appeal so much to me.

You coming to the blonde Bash?

[doubleup]

a society where we don't give a fuck about each other and we just do our own thing doesn't appeal so much to me.

Why are you a tory then?

[MANTIS01]

If everybody chose to avoid integrating into the community in which they live there would be no such thing as a community. Then all the advantages that a community and community spirit brings to residents will be lost. Why would that be a good thing?

If I was Polish I would join a cricket team or football team, do volunteer work, take a class at college, stop and chat with the neighbours, help out with vulnerable residents, watch Coronation Street, join a local gym, have a BBQ and invite people round & yeah drink in the pub etc etc etc etc etc. Or I could stay indoors and do none of that and be the hermit Kin mentioned. If I moved to a foreign country I would be inclined to invest time and effort contributing to the local community in order to integrate and gain acceptance, but also because as a member of that community I would have a sense of obligation in preserving it. Moving to a society where we don't give a fuck about each other and we just do our own thing doesn't appeal so much to me.

You coming to the blonde Bash?

What is a blonde Bash? and why are we having one?

[tikay]

A blonde Bash is where people integrate with each other. And other things.

[MANTIS01]

a society where we don't give a fuck about each other and we just do our own thing doesn't appeal so much to me.

Why are you a tory then?

You get back what you put in. Just like integration.

[redarmi]

If everybody chose to avoid integrating into the community in which they live there would be no such thing as a community. Then all the advantages that a community and community spirit brings to residents will be lost. Why would that be a good thing?

Thatcher didn't think so....she thought there were only individuals and families.