What is an American?
This is the question you may ask me. As an Asian American, my definition must be different than yours. When people ask me about my ethnicity, I say I'm Asian or Chinese. I honestly never say I'm American. Not like I'm not an American, but I feel like there's more to my culture. This is most likely why people don't say they are American when asked the very common question; what are you? (In terms of ethnicity) Some people value their true culture (plus their ancestral background) more than their "Americanness." If they say they are American, then that's not usually the answer people are looking for. If you answer with you being an American, that's like saying everyone who lives in America is an American, and to me a true American is someone who lives in our country and is happy to be. Not by force. Yet they might value their cultural background due to its history.
People do not identify themselves as Americans as often, because we are so used to answer to our ethnicity. However, I think of you specified it to "What is your nationality", 'American' would come up more often.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that saying being an American would generalize everyone in America as one, since there are people who are just visiting, or living temporary, etc. in America, who do not view themselves as Americans.
Also, saying you're (something else) than American because there is more history or uniqueness into the culture seems kind of disagreeable.
Like, what if someone has never visited their "homeland", celebrate holidays, value traditions, or even speak the language / eat the food, and still call him/her self by his/her ethnicity? Wouldn't that be wrong?