Borders in Our Minds Essay

Since the presidency under James Polk in 1844, many American citizens have, in one form or another, been in conflict with our neighbors to the south – the populace of Mexico. In the 19th century, however, those conflicts revolved mainly around ownership of land in what are now southwest regions of the United States (Scheffler, 2011). In modern society, American indifference toward Mexican immigrants exists in many other forms and plays a significant role in efforts to control Mexican natives entering the United States. It is my intention to bring to light various circumstances by which intolerance to Mexican immigrants and Mexican-Americans may have evolved. Such attempt will be made through: presentation of some of the various forms of bias currently in existence; application of the abstraction process as it applies to development of stereotypes; consideration of societal and cultural perspectives and how they may have precipitated non-acceptance of the Mexican immigrant into American society; and reflection on the roles in which Mexican immigrants have been placed that perpetuate stereotypes from an economic perspective. Finally, I will conclude by offering insight into that which I have derived from compilation of this paper from the perspective of one studying general semantics as part of an undergraduate program at Alverno College. This conclusion will include proposal for further consideration of the topic offered to the audience for which this paper is intended. The Basics of Bias Since 2000, the Hispanic population in the United States has grown from 35. 3 million (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000) to 50. 3 million (U. S. Census Bureau, 2010). This segment of the population has realized significant growth making then a large component of all American residents. One would tend to believe that given this growth, Mexicans would be viewed less as â€Å"aliens† and more as American citizens. In most instances, however, they are not considered the latter. They are considered different and in the past five years sociologists and civil rights attorneys have revealed many of the elements that play a role in the perpetuation of the bias numerous Americans hold toward Mexican immigrants. â€Å"They are [viewed as] disloyal . . . and refuse to assimilate† (Villareal, 2006) is one view of a Connecticut attorney who has spent many years defending minorities through legal activism (pg. 1). Villareal (2006) furthers his argument against American bias toward Mexican Americans by stating that â€Å"Mexican Americans will share in that dream and in that society only if they dream in English† (pg. 1). These biases obviously exist, but how they perhaps developed and why they conceivably sustain is the subject matter to follow. From Neighbor to Nuisance: The Power of Abstraction Objectivity and multi-perspective thinking is typically the product of the â€Å"constant interplay of higher-level and lower-level abstractions† (Hayakawa, 1990). It is the tendency to labor only at higher-levels of abstraction where one is inclined to stereotype. This is primarily due to the deduction that high-level abstraction is comprised of vagueness and generalities and it is this indistinct thinking that leads to standardized conceptions of common members of a group. These theories of high-level abstraction could very well account for bias against immigrants based upon linguistic differentials which reveal the tendency of individuals to stereotype or apply prejudice based upon language barriers. According to Nelson (2009), â€Å"linguistic bias mediates the extent to which people maintain stereotypic expectancies in the face of disconfirming information† (p. 499). Nelson predicates this concept upon studies of linguistic differences and how they produce negative behaviors. He describes this â€Å"linguistic bias effect† (p. 499) as existing at higher-levels of abstraction. While his research was done using Italian-Americans as test subjects, the linguistic bias theory assesses language barriers in a general sense and can account for negative predisposition toward Mexican immigrants based upon their unique dialect and possible inability to master language in a sense that individuals can assimilate as indigenous to the United States. The Societal and Cultural Gap A feeling of superiority as a people is likely a major contributor to American bias toward Mexican immigrants; highly distinct cultural attributes play a key role in this arena. In his in-depth studies and published works on cultural differences, Geert Hofstede (1984) reveals that â€Å"Americans see their own culture as very individualistic; and this individualism is interpreted as a major contributor to the greatness of the United States† (p. 150). Individualist cultures have great tendency to protect that which they feel entitlement to and possess a low desire to share. The United States is also a country very low on Hofstede’s scale measuring â€Å"power distance† which indicates a desire for a stable cultural environment where low power distance is â€Å"associated with highly individualistic cultures† (p.164). Based upon Hofstede’s research as it pertains to the cultural gap between Americans and Mexican immigrants, it can be inferred that intolerance toward Mexican immigrants has, in part, evolved from: an inability of Americans to accept cultural differences; ignorance to a culture that is based upon close, long-term commitment and shared responsibility rather than individualistic goals; and a desire to maintain a cultural environment of which they are familiar–an environment which they may view as threatened by change. In furthering the position of cultural disparity and its contribution to the intolerance of Mexican immigrants, various studies of ethnicity have yielded plausible explanation as to why many Americans have difficulty in the acceptance of Mexican immigrants into their native land. As is noted by Portes (1985), â€Å"Studies of ethnicity typically begin by noting the persistence of distinct cultural traits among groups formed by immigration . . . this situation can only be explained from an assimilation perspective, by the insufficient diffusion of the culture of the core to peripheral groups† (p.24). This perspective reiterates the strong role played by cultural disparity in fostering intolerance of immigrants. Economic Pigeon-Holing Some view Mexican immigrants as important only to a specific segment of the U. S. labor market and therefore, fail to see their role anywhere beyond this realm. It has become difficult for Mexican immigrants to transcend these barriers as Portes (1985) describes that â€Å"they have formed, each in their time, the mainstay of a segmented labor market . . . they constitute an indispensable component of the economic structure† (p. 25). He strengthens this argument by stating that â€Å"Granting such groups admittance into the core society on the basis of merit would jeopardize their utility to employers and to the entire dominant group† (p. 25). From this vantage point, it would be difficult for any one person to gain acceptance into a larger group if the economic success of that group were dependent upon that person remaining in one, very specific role. Given this, it is not difficult to understand the reasons why many Americans view Mexican immigrants as migrant workers, laborers, or maids—befitting of only a specific segment of the U. S. labor force. It is conceivable that this is not because they are unable to move beyond these stereotypes, but because they are unwilling to do so as it would upset their perception of an ideal economic structure. Discussion Investigation of the subject matter herein along with subsequent authorship of this paper has for me served as a catalyst toward multi-perspective understanding of current issues that impact the world from historical, social, political, and economic perspectives. I am now of the strong belief that effective communication is highly dependent upon successful integration of multicultural perspectives and diverse social perspectives. The ability to present an idea from multiple perspectives has also provided me an awareness of my ethical obligation as a communicator, that is, to inform without bias. It is difficult to argue that stereotypes precipitated by social, cultural, and economic perspectives exist as they pertain to Mexican immigrants in the United States. Thoughtful reflection upon the evolution of bias and stereotype can bring about greater understanding. To deny that diversity exists within our borders is to deny change. To attempt to keep that diversity out is to deny oneself the ability to live spherically and draw from cultural experiences that could serve to broaden perspective and intellect. A by-product of this dissertation is offered in the form of a challenge to those individuals who may be unaware of the levels of abstraction within which they operate. Heightened awareness of the levels of abstraction from which one functions both verbally and cerebrally can produce deeper understanding and subsequently the ability to understand and be understood. This may very well serve to lessen abhorrence and perhaps ultimately lead to the deterioration of intolerance to build a more peaceful society. References Elissa, G. (2001, August 11). Man Charged in Beatings Is Said to Have Used Racial Slurs. New York Times. p. 6. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Guitierrez, D. G. (1995). Mexican Americans, Mexican Immigrants, and the Politics of Ethnicity. Berkeley, CA: California Press. Retrieved March 23, 2011, from http://books. google. com/ books? hl=en&lr=&id=Had4W9odLX0C&oi=fnd&pg=PR11&dq=Mexican+immigrants& ots=Xb7xBvWz7o&sig=FRbC5aio9PLGrh14YK8pNrmEMnY#v=twopage&q&f=false. Hayakawa, S. I. (1990). Language in Thought and Action. (5th ed. ). Boston, MA: Thomson Wadsworth. Hofstede, G. (1984). Culture’s Consequences. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications. Nelson, T. (2009). Handbook of prejudice, stereotyping, and discrimination. Psychology Press, New York, N. Y. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from http://books. google. com/books? id=J1qeQ T4bkX0C&pg=PA499&lpg=PA499&dq=abstraction+and+prejudice&sourc.