When I started Immigrants as a Weapon in late 2019, my plan was to explore the weaponization of immigrants and nationalist emigre communities by American society. I’ve written a bunch of things about it — some deep history and, recently, quite a bit about how my own family got swept up into this trend. As I’ve gotten deeper into it, I’ve realized that if I want to make any progress on this thing I am gonna have get very militant about narrowing the focus. The topic of weaponized immigrants is just too broad to tackle generally. It’s too easy to get lost and to get distracted.
I like the idea of this project too- it sounds like just the right next focus, and I look forward to reading it.
Having spent my entire adult life living in other peoples’ cultures and countries - and for other reasons- I have long been fascinated by so many aspects of the culture clashes and adjustments people make, at personal and wider social level.
One theme I would invite you to ponder in this project is the question of individual identity vs social conformity which seems so acute when living in ‘new’ country: how much of what I thought was ‘my own’ culture - and part of my own identity - will I give up for the sake of adapting to my host country? For me this has been a life time’s question, gradually resulting in quite a lot of change in what I think of as my identity. Often it seems to me there is a sort of colonisation element- I.e. a sense of wanting to fit in and be accepted in the host culture, as if one’s mentality were colonised by the host country culture. I think you have commented sometimes about this wish to fit in making people vulnerable to becoming subservient to the purposes of big power . One of my former economic history professors made a strong case that rapid economic growth in the US in late 19th early 20th cent was assisted by the development of a mass market driven by the desire for conformity - ‘to be American ‘- in all things among the masses of waves of immigration.
Hi Yasha,
I like the idea of this project too- it sounds like just the right next focus, and I look forward to reading it.
Having spent my entire adult life living in other peoples’ cultures and countries - and for other reasons- I have long been fascinated by so many aspects of the culture clashes and adjustments people make, at personal and wider social level.
One theme I would invite you to ponder in this project is the question of individual identity vs social conformity which seems so acute when living in ‘new’ country: how much of what I thought was ‘my own’ culture - and part of my own identity - will I give up for the sake of adapting to my host country? For me this has been a life time’s question, gradually resulting in quite a lot of change in what I think of as my identity. Often it seems to me there is a sort of colonisation element- I.e. a sense of wanting to fit in and be accepted in the host culture, as if one’s mentality were colonised by the host country culture. I think you have commented sometimes about this wish to fit in making people vulnerable to becoming subservient to the purposes of big power . One of my former economic history professors made a strong case that rapid economic growth in the US in late 19th early 20th cent was assisted by the development of a mass market driven by the desire for conformity - ‘to be American ‘- in all things among the masses of waves of immigration.
Anyhow, I like your idea.
This is awesome! Can’t wait to read and recommend to fellow weaponized Soviet Jews who have decided to expel me from my own family 🙃!
Love the book design!
Great idea!
"I think that's the shit, man" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYSBfbjCvAA
Not an easy task. Will you name specific names also?
It's a GREAT idea! And I think you are finally ready for this project!