What is your ethnicity?

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by ToTheNines

People generally think I'm older than 25.

Anyone ever use how-old.net? It always tells me I'm 37-42, but seems pretty damn accurate with everyone else. Hard life, I guess lol.

The thing is I usually keep facial hair. If I clean shaved I wonder how old I'd look.

Many people aged 50 and above still talk to me in a rather informal manner as if I was a "kid". I get called "young man" often. I mean sure 26 is young but my point is I've not gotten used yet to being called "mister".

[CyberCubed]

A lot of people do look old even when they're young, just look at some famous actors. Look at Hulk Hogan in the 80's, it's like he was born old.

It's also hard to believe Arnold Schwarzennegar was only in his 20's when he filmed Terminator. He looks like he's in his 30's already.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

A lot of people do look old even when they're young, just look at some famous actors. Look at Hulk Hogan in the 80's, it's like he was born old.

It's also hard to believe Arnold Schwarzennegar was only in his 20's when he filmed Terminator. He looks like he's in his 30's already.

Yeah it depends. Some people just age better than others.

I don't take offence to people assuming I'm 4-5 years younger than my actual age.

Perhaps because I don't smoke, don't do drugs and don't drink heavily my skin stays young.

[ToTheNines]

Originally Posted by Prowler

The thing is I usually keep facial hair. If I clean shaved I wonder how old I'd look.

Many people aged 50 and above still talk to me in a rather informal manner as if I was a "kid". I get called "young man" often. I mean sure 26 is young but my point is I've not gotten used yet to being called "mister".

Yeah, I could probably pass for 17 if I shaved with a straight razor lol.

[Prowler]

Anyway, Cubed touched an interesting point. Form what I gather(I might bewrong) most Americans of European ancestry don't feel very connected or at all to their country of origin anymore and just consider themselves American. I notice that Canadians tend to be more likely to identify themselves first as "italian", "Dutch" or "Portuguese" than as simply "Canadian".

Perhaps American society "pressures" more people to assimilate into a standard culture.

[Storm Eagle]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

You'll find white folks, especially white folks of a particular age, are very sensitive about being white.
Unless they're only recently white, in which case then they'll tell you all about it.
(Yeah, I'm looking at your Italian-American community)

Recently white?

Originally Posted by Prowler

last week one of my female classmates was surprised when I told her i was 26. She said she thought I was 21 at best.

Originally Posted by ToTheNines

People generally think I'm older than 25.

When I was a teenager, people thought I was in my 20s and that used to bug me. I'm 37 now, and two people were surprised when I told them that, and they thought I was in my 20s. At those times though, I was clean shaven. So that might have done it.

[CyberCubed]

Originally Posted by Prowler

Anyway, Cubed touched an interesting point. Form what I gather(I might bewrong) most Americans of European ancestry don't feel very connected or at all to their country of origin anymore and just consider themselves American. I notice that Canadians tend to be more likely to identify themselves first as "italian", "Dutch" or "Portuguese" than as simply "Canadian".

Perhaps American society "pressures" more people to assimilate into a standard culture.

That's because if you have grandparents born in a country too, you're so far removed from what your ancestors are that it doesn't matter.

I mean every American's ancestors comes from either Europe/Asia or South America, but if you go back three generations and you're all still Americans, it doesn't feel that way for you. I know my great grandparents come from Russia and Europe, but do I consider myself Russian? Nope.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

That's because if you have grandparents born in a country too, you're so far removed from what your ancestors are that it doesn't matter.

I mean every American's ancestors comes from either Europe/Asia or South America, but if you go back three generations and you're all still Americans, it doesn't feel that way for you. I know my great grandparents come from Russia and Europe, but do I consider myself Russian? Nope.

That happens because USA is a nation made by immigrants. In a European country 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants arem ore likely to still feel some affinity to their family's homeland.

[plastroncafe]

Originally Posted by Storm Eagle

Recently white?

On Columbus Day, let’s remember that Italians weren’t always white in America (fusion.net)

Originally Posted by Prowler

That happens because USA is a nation made by immigrants. In a European country 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants arem ore likely to still feel some affinity to their family's homeland.

In the States that kind of language is used to reinforce the idea that people who immigrate here aren't really "from" here and that the US isn't their home, even after they become citizens. And it's also a way to de-legitimize their children, who may have been born here.

[IndigoErth]

Well, we are also a country/culture that is very pro-individual and, for some, a drive to be unique. Now, it has gotten annoying in the form of all these special snowflake kids, but in terms of heritage and knowing where you're from and what and who got you here over generations, personally I find that interesting to know.

I've got people who fought battles alongside and had close relation to big names in Scottish history; people who were brave enough to get on those boats, endure that for months, and start a new life in the U.S.; people who endured white invasion of these lands; people who settled in the east and after generations have never really gone very far from here (mostly dad's side), while others (mostly mom's side) who have moved back and forth from the east to the Midwest and back.

I suppose those that chose to uproot and come to the U.S. must have possessed a bit of an adventurous spirit and maybe a remaining part of that for some feeds an interest in knowing their family's past. Could have been those generations themselves who passed down a sense of pride in it. Sure, we're all Americans, but I like knowing how I got here and what happened in the lives before me that led up to mine.


Edit: Although in my genealogy research I think the the funniest tidbit I have found was either a record or clipping for a grandfather (of however many 'greats') who got arrested.... for working on Sunday. Working on/with his mill in his barn. These were country people, it's not like the nearest neighbor was 20' away. Seriously, who told on him? I want to know how that went down.

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

A lot of people do look old even when they're young, just look at some famous actors.

Or those that magically don't age. Though I don't envy people like DiCaprio. He kind of went from looking flipping 20 for two decades...then suddenly looked 40.

[Prowler]

having mixed heritage must lead to some conflicting thoughts and identity crisis, though. If your family tree up to your great great parents comes from 3 different countries must be hard to pick the one you identify with the most. Just like many 2nd and 3rd generation immigrants in European countries struggle at assimilation.

How does an American of Japanese origin feel when he goes to Japan and he looks like people there... but doesn't speak Japanese at all and is seen by people there as just another "gaijin"?

[plastroncafe]

America is very Pro-individual, so long as you do everything like everyone else does. Or to put it more succinctly: Just do it the American way, and no one will get hurt.

[Storm Eagle]

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

On Columbus Day, let’s remember that Italians weren’t always white in America (fusion.net)

Ah, interesting.

That reminds me. I have a co-worker who's of Italian origin. A black guy at my job dissed white people, and when the co-worker reacted, he said "yeah, but you're Italian". Regardless of what that article says, I still think that was screwed up of him to say.

The article also reminds me of how a friend says that the human race is the only race out there.

Too bad you most likely can't say that in the south and live to tell about it.

[Prowler]

So Italian, Irish and German people weren't considered White in USA at some point? That seems so silly. Did Americans of English ancestry think England was the birthpalce of the White race or something and that the rest of Europe wasn't White but something "inbetween" England and the other races? Not even Nordicists would be that extreme nor was Adolf Hitler whom I assume took racial matters very seriously.

What's considered the birthplace of European culture is Greece, having European culture a Greco-Roman/Latin background. And if you wanna go down the genetic route, the Iberian Peninsula has some of the oldest ones in Europe and yet we don't claim to be more European than people from other European countries.

[CyberCubed]

Most of the original white people in the U.S. were from Britain, obviously, so anyone not British was not considered white in the 1700-1800's. Irish people were also discriminated against harshly in the U.S. for years similar to blacks and Asians.

[plastroncafe]

It seems silly because it is silly, and yet those same tropes live on.
Race (human categorization)

According to Smedley and Marks the European concept of "race", along with many of the ideas now associated with the term, arose at the time of the scientific revolution, which introduced and privileged the study of natural kinds, and the age of European imperialism and colonization which established political relations between Europeans and peoples with distinct cultural and political traditions.[41][42] As Europeans encountered people from different parts of the world, they speculated about the physical, social, and cultural differences among various human groups.

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Most of the original white people in the U.S. were from Britain, obviously, so anyone not British was not considered white in the 1700-1800's. Irish people were also discriminated against harshly in the U.S. for years similar to blacks and Asians.

I wonder if in Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and French colonised countries in the Americas something similar happened. Afaik, the Portuguese community in Brazil was a bit "closed off" and even though obviously tons of Brazilians have Portuguese last names, I believe many White Brazilians have no relation to Portugal whatsoever and are of Italian or German ancestry instead.

And aren't there nowadays more Americans of German and Irish ancestry than of English ancestry? Many Americans are of Italian ancestry as well.

Did people already talk about "races" in the 18th century, though? Because referring to people as "white", "black", "brown", etc. is a fairly recent phenomenon as far as History goes since science wasn't advanced enough to perform genetic tests in the 15th century, per example.

Originally Posted by plastroncafe

It seems silly because it is silly, and yet those same tropes live on.
Race (human categorization)

Well, I think it's safe to say that most European people view each others as "white/european folk".

...although now that I think about it, I guess if I asked people if they consider Turks and Armenians as "White/European" I guess many would say "no".

I mean, technically there's lots of "white" people in Northern Africa and in the Levante region. Amazighers/berbers many could pass as Europeans, unlike Arabs from the gulf(Saudis, Iraqis, etc.) which obviously look more different.

...yeah best not to overthink this kind of stuff

[Katie]

My dad was 1/2 Creek an 1/2 Scots Irish. I'm also fairly certian one of my great great grandmothers on his side was at least part black if not 100%. Not uncommon in that Tribe to adopt runaway slaves.

My mom is white white white. Her family is decended from William Bradford and a lot of them went to Canada during the Revolutionary War. They didn't show back up in the US until after the Civil War. Then the migrated from Chicago to Washington State.

An uncle on her side was the one who sent the Donner party out. He had dreams of populating California and becoming its king....or president.

In case you didn't figure it out, I LOVE tracing my family history.

[CyberCubed]

Just curious, is it really that interesting tracing back your families heritage? As I said, I know my great grandparents were born in Russia, some others around Spain/Portugal, but I know if you research further back than that it could be all over the place.

I mean you don't know your great grandparents. So if I find out mine were Russian farmers or bankers or worked in the steel mill, what does that do for me?

[Prowler]

Originally Posted by CyberCubed

Just curious, is it really that interesting tracing back your families heritage? As I said, I know my great grandparents were born in Russia, some others around Spain/Portugal, but I know if you research further back than that it could be all over the place.

I mean you don't know your great grandparents. So if I find out mine were Russian farmers or bankers or worked in the steel mill, what does that do for me?

I don't care about it either but I guess some people are just curious.

But yes, let's say I had ancestors from France or Ireland about 300 years ago. It'd mean nothing to me since I don't have any Irish or French last name nor was the culture I was raised in resembling of those countries.

The thing is, 300 years ago people wouldn't answer with their own nationality when asked "what are you." They'd answer with "I'm Catholic/Protestant/Orthodox/Muslim/Jewish/etc." It was nationalism that started giving people a proper national and ethic identity. Germany and Italy became united countries in the 19th century only thanks to that sentiment "If we speak the same language and the same culture then we should form a single country!"

And you mentioned people ask you often what your ethnicity is and don't just settle for "white american" as an answer. It's funny. The world is more globalised than ever and yet we're still very divided and very protective of our own identities/cultures.

I guess world peace will never be achieved.