Influence of Middle East on Britains Food - Term Paper Example

Task Cultural Diversity in Media Influence of Middle East on Britain’s Food Middle East has greatly influenced Britain food since the 1800s. In Britain, spicy food was not trendy: they mostly ate modern food that was comprised of beef and vegetables. Although few people ate spicy food, it was not rampant and it was only affordable to the affluent. The Middle East populace, especially the Indians, introduced spicy food to Britain, typically because of the soaring immigration of Indians to Britain. In the nineteenth century, some of the Indians opened restaurants where they prepared their customary foodstuff. This did not bring any fortune because many Britons did not go out to eat, but they were invited to eat in their friend’s house. Consequently, many Indian restaurants became bankrupt and they had to close (Khorsandi). The Indians made curry popular; they opened restaurants where they cooked this food. Before curry was popular, it was objected by a vast majority of the populace since some people complained that it was testing and smelling bad. The Indians were forced to change their way of cooking curry and originate a modern way of cooking curry that was comparable to Britain food. This made the Britons to like curry since its taste was comparable to their own foods. Curry was replaced by coffee, which was introduced by Indians in Britain. Many people preferred having coffee to eating curry. It was after some time that people started having tea because they found it to be a cheap import (Khorsandi). There was a lot of tension in connection to exchange of this food, Britons even demonstrated on streets in protest for the Indians. The Britons hated the Indian race and they even went to an extent of destroying the Indian restaurants. Some Britons ordered food and threw it away; they said the food tasted bad and that it smelled like socks. This resulted to the Indians changing their recipe. Today, the Britons really appreciate the curries and it has made them love spicy food. Numerous Indian joints are operating and cooking Indian food. Britons nowadays prefer traditional curry, which is consists of original Indian recipe. A strong relationship has developed between the Indians and the Britons; this is because Indians cook good curry for Britons to enjoy (Khorsandi). The media has played a vital role in the acceptance of Indian culture to the Britons. This has made the Britons to appreciate and embrace the Indian culture, including their food. The Indians have also learnt what the Britons like and dislike. This has resulted in accord between the two communities. A part from entertainment, media has played a crucial role in informing and edifying people. Jihad and McWorld Jihad is a group of countless people who suppose in a certain faith and they are against other independent groups. McWorld is the trend at which the word is to be intergraded and united. This is through the influence of media, televisions computers, and the fast rise of technology. Harvey and Tinie Tempah in their video show Jihad by how soldiers are fighting and dying, typically because of their belief. McWorld is shown in this video by the way children are engaging in video games, which is part of the rising technology. There is a concert where youth have come together to listen to tunes and this reflects McWorld (Harvey and Tempah). Jihad poses challenges to democratic systems in connection to countries that try to join. Other countries are falling apart, for instance, Yugoslavia when it tried to join the European Union. A country like India, which is trying to uphold its democracy, is having problems as internal parties are advocating for unity. Jihad is advocating for borders within its countries to avoid interference from the outside forces while McWorld is advocating for borders outside its countries being able to interact with people from outside. Jihad is operating on hatred to outside countries while McWorld is operating on a universal market. It is proven that both Jihad and McWorld cannot augment democracy in their countries. Ghetto Britain A group of marginalized individuals in Britain categorizes Ghetto Britain, and it mostly comprises the non-whites. These immigrants often do not socialize with the indigenous populace. This group comprises a two- third ethnicity that is not associated with the aboriginal populace. They are usually marginalized from the British lifestyle, and the Britons consider them as lowly individuals. These people live in areas of substandard houses away from the Whites. However, the British national party has really helped the marginalized individuals by offering them money for buying houses. The government has realized that there cannot be development with multiculturalism, and it is advocating for Britons to accept its ethnic diversity for it to realize development (Snow). There is a mixture of reaction about immigrants in the British society. Some people feel that these immigrants do not add any value to the economy. This is because many of the immigrants go to Britain seeking for superior job prospects. It is said that these immigrants have overpopulated the heath sector thus there are no facilities for the indigenous groups. Another sector that is congested is the schools; this is because the children of the immigrants have to attend school to get an education. It is of concern that many of the immigrants ask for more than what they give to the British economy. This is because most of them do not work and are not educated, especially the Somalia’s. Nevertheless, some of the immigrants add sanguinely to the economy. These include some Nigerians who are educated hence, they are able to work and bring revenue to the government. Other immigrants that contribute positively to Britain’s economy are the Americans’ who work effortlessly, hence bringing revenue to the economy (Snow). The immigrants are straining the accessible public efficacies, including schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and social amenities. Many of the immigrants usually take more than they can give, for instance, they ask for huge benefits and they are not working. Some are competing for social houses with the Britons, who qualify for these houses, hence causing overcrowding. Britons suggest that it is because of the high rise of immigrants that the aboriginal populace is suffering from unemployment. This is because the immigrants are competing with the citizens, thus they have to share jobs with them. The British government is complaining that the immigrants are bringing noxious ailments including, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS (Snow). The government has originated strict rules that prevent people who do not qualify to seek for immigration in Britain. The intended purpose for visits in Britain must be rational for a person to qualify for a visa. Visits to friends are limited to few days to avoid strain on public utilities. If a person is found illegitimately in the country, he/she is deported. Any qualified citizen with ever-increasing criminal acts is deported back to his country. However, many of the immigrants are married to Britons; and this is preventing the government from sending them back based on their families (Snow). To some extent, I do not concur to the program when the reporter says that many of the immigrants do not seek employment. This is because many people are looking for employment, but the British government is denying them work permits. The issue of the immigrants originating diseases is more or less debatable. This is because a disease like HIV and AIDS is considered a global disaster. Maladies such as tuberculosis can be prevented by screening at airports (snow). The British government should appreciate that many immigrants work relentlessly to make ends meet hence adding revenue to the government. The situation of the immigrants is not any better, evidenced by the increasing complains from the populace. The citizens feel that the immigrants are not working; hence, they do not deserve access to these services. Many citizens are complaining of the congestion on their social amenities, thus, they cannot enjoy their services comfortably. The Britons do not accept diversity because there are certain streets where the immigrants live but the Britons do not (Snow). Even though the immigrants are given benefits, it is not enough to cover their expenses. Theme in the Book Small Island Many themes are discussed in the Small Island including racism, prejudice, gender, and poverty. Many Jamaican immigrants moved to Britain hooping to have a better life than they were having at home. The Jamaicans moved to England in search of better pastures. Some engaged in convenient marriages with the Jamaican soldiers who live in England to be able to secure better houses and benefits. The houses they aspired to live in houses with gardens and guesthouse. After they helped the British army in World War 2, they were disappointed to be unrecognized. The immigrants were left to live in substandard houses, while the Britons lived in superior houses. The houses they lived in were in worse conditions than their original houses at home. The immigrants are segregated and were left to live in the peripheries of the towns. The immigrants were poor and did not have respectable jobs to support them. This is because they were not entitled to a work permit and they only worked as helpers to the Britons. The amount they got hardly supported and met their essential needs. There were no intermarriages between the immigrants and the Britons, typically because the immigrants were considered to be at a lower social class than the Britons were. Further, there was no gender consideration to the immigrants, for instance, women are deemed as second-rate beings. During the war, the immigrant women were taken to be servants as their men helped the Britons in world war two (Levy). Nowadays immigrants are treated fairly, and are even allowed to work, especially those who are educated. Those who do not have work get benefits from the government to sustenance. The British administration has recognized that development cannot occur with ethnicity. There is a mixture of reactions from the British citizens as they feel that the immigrants are congesting their resources. Some feel that every British citizen has a right to all facilities but the immigrants do not hold the same standpoint. Some citizens shy away to explore this subject because they do not want to be labeled as racists (Levy) Essentialism and Fluidity Essentialism is the process by which individuals are taught certain issues to be able to live in a multicultural society. The education given to an individual will helps in coping with dissimilar situation in a multicultural environment. Conversely, fluidity is the capacity of a substance to course freely without wavering. It is movement of something in a smooth manner. If the character in the book small island was taught various cultures pertaining to the Britons, it was easy for him to survive and adapt to this cultures (Siapera). It is easy for a person to adapt and accept other peoples culture when taught. This is because the individual knows comprehend their responsibilities regarding particular issues. Michael would have had an easy time if he were well equipped with Britons culture. It was reasonable if he considered how Britons think of people from another race and how they treated immigrants. Michael was interested in having a good life from the Britons but he did not consider learning their culture. His aspirations were to go to Britain and have a good life. This made him to be exceptionally disappointed as he was received with a cold welcome. He never anticipated things would be such demoralizing from the other culture. In connection to fluidity, his life would be smooth with no obstacles. A person is able to connect what he or she has been taught in order to have a smooth life in a multicultural society. This helps a person to coexist with additional racial groupings with minimal problems. When an individual cannot flow with the other community’s culture, difficulties are encountered in adapting. The media has really helped in educating people who had low opinion about other cultures to change their attitude. Further, it informs people that each culture is important and should receive superior treatment and respect. This has helped people from different cultures to cope with habits from other cultures (Siapera) Role of African- Caribbean Music African Caribbean music has played a big role in influencing western communities to have respect for the African cultures. This songs try to educate the western culture on the worth and significance of African culture. These songs have really played a great role in educating many western countries on the African culture. This music has brought a populace of dissimilar cultures together hence, brought unity. African-Caribbean songs suggest that the African culture will eventually flourish and come out of oppression. It is through this music that many people have become interested in African culture and they have found it commendable. It is through African-Caribbean that western cultures have realized and accepted the talents of Africans. Media has helped spread this songs globally thus diffusing the point of the songs. This music has helped Africans to converse their mind-set, emotions, and frustrations. The influence of Caribbean music has a lot of connection with Jihad in the sense that Africans are singing songs to sensitize the importance of their culture. Jihad is shown through African-Caribbean songs when Africans voice concerns for democracy in their culture. The songs emphasize how they feel bad due to oppression from the African countries. In connection to McWorld, the music is advocating for unity from other cultures. This tries to augment integration from diverse cultures in the world through music. Works Cited Dispatches Immigrants nineteenth century: The Inconvenient Truth (Pt1) .Liveleak.Com. Perf. Jonh Snow.2010. Harvey, J and Tinie, Tempah. The Words That Maketh Murder (Mercury Prize Performance). 2011. Levy, Andre. Small Island. London: Headline. 2009. Spice Britain. Azadmanzilrestaurant. Perf. Shafi Khorsandi .BBC, 2011. Siapera Eugenia. Cultural Diversity and Global Media: The Mediation of Difference. London: John Wiley and Sons. 2010. Read More