Some can’t handle the presence of different cultures. Such tend to demand everyone to give the impression of belonging to the same culture. At least if one is living in a certain area. They demand cultural standardisation because they themselves can’t cope with anything else. This is a matter of own personal flaws. Myself I have no problem with the presence of different cultures. Just because something is present this does not mean one has to follow it. Choosing what I am going to do is no bigger problem to me. In the same way I have no problem with the mere presence of foreigners. I leave those people alone so they will hopefully leave me alone.
Historically several states have tried to standardise their population by compulsion. It should be pointed out that it was only in states with a majority language. Most of the population had as such already spoken the same language. Minorities have then had forced on them parts of the majority’s culture. People have been forcibly converted to the majority’s religion. (In all cases I know about it has been Christianity.) They had majority languages forced on them which they were expected to speak at home. Some particularly visible habits have been forced on them too. All in the belief that the compulsion would reduce uncertainty. Instead uncertainty increased from attempts to replace. It is in fact not that easy to replace the habitual. The forcibly assimilating worried about the forcibly assimilated appearing assimilated enough. Also, the forcibly assimilated worried about that.
Minorities can’t be assimilated this way in a single generation. Cultural absorption has taken place many times in history. But it has been a slow process over several centuries. Some traits of the absorbed’s culture have then lived on. All cultures change over time. However, this has oftentimes been too slow for people to notice it over their lifetimes. Not until the middle of the 19th century did a larger number of people notice it. At least in the western world changes in society were slow before this. People tended to treat them as if they were negligible. Modern historical research has shown they were not.
To replace a person’s culture can only be done to babies and toddlers. They have not had time to acquire much of their biological parents’ culture. If they are then adopted they take over their adoptive parents’. Please note they have to grow up as part of an entire society. One with not only their adoptive parents but also their friends, teachers and peers. Without adults’ repeated instruction one can’t acquire habits. Which constitute a large part of what we consider “culture”.
This was the fatal flaw with forced assimilation of school-age children. They were old enough for certain cultural experiences. The children were taken from their parents and isolated on institutions. There was forced on them the majority language and were forbidden from speaking their parent’s. They were provided with food and cloths matching the majority’s. Did they belong to a different population the food was not adapted to their ability to digest it. Neither were there enough adults which could teach them good habits. To for example keep hygiene there was no-one which really taught them. The combination leads to a noticeable number of these children dying. A large part was traumatised by being pulled up with their roots. This on top of the cruelties which are common in such environments. Deficiency in interactions with adults made the rest maladapted.
Humans as such have to grow up as part of a larger society. Nearly all then learn what is accepted. There are at least seven rules which more or less apply in all human societies. I think it is simply a matter of people being able to cooperate. The one who can function in one society might do it in all. For sure, misunderstandings may arise. However, this is about communication and not ability to function. People’s ability to interact socially is no more specialised than this.
Uploaded on the 9th of September 2026.
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