Argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Argument - Essay Example In the light of the above, it may be argued that it is necessary to keep cultural traditions even if a person has moved into a new country because old culture has its own relevance in an individual’s life. Americanized immigrants like Vietnamese believe that their children will not keep their traditions alive because they do not understand why the rituals are performed on occasions. They believe that the tradition will culminate with the present generation. The children of immigrants have no idea about the prayers to be made to long departed souls. Though the old generation makes it a point to perform all the cultural traditions in varying occasions even if they live in the United States asking for the protection and guidance of the departed souls, their children are only interested in worldly matters of studies, degrees and recognitions. The agrarian ethos of family and worship has given way to the obsession of individual’s glories and ambitions. Keeping tradition alive, however, does not move away from the responsibility of the Americanized younger immigrant generations because at some point of time they regret and feel guilt for not carrying forward their cultural values (Lam 2003). It may be noted that there is not such element as timeless tradition because immigrants consider life of their ethnic society from a different perspective in a foreign land. To keep the tradition alive, immigrants usually build up their version of tradition by re-conceptualizing their past in the new foreign society to discuss issues and dilemmas. The invented tradition has a significance of its own because immigrants interpret and function in the present society according to the cultural models of the past. Factors that help immigrants to keep their cultural traditions of their home country alive are strong immigrant institutions and communities, ethnic networks and transnational relations. In