<div>We're "hardwired" with the capacity to learn language.  Language is almost always tied to particular culture.  Once humans are acculturated, that is, once they leave their very early childhood behind, they find it more difficult to learn/live within other languages, other cultures.  Granted, some are more able to pick up new languages and cultures than others.  But, in a sense, we've all taken on cultural "software" IMHO, which is something which sticks with us for life.  We can pick up new "software" on our way through life, but the older, early, formative experiences stay very firmly etched in our neural pathways.  IMHO, not all cultural traits are worthy of celebration, but that's another discussion. Of course, many, many do enrich our collective lives as citizens of planet Earth.  </div> <div> </div> <div>Celebrating diversity (mostly),</div> <div>Mike B)</div> <div> </div> <div>*****************************************************************</div> <div>I think it's partly about status.<BR><BR>In Europe, the poor and the immigrants live in the suburbs. The city is <BR>for the cool, well-to-do rich. I actually knew one in Paris. She was <BR>the <BR>mistress of a very rich man. She lived with her daughter near the Bois <BR>de Boulogne in a modern apt building, and she occupied a very luxurious <BR>2 bedroom apt.<BR><BR>What made it luxurious was the size -- enormous living room, the <BR>persian <BR>rugs and furnishings, the maid, and the very modern kitchen and <BR>bathroom. Most Americans would have thought it on the small side.<BR><BR>In the U.S.A happiness seems to be defined in how far away you can get <BR>from others, except for the few brief special occasions when you want <BR>to <BR>be around them, mostly in order for them to admire and recognize your <BR>achievements. It's utterly pathetic and miserable.<BR><BR>J.<BR><BR>Carrol Cox wrote:<BR><BR>>Miles Jackson wrote:<BR>>  <BR>><BR>>>Why not just say--people like the kind of environment they're used <BR>to?<BR>>>What does it add to the argument to smuggle in fanciful claims about <BR>how<BR>>>people in certain places are neurologically "hardwired" to like open <BR>or<BR>>>closed spaces?<BR>>>    <BR>>><BR>><BR>>That proposition itself might repay exploration. I would agree, people<BR>>like what they are used to. Is it just a hidden tautology, or can we<BR>>make it into a substantive proposition, explore _its_ causes, its<BR>>political importance? Sometimes, of course, people don't like what <BR>they<BR>>are used to, or think they don't. And sometimes they are ambivalent.<BR>><BR>>Doodling at 11pm while suffering from an aching neck.<BR>><BR>>Carrol<BR></div><BR><BR>Read "Penguins in Bondage":<br>http://happystiletto.blogspot.com/<p>  <hr size=1>Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. <a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail_us/taglines/postman1/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=39663/*http://voice.yahoo.com">Make PC-to-Phone Calls</a> to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.