The Uncomfortable Truth About Multiculturalism

A Personal Journey from South Africa to Finland

Culture. It wasn’t something I thought about very much growing up in Durban, South Africa. It was home, and I was surrounded by things I knew and understood. People, though unpredictable in general, had a golden thread of predictability simply because they were from the same country, region, or city. It wasn’t until I jumped on a plane and flew 15,000 kilometres to Finland that I began to take a serious interest in culture.

When I arrived in Finland, I quickly noticed that people acted in ways I thought were strange. It went deeper than just speaking a different language—it was the way people walked, talked, and how society was structured. Things I thought were normal were seemingly abnormal here. But this perceived strangeness somehow bound all the people of this country together into a cohesive society that not only worked but thrived.

Embracing a New Culture Without Losing Myself

It took me a bit of time, but I dived straight in. I knew I didn’t want to be on the periphery. I needed to be a part of this culture, without losing who I am. I wanted to better understand my fellow men and women. I will add that as an immigrant, it hasn’t always been easy. If you’ve ever moved to a country vastly different from your own, you understand how difficult it can be.

It’s been a couple of years now, and I still love my life in Finland. I have a much better understanding of the people and how things work.

Questioning Multiculturalism: A European Perspective

Now I find myself asking some uncomfortable questions in light of things happening all over Europe, mainly concerning multiculturalism. Just look at the UK, France, Sweden, and the list goes on—all countries that seem to be having a rough time integrating certain aspects of their immigrant populations.

Multiculturalism is often portrayed as some sort of high-level goal that we all ought to be working towards. Wait, that’s not entirely accurate. It’s usually Western countries that are put under this pressure to become more diverse. We’re told it’s better for everyone, that it’s good. It’s constantly celebrated. Any doubts expressed against this agenda are met with anger. If you’re white, you’ll be called racist. If you’re black, you might be labeled an "Uncle Tom" or simply a bigot. Now, I’m not any of those things, but I do have my eyes. The forced multicultural utopia does not seem to be working. We need to be able to have these conversations in good faith.

What is Culture?

Before we discuss multiculturalism, we have to first ask the question: what is culture?

Wikipedia describes culture as “a concept that encompasses the social behaviour, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups”. It didn’t say it in that little blurb, but you can add language, religion, and so on.

The reason why this is so important is that it binds a group of people together. Society functions more smoothly when you have a general idea of how your fellow man or woman will act in any given circumstance, which will usually be within the safety net of that particular culture's norms. So, getting a massive influx of folk from a completely different country—and more importantly, culture—can have a devastating effect if it’s done incorrectly.

The Real Issue: Misguided Policies, Not People

We all understand this. It makes sense. To be crystal clear, I do not fault anyone for trying to find a better life for themselves. Most people immigrate with the intention of being an asset to the country they’re moving to. Most of my criticism is aimed at ideologically driven governments who create an unhealthy environment.

The issue we face right now—especially in Europe—is that people try to explain the problem along racial lines. If you have concerns about importing a ton of different cultures, you’re most definitely racist, they say.

This personally irks me as someone living in Finland. It’s true there is a correlation between skin colour and culture, but that has to do with the fact that culture is location-based. Depending on the location, you’ll have different homogeneous societies. Most countries in Africa, for example, have people who have dark skin.

My Experience with Assimilation

My personal experience living in Finland isn’t one of being relentlessly attacked by people because of my skin colour. The opposite is true, in fact. Finnish people watch in wide-eyed wonder as I dive deeper into the culture. As Finnish cultural norms slowly become aspects of my cultural norms. I have become another cog in the machine that makes this society work. It’s called assimilation.

If this were purely about the colour of my skin, this would never work.

The Double-Edged Sword of Multiculturalism

Now, multiculturalism is almost everywhere. Within reason, it’s a beautiful thing. You can be living in Ireland and go to an Indian restaurant for an amazing meal. You can be living in Finland and go to an Afro-pop evening. You walk down the street and can meet a person from a different part of the world. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with that. We’re human. We’re diverse and interesting. The people who have an issue with that are generally in the minority.

But what happens when a massive influx of people from a completely different culture, with perhaps very different values, comes to a country? We’re not talking about a place like the USA, which is basically built on immigration. A lot of European countries have only just started experiencing immigration from non-European countries.

In some cases, the cultural differences are chalk and cheese. This can indeed cause a lot of problems. We clearly see that in many European countries that are now hardening their stance against asylum seekers and illegal immigration. In some cases, legal migration too. But that’s a completely different conversation.

The point is, a lot of the tension is born out of people coming to a country and being unable to conform to the social norms of that society, usually due to a government’s incompetence in integrating the folk they allow in—because they’re too focused on being politically correct and looking good on the world stage as they bask in the light at the altar of multiculturalism and diversity.

Why Finland Thrives: The Importance of Culture and Trust

Part of the reason Finland has done so well is because of its culture. It’s an incredibly high-trust society. It is very important to maintain that trust. For that to happen, governments need to refuse to worship at the altar of multiculturalism for the sake of multiculturalism. It will cause—and is causing—havoc in other places. Sweden is a good example. It went from being one of the safest places on the planet, to one of the most dangerous in Europe - when it comes to gang violence. You can’t just sweep that under the rug.

I feel safe here in Finland. The thought of raising children in this country puts a smile on my face. Humans will be humans, so nothing is perfect. But the fruits that this culture created are here for everyone to see.

Conclusion: The Need for Integration and Open Dialogue

I believe it’s supremely important for countries to maintain and celebrate their culture. To put an emphasis on integration. To be stern with people who refuse to do so. Denying the negative aspects of badly handled multiculturalism/immigration will only cause tensions to rise. It will hurt honest, hardworking immigrants who bring something valuable to the countries they move to. It will cause locals to feel unsafe and upset, eroding the high trust in that society.

It’s fascinating to see some people tripping all over themselves trying to make the case that “everything is fine”. That the real problem is “racism” and “the far right”. That’s like starting a fire and complaining that the real issue is the wood in the house. How about we put out the fires first, then we can talk about the wood? I’m an immigrant myself, and I’ll be the first to tell you that foreigners who cause havoc need to be chucked out. Violent crime cannot be tolerated. Ever. Across the board. I come from South Africa. I know where that road leads. You won’t like it. Trust me.

There’s so much more I can say about this, but we’ll save that for another blog.

Let’s not be afraid to have these conversations in good faith.