16 Comments
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Carol Sutherland-Brown's avatar

I believe that “military brats” such as me mastered the art of fluidity young - in an unceasing effort to fit in.

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Grant McCracken's avatar

Carol, great example, thanks!

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Mark Badger's avatar

Is this not a form of code switching?

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Grant McCracken's avatar

Mark, yes, I think it is, except that it's perhaps more cultural than linguistic, but, as we used to say as kids, a little mysteriously I thought, same difference!

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Tobin Trevarthen's avatar

At what point does truth come into play? It appears fluidity is the anti-truth by definition.

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Grant McCracken's avatar

Tobin, Or it's a way of getting to a multitude of understandings. Not quite the truth. But for some purposes, better.

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Anna's avatar

How does a boomer talk?

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Hema Malini's avatar

Syncretic way of life- it comes from living in and learning to live with other cultures Grant. I wrote about it in my piece on identity where folks knifed me for being more Hyderabadi- https://www.siasat.com/my-name-is-hema-malini-and-i-am-a-pucca-hyderabadi-2060260/?fbclid=IwAR10VGp8XSmmQ4kYMn_SjNb7ZJ0WX8WwmAgageECvHsXIA-QvVDSG0IlLfw

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Grant McCracken's avatar

Hema, thanks for sharing, I enjoyed it!

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Hema Malini's avatar

And how my Hindu community survived in a Muslim dominated culture. Of course the reverse is starting to not work in the now dominant Hindu nation I left behind.

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Patrick Hanlon's avatar

This sounds like a survival tool. Do you think it is embedded or learned? Nice piece and a nice series, Grant!

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Grant McCracken's avatar

Patrick, thanks! I think it's embedded and esp these days augmented through learning.

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Ernie Schenck's avatar

I've written about this in my column for Communication Arts. I call it cultural shapeshifting.

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Grant McCracken's avatar

Ernie, could we have an URL please!

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Ernie Schenck's avatar

Its for an upcoming issue but will post here soon as its out.

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Grant McCracken's avatar

Yes, please!

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