Culture and Adoption

I am not going to write a full review of The Vanishing Word: The Veneration of Visual Imagery in the Postmodern World by Arthur W. Hunt III today. However, I re-read this book over Christmas break and it seems to be dominating my thought life. This book opens with the author outlining his argument that technology is not neutral. The invention of the printing press played a key role in the Protestant Reformation. The automobile made us a more mobile society and changed the dynamics of the extended family. And, television projects pictures into our brain designed to create an emotional response. Hunt argues that this visceral response causes us to learn by emotion rather than reason. Hunt contends that television is at least partially to blame for the high functional illiteracy rate in the United States.

It is difficult to determine exactly how many Americans are functionally illiterate. The concept of functional illiteracy is popular in assessing student outcomes, but there doesn’t seem to be a standard definition.

Functionally illiterate ~ having reading and writing skills insufficient for ordinary practical needs ~ The Free Dictionary

Now, the trick is to operationally define ”ordinary practical needs!” Despite universal availability of government school and state mandated eduation of all children, functional illiteracy remains a problem in the US no matter what definition is used.

I have been thinking about this in terms of Beverly and David’s adoption. When I was completing the adoption questionnaire, I had to answer the question, “How will you develop and maintain your child’s awareness of his/her cultural and racial heritage?

Making a child aware of their culture is different than maintaining the child’s culture. So much of what is culturally true is not about holidays, food or religion. Culture is more specifically about standards of modesty and dress, personal space, eye contact, and the importance of the elderly and women in society. The list could go on and the traits would be hard to pin down and articulate; they exist below the level of conscious thought. All you can gather from book and other resources describes what customs make a culture different than mine ~ their holidays, foods, language, etc. But the child’s standard of modesty and dress, personal space, eye contact, valuing of people and their religion will in many ways reflect what they learn passively by watching Ron and I. They will culturally act much like other people who have grown up in Minnesota.

Dana of Principled Discovery recently posted a blog entry asking for reader input on Defining Homeschool. Today Renae’s comment included the line, “Whoever defines your words, controls you.” In Dana’s reply she brings up Webster’s 1828 Dictionary. This is the dictionary Marissa and I use in our home school. I have addressed the issue of culture and language before.

Languages bring values with them, and one cannot learn a language without making one’s own the things the civilization that developed the language considers important. ~ Thomas Cahill

When I bring Beverly and David home, I will teach them English. When I was young, my father was stationed in Germany. We lived in a rented house and had German neighbors. I played with the children around me. Apparently, I was able to speak several German phrases, at least enough to get by. I have no memory of speaking German. In fact, I have an absolute deficit in learning languages. I suspect that Beverly and David will quickly learn English. Will they remember that they once spoke Creole? Beverly is a chatterbox; she is fluent in Creole. David is just learning one and two word sentences. I will have changed their culture.

We live in the Midwest. Although we do not have cable television, we still live in America. We rent and watch movies that portray the rich and the beautiful so that they look just like me. After all, if the actors and actresses didn’t look like me, perhaps I wouldn’t relate to them. I might not watch the show and advertising dollars would be harder to come by. We have 4 computers in our home. Like Princess Fiona, our extended families live Far-Far-Away. Contrary to myths about home schooling, we will go out into society. Our children will learn expectations about modesty. With Marissa as a big sister, they will undoubtedly understand what is “in style.” Marissa is a fashion bug. They will pick up on making direct eye contact. They will learn about personal space as others either step closer or back away from them. Haitian personal space is way smaller than what is normal in America. When I was in Haiti, I often was intimidated when people walked or sat too close. Our society has a macro mindset, personal and social ethics are dependent on what is best for society. In Haiti, personal and social ethics are much more focused on the person.

No matter how hard I try, Beverly and David will be culturally American.

For those who have been affected by adoption, particularly transracial or international adoption, I would encourage you to read, Happy Halloween on Jane’s Blog. (Hat Tip: Harlow’s Monkey)