We are all born with a natural identification instinct. As humans, we feel the need to name things and need to be able to place everything into a category. However, since colonies were first built in America, we have had an identity crisis which has never been completely settled.

The variety of ethnicities in America is said to be the best mix in the world, but analysts have not come up with a theory that best describes this mix as of yet. The “salad bowl” theory was just brought to my attention in a class this week. Apparently, this idea has been a catchphrase for decades, so I am a little behind.

America had never been explained to me as being anything other than a “melting pot.”

The melting pot theory has been the longest-standing ideology of the two, and the one most commonly discussed until recently.

The melting pot theory is based on the belief that America is one large pot of soup. Anyone who comes to the United States assimilates himself or herself to all American belief systems. All cultural aspects are blended together to form a new race or culture of people where each ingredient has sacrificed its original identity. Cultures are thought to now be a “melted” version of themselves that can no longer be easily distinguished.

The salad bowl idea gives the perspective that immigrants bring different tastes into one whole, but each ingredient maintains its original shape and characteristics.

There are large flaws that don’t give the United States adequate merit in both these theories. With the melting pot theory, one would get the impression that adding one ingredient or taking one away would completely change the flavor and texture of the substance.

However, we in America have set standards of immigrants to our level of expectation. People of varying cultures are seen to be successful the more they step out of their native culture and step into our Western culture ideas. We are more likely to ignore factors of other people’s beliefs than to accept them willingly into our brew as a tasty spice or seasoning.

The melting pot theory would work fantastically if everyone who came to America were European. However, somehow people of non-European descent are left out of the equation.

The salad bowl theory prides itself on stating that each culture is part of an American system (the salad), but that each culture (the peas, carrots or tomatoes, etc.) retains its own identity.

The problem with this theory is the carrots and peas still seem like outsiders. I know not everyone likes having peas or carrots in their salad. Some people drench lettuce in salad dressing, put on maybe a few sprinkles of cheese and call that a salad. No diversity, no variety.

The idea could be implied that each individual has the ability to pick and choose the ingredients they would like in their salad. This is not true, though, for everyday situations in America. For example, on campus, we might be thrown randomly into a group consisting of one Arab American, or one African American, or one person of any other culture. We have no choice but to work with that person and strive to work around any differences in order to complete the task.

Yes, you can request a salad without tomatoes, but going through life always asking for no tomatoes can be annoying. It would be easier if we weren’t as picky and could eat any vegetable given to us.

I admit, I am having fun with the food groups, but hopefully what I am saying is apparent without making you too hungry. The melting pot theory and the salad bowl theory both seem extreme. On one hand, we are asking people to conform to the common Americanized belief system, while on the other hand we are making ethnicity too separated.

It would be great if America could finally be able to identify itself as a culture where people can come and be accepted as who they are, live intermixed with all cultures and still carry on their own beliefs. It is possible other ethnicities do not want to be seen as “American.” Therefore, it wouldn’t matter which theory we acquire.

However, I have never heard this as being true. People come to America to fit into a lifestyle and to succeed in that lifestyle. I doubt, though, many of them arrive in America thinking they will leave behind their religion, language, and values.

It is ridiculous to call ourselves a melting pot when there are noticeable separations between cultures. Perhaps in the near future we will be able to come up with an entr‚e that efficiently identifies America’s acceptance of ethnicity.