London is perhaps one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with roughly 40% of its population being foreign, according to the census of 2001 (national statistics 2006, online). - Its diverse patchwork of people all coming together to create a unique cultural diversity that some countries in their entirety cannot even boast of. Multiculturalism has its obvious, often spoken of benefits, but can multiculturalism have negative aspects? Spend some time in London, and you will soon be acutely aware of the barrier of language that exists between many of its inhabitants. Caused by lack of confidence or will to learn, many Londoners don't bother to educate themselves enough to speak the common tongue of the city. Even at a basic level. People shove past you on the tube or in the street, without so much as a sideways glance, seemingly unable to offer an apology. A misunderstanding of the nuances of the English language can also lead to ambiguous statements becoming rude or offensive without need, as can be experienced from service staff in retail and catering, as well as maintenance and even on the transport system.
One could be forgiven for being angered by this certain lack of manners and at the same time, forgiven for not remembering that there are many who simply may not even be able to communicate well enough to offer them. Unfortunately, it can then create an air of impersonality and lack of interaction as people walk past each other, heads down, desireless or helpless to connect. Segregation becomes inevitable. Understanding too, becomes imperative, but clearly, isn't something that everyone provides. In some cultures too, the use of manners in certain situations is a way of demeaning someone, or even oneself.
The effects of different cultural norms has further reaching effects as well, especially relevant to some aspects of society than others. In the service industry for example, some who may view their job as important and worthwhile, may find it hard to understand the lack of desire or effort applied by someone performing the same tasks whose own views deem their position to be a menial, mundane, useless, thankless, down-putting job. There are many companies who could owe a lack of productivity, company morale or respect to this kind of misguided attitude. And to the detriment of not only business in this city, but to tourism and of course, the economy.
The implications for the city of London spread even further still. Some, for many and varied reasons, may struggle to assimilate properly into society here which can often cause unemployment. The struggle to survive may see such people turning to petty crime and other criminal activities such as drug-dealing, illegal prostitution, the selling of counterfeit or pirated goods and a lot of other organised crime as well. There is no question that drugs and counterfeit and pirated goods are all readily available in London, and there is no question that they are seen often being sold by foreigners who have clearly little to no desire, or very few to no prospects of finding a normal, legal job. Crime is perpetuated and the people suffer for this multicultured hub of the U.K.
While such aspects of multiculturalism may be becoming a problem, to a certain extent, for many, the pros far outweigh the cons. The never-ending array of food and language which we can enjoy, the ability to connect with other cultures and learn other customs, as well as the doors being opened to present opportunities for those wishing to grasp them scream in multiculturalism's favour. Where the problems lie, we can only hope that tolerance and compassion will prevail. But with so many different viewpoints on such matters, will this ever be a possibility?
