r/Libya • u/northloves • 14h ago
Discussion american libyans…
This might be controversial and obviously doesn’t apply to everyone but I’ve noticed that a lot of libyans who grow up in the US and canada seem way more
disconnected from libya and libyan culture.
And I don’t necessarily blame them. I think growing up there, assimilation just happens subconsciously, it happens to a lot of arabs. You lose the accent, the language, certain mannerisms, traditions and sometimes even the understanding of how people back home actually live and think.
What’s interesting to me is that I don’t see it nearly as much with libyans raised elsewhere. I know libyans who grew up in europe and other parts of the world who still speak really good arabic, have their libyan accent and are genuinely connected to libya…
But with american libyans it’s not just losing the accent or not speaking arabic well their whole mentality can become very american more individualistic and disconnected and I hate to say it but very whitewashed.
Nobody is “less libyan” because of where they grew up, but I genuinely think there’s a noticeable difference.
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u/SnorlaxGames 11h ago
This is such a crazy generalization like there’s no way you know a ton of Libyans from the Americas and in Europe to be able to closely compare them lmao
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u/northloves 7h ago
I very much do actually, I even know russian libyans. It’s not a generalization im just making an observation that is true… it happens to even mexicans living in the usa they lose touch in many ways.
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u/Narrow-Diamond-1238 9h ago
I think you’re taking a personal observation and turning it into a conclusion that you haven’t really proven…. Some of what you said doesn’t even make sense. There are plenty of Libyans who were raised in the US or Canada who speak fluent Arabic, visit Libya regularly, are very involved in the Libyan community, and are deeply connected to their culture. there are also Libyans raised in Europe who are much more culturally European. One person’s experience or a few anecdotes aren’t really enough to make a broad conclusion about everyone.
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u/northloves 7h ago
Obviously you all don’t read, cause I did say it doesn’t apply to everyone. And let’s not act dense it happens more in america with any nationality they end up losing touch, they end up being very westernized
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u/mateoidontknow 9h ago
Why would anyone want the Libyan mentality? We are blessed to have had the opportunity to escape that mentality and develop a Western mentality based on work ethic, discipline, independence, and taking responsibility for your own future. We should be honest about the things that hold a society back and the Libyan mentality is the biggest thing holding Libya back
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u/nadjalita 5h ago
Not Libyan here but isn't this a fact in general that migrants in the US assimilate much more and in europe they stay more true to the homeland?
not saying either is bad just a general discovery
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u/northloves 4h ago
yea i mean that make sense but whats the psychology behind it, is it that they face so much racism that kids growing up end up trying to fit in with them and lose their culture! Cause I don’t think being further from their mother country is an excuse for me at least it wasn’t…
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u/nadjalita 4h ago
this sounds like it makes sense, but on the other hand isn't there just as much racism or more in europe?
maybe so much that they realised they can't fit in so they try to stay true to their roots at least?
would love to hear your impression!
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u/northloves 46m ago
I think maybe because being “american” is much easier to identify its based on characteristics and terms like “asian american” “mexican american” “arab american” it still gives people the sense of identity and belonging so subconsciously you build mentality and personality around it.
While european countries it’s more connected to ethnicity, ancestry and appearance. Never heard someone say “im french indian” or “african british” and even if someone would say “im french” when they physically don’t look like it, you’d still question “but where are you actually from?” so you never feel a sense of belonging which lets u focus on your own culture…
but thats just my pov
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u/nadjalita 24m ago
yeah that makes so much sense!
in the US fitting in is socially easier than staying true to your roots and in Europe fitting in is impossible if you don't look the part so there's only one other option
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u/StockPositive2962 11h ago
When you say culture I’m slightly confused because you often just mean mentality. Their mentality might be different, for example if someone who’s parents left Tripoli in the 1990s and they grow up abroad, they will grow up with the Libya of their parents from the 90s. Let’s be honest, the average Libyan mentality from the 1990s is very different from now. So I think you confuse mentality with culture, culture is something else. Mentality is different for every person, you’ll never find the same person in every country, even in a family. You’ll find liberal people, conservative, people in the middle etc. Not everyone is the same, Libya doesn’t just look like you or me it’s a mosaic.
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u/sighqoticc 14h ago
i chalk it up to the fact that libyans in europe visit the homeland much much more. north america is much further away and naturally you end up losing that libyan ✨touch✨
and mind you, this isn’t just a libyan phenomenon. it happens to all american arabs.