[Geno21638]

This is not just a youth thing within the Italian American community, and certainly not something unique to Italians. Italians are an outward-looking culture, very demonstrative, expressive. Some people believe Italians live life as if it were an opera – dramatic, colorful, vibrant, loud. Thus, Italian Americans first learn to live life on the outside. It also makes strong pressures to have material gain so that one can show his or her joy for life and presence in the world.

I think it does make us look more superficial, but I think that characteristic is more Western than anything else. We learn later in life about having a rich, reflective life. There is also a historical trend that more Italians came to American during periods of extreme poverty, thus there is even greater presure to “show” that one has overcome these factors and to rationalize the sadness of leaving loved families and small villages in Italy.

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Name : Geno21638, City : Boston, State : MA, Country : United States, 

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