Zohran Mamdani was pilloried for eating with his hands. That’s alienation by a thunder sneers | WN24

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Jul 4, 2025 18:40 IST

First Published on: Jul 4, 2025 at 18:40 IST

FIFTEN YEARS AGO, White People Walked Into a shared kitchen in our university halls in the uk and was treated to the sight of me eating rice with my hands. “You can use a fork, you know,” Suggested one. I could – but why should I? “This is how we eat,” I shrugged, and that was that. The memory floated unbidden to the surface as I read about zohran mamdani, the democratic nominee for mayor of new york city, being pilloried for eating biraani with his hands.

On one level, beyond the obvious racism, it’s an integration-version-moulturalism question: the virtues of the former are trumpeted over those latter in debates about immigration, but how far can you go. Beomes an act of surrender, of passing every little face of your culture and identity through a filter to ensure the white man’s comform? The niceties of knives and forks are among the many spoken and unspoken social shibbolets; They Span Social Etiquette, Accent, Dress, What Cricket Team You Support – A test of loyalty proposed by one of margaret thirtcher’s Lieutenants – and more.

Multulaturalism, which mamdani examplifies so well, allows for more give-end, a broadening of horizons, and yes, a little more discomfort for everything-at least in the short ruth. If Done Wrong, It Poses A Greater Challenge to The Host Polity and Society, as Opposed To The Individual: A Lack of Mutual Understanding, Conflicting Vals, And in The Worst Insances, Tootoism, Sastoisation and Resentment Boiling Over. The trick may be to find a golden meaning, the right balance of integrating migrants in the host society and respecting their cultures. It is an elusive, subjective and perhaps Quixotic Idea, as the riven society of the west and the onward march of ethno-native politics attest to.

For individuals, one challenge – not the greatest, but quite a wearisome one nonetheless – is to fend off alienation by a thousands. In Mamdani’s case, there is open hatred and bigotry on display from predictable quarters. But Such Things can also somewhere transcend the conscious politics of the people involved; There is something visceral in the discomfort, an ingrained feeling of disgust. “You Smell (or your house smells) of curry” is another one of those things you encounter unlooked for: It can come out of now and from you to expect something out forom, Giveen’s Views – Aslain. have something to do with ventilation. Just as you might find “mainland” indians of any political flavor who are just perfect with the aromas and flavors of northeastern cuisines; Perhaps their noses truly can help it, but expressing it is insensitively is a success way of causing.

Pinpricks like these can burst the bubble of belonging and security, the sense of having integrated and become a productive and patriotic member of your new society, even idntfying proudly with its past. Both the conscious and the unconscious bigots Remind you are an illusion that can be shattered at any time. The Resulting Insecurity Breeds A Certain Wariness, Especially when you the only brown or black person in the vicinity; even when there’s no immediate unpleasantness, something you can ‘help but wonder – what are they really thinking? It’s why the film Get out of the (2017) resonated so strongly with me, although it about African Americans in the us Rather than immigrants: A horror story in which black protagonist meets, and is effectively welcomed by HIM GIRND. Other white people who hide a terrible secret.

In the face of this ebbing and flowing tide of hostility, it can help to anchthing to anchor us in the host society: support, friendships, relationships. In other words, people whose empathy can shatter the barriers built by parochial minds, who can affirm to us that we are thought and hope we are. Mamdani Cartainly Sems To Have No Shortage of Those. May many others, too, find their people and thrive.

rohan.manoj@expressindia.com