Final answer:
Immigrants in the United States balance retaining their original culture with assimilating into the majority culture, facing challenges of prejudice and the benchmarks of assimilation. The U.S. hosts a pluralistic society where some cultural practices are symbolically maintained, while others may diminish over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question of how far immigrants should retain their culture is intrinsically linked to the broader societal debates about assimilation, cultural identity, and pluralism. In the context of the United States, a country with a rich history of immigration, individuals often balance the preservation of their original cultural practices with the adoption of new ones. Assimilation and cultural identity issues become particularly pronounced as immigrants try to navigate and integrate into the majority culture, facing various societal benchmarks such as language assimilation, socioeconomic status, and intermarriage.
Historically, the U.S. has seen periods where substantial numbers of immigrants have faced extended periods of prejudice and discrimination before being absorbed into the 'American' culture. In modern times, while individual and group efforts to preserve cultural heritage vary, the preservation of cultural traditions contributes to the pluralistic 'salad bowl' society, as opposed to complete assimilation into a 'melting pot'. Some cultural traditions may be maintained more symbolically, as seen in celebrations like St. Patrick's Day, Diwali, and Cinco de Mayo, while other aspects of an immigrant's original culture can fade over time.