In a follow-up to his previous column, Vinson Xavier Palathingal discusses the importance of assimilation for Indians living in the West, advocating for a cultural shift towards integrity and accountability.
Assimilation is not about abandoning one’s roots; it is about understanding the values of the society we choose to live in and adapting with honesty and humility. In my last column, “India vs. West: Why ‘Yes Means Yes’ Beats ‘Sub Kuch Chalta Hai’ (‘Anything Goes’) in a Rules-Driven World,” published on December 11, 2025, I argued that while talent and intelligence have taken Indians far, true respect abroad will come only when integrity, punctuality, and reliability define the Indian global identity.
The response to that piece has been intense, particularly from fellow Indians and many within the Hindu community. Such reactions were not unexpected. When long-held cultural assumptions are examined at their roots, discomfort is inevitable. This follow-up is not intended to argue with critics or trade accusations but to clarify intent, correct misunderstandings, and deepen the discussion around the root causes I believe we must honestly confront.
This discourse is not meant to frame India and the West as competitors. Rather, it seeks to understand why two civilizations evolved differently and what responsibilities naturally fall on those who leave one system and choose to live within another.
Assimilation is the responsibility of minorities everywhere. Let me begin with absolute clarity: I am not finding fault with India, Hinduism, or Indian culture as a whole. Instead, I am pointing out the foundational logic behind two different civilizational systems and explaining why friction arises when people transition from one to the other.
Migration flows overwhelmingly from India to the West, not the other way around. This simple fact matters. Wherever people migrate and become a minority, they must recalibrate their beliefs and behaviors to assimilate into the host society. This principle applies universally, including within India itself. Indians instinctively understand this when minorities attempt to alter India’s cultural or social norms. The same logic applies in reverse.
If Indians choose to live in Western societies and benefit from their freedoms, institutions, and protections, then adaptation should not be viewed as submission; it is a sign of maturity. This is not asking too much of Indians; it is asking what every civilization expects of newcomers.
We must confront an uncomfortable but necessary observation: the deep injustices embedded in the Indian caste system were never meaningfully corrected from within Hindu society over centuries. Real reform required external influence—Western legal frameworks, Christian missionary education, British administrative intervention, and later constitutional enforcement. In contrast, the West’s gravest moral failures, such as slavery and segregation, were confronted and corrected largely from within. Abolitionists quoted the Bible, and civil rights leaders appealed to moral absolutes already embedded in Western thought. The system possessed the philosophical tools needed for its own correction.
This is not an insult; it is an observation. Today, many Indians celebrate economic success in the West without acknowledging the moral and institutional foundations that made such success possible. As someone trained in root cause analysis, I am not interested in celebrating outcomes while ignoring inputs. My focus is on fixing causes, not defending pride or manufacturing excuses.
Another factor that must be acknowledged is the impact of post-independence socialism in India. The country chose decades of centralized control, government ownership, and diluted personal responsibility. When everything belongs to the government, nothing truly belongs to the citizen. When no one owns the system personally, abusing it feels morally neutral.
This mindset is captured perfectly in two Malayalam adages many of us grew up hearing. The first suggests that resources exist to be exploited rather than respected, reflecting a worldview where bending rules is seen as cleverness rather than dishonesty. This mindset does not translate well into societies where ownership, accountability, and consequences are personal and immediate.
Western systems are generally simpler, more direct, and easier to implement. This simplicity is precisely why progress becomes visible faster. In contrast, Indian systems are ancient, layered, and deeply nuanced. They are broad and deep but also complex and slow to adapt. There is no shame in this difference.
However, the direction of movement matters. Indians migrate to the West in search of opportunity, not the other way around. Those who arrive cannot expect to reshape local norms without resistance. Any society would view such attempts as invasive. Indians understand this instinctively when the discussion is about India, and the same principle applies abroad.
This discussion is not about cultural superiority; there is no scoreboard. We are immigrants. Assimilation is not weakness; it is the strongest investment we can make in our children’s future. Recognizing this reality is not bootlicking, as some have accused me of; it is realism.
I call America my home because it is my children’s home. Wanting harmony, safety, and dignity for them requires honest self-correction, not defensive outrage. The West’s strength lies in its ability to correct course simply and without drama. That trait is worth learning, not mocking.
To clarify, I never said anything negative about India or Indian culture. I spoke directly and exclusively to Indians who have immigrated to the West, urging them to recalibrate their beliefs around rules, fairness, punctuality, and integrity. Nothing more.
Name-calling does not solve root causes. Emotional reactions do not fix systemic friction. Honest self-assessment does. My goal remains unchanged from the previous column: to protect Indians abroad, reduce resentment before it hardens into hostility, and encourage assimilation so our children inherit opportunity rather than suspicion. That requires courage and, above all, honesty.
According to The American Bazaar, this ongoing dialogue is essential for fostering understanding and respect between cultures.