I was pretending that I did not speak their language; on the moon we spoke a soft, liquid tongue, and sang in the starlight, looking down on the dead dried world.
Shirley JacksonRead
Immigration, a lexicon. You're a 'migrant' when you're very poor; 'immigrant' when you're not so poor; and 'expat' when you're rich.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote explores the disparity in perceptions of individuals based on their economic status within the context of migration.
Laila Lalami's quote highlights the arbitrary nature of labels assigned to people who move from one country to another based on their financial situation. It suggests that societal perceptions of migrants are heavily influenced by wealth, implying that one's economic status can define their identity—where poverty casts labels of 'migrant,' moderate wealth results in 'immigrant,' and affluence grants the status of 'expat.' This distinction underscores the biases that exist within the discourse surrounding migration.
Themes
ImmigrationMigrantExpatWealthIdentity
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about immigration reform, I referenced Laila Lalami's insight on economic labels.
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