People will learn to respect each other and their respective cultures

In a multicultural society, the numerous differences between people can either be a source of conflict or a reason to come together. The difference between these two scenarios comes down to how much respect and tolerance different groups have for each other. In a society where free speech and the freedom to hold different views from the majority are protected, people will eventually come to respect each other and their differences. Although there may be much dissonance initially (especially between older generations), some theorize that societies where "respect" for multiculturalism is taught in all schools would help to bridge the gap between different groups of people. Teaching respect for others’ differences from a young age is certainly easier than attempting to force acceptance or respect later in life. And when respect for others is the norm, then conflict between different groups becomes far less common. For example, in the United States, one of the most diverse nations in the world, people of the younger generations are typically more accepting of others’ cultures and differences. The Pew Research Center notes that Generation Z (those born from the late 1990s to the early 2010s) are not only the best educated and most diverse generation to date, but also the most accepting of others (racially, culturally, etc.). With respect to the controversy surrounding NFL players kneeling during the national anthem, 61% of Generation Z agrees with the protests versus 37% of Baby Boomers.^[1] One possible cause for this generational difference is that Generation Z has been around such diversity for all of their lives while this was certainly not the case for the Baby Boomers. A multicultural society forces people to come to terms with others’ differences, and ultimately, with time, causes people to respect such differences. Multiculturalism helps society as it engenders acceptance and respect for all, and leads to less conflict between people.