Is emigration better than immigration?

Standing in cemeteries can easily lead one to existential contemplation, prompting reflection on identity and origins. Anders Q Björkman shares such thoughts while visiting his parents' graves with his wife.

Björkman's family history presents a study in contrasts: one side of his family emigrated from Sweden to the United States over 150 years ago, while his wife's family immigrated to Sweden from southeastern Turkey just over 50 years ago. He notes that neither group fully met their expectations.

This personal history leads Björkman to question the starkly different societal perceptions of immigrants versus emigrants. "But, we ask ourselves, how can it be that the image of our immigrants and emigrants differs so much?" he ponders. "Why do the former stand so low in esteem while the latter have some sort of heroic status?"

He observes that while many of his wife's relatives found new lives in Sweden, his own ancestor chose to remain in Sweden despite the prevailing trend of emigration to America during that period. These contrasting family narratives fuel his exploration into the deeply polarized views on migration today.

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But, we ask ourselves, how can it be that the image of our immigrants and emigrants differs so much? Why do the former stand so low in esteem while the latter have some sort of heroic status?