Globalisation, cultural exchange, and Americanism
What I don’t understand is that so many people are opposed to globalisation and its effects. They clamour to “Keep the jobs here!” and “No intervention!” The thing is that in our post-Cold-War world, we are inevitably connected to each other through the United Nations, international trade, the internet, and through our shared experiences. Once globalisation came about, it was impossible to curtail its effects. It is impossible for one country to stay isolated from the rest of the world; what happens in another country will eventually affect us in some way. Isolationists tend to be obscurantists who are closed to most other cultures and other forms of experience. Also, I find that our globalised culture is an enlightening experience. In the old days, it was far more difficult to listen to a foreign composition or communicate with someone halfway around the world. Nowadays all that is feasible with a mere click of the mouse. Sometimes I take it for granted, but today it seems so staggering that I can speak to people from countries other than my own and listen to music that is not from my native country — and obtain it so easily. I just sat and thought about it, and I thought, “Amazing.” At this very moment in time, I am a Europeanised American sitting in Germany, listening to a Swedish group, posting on this site, with readers from Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia, and drawing pictures with a Japanese flair. I couldn’t have things better in this aspect.
But there are some downsides to globalisation, especially the American cultural hegemony that seems to be engulfing the world at the moment. Cultural exchange is excellent; I approve of it, but America seems to be taking over everything culturally, and traditional cultural aspects seem to suffer because of it. I am tired of the world becoming one big America. I like GLOBALISATION, not AMERICANISM. I see it all the time here in Germany. Certain advertisements are in English, and apparently some kids around here speak phony English to sound “cool.” And the thing is, it’s not British English that’s being spread around; it’s American English. I don’t think those ads should be banned, but I think they definitely highlight the pervasiveness of Americanism in Europe. Writing standards are starting to adhere to American rules, a big shift from the state of things in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. People clamour to go to America, and there is nothing they want more than to be Americans. I don’t get it. I seriously don’t get it. America has a better social situation than some lesser-developed countries, but right now, there is such a cultural and political upheaval by the conservatives that anyone who divagates from the norm wouldn’t be quite welcome in “average” America.
Keep globalisation, but tone the Americanism down.
I don’t think the Americanism should be toned down at all. If anything it should be turned up. American culture has absorbed so much European, East Asian, South Asian, African, Latin American and other culture — and continues to at a breakneck rate — that it is comical to suggest American culture should not spread freely to those interested in it in the same ways. We here in America have embraced everything from sauerkraut to pommes frites (even if we changed that name), been culturally invaded by the Brits more times than can be counted, have made Russianisms our own… the list goes on better than I can recite. We listen to world beats and eat world eats. As recently as the 80’s it was the Americans fearing that the American way would disappear in a takeover move from the Germans and Japanese. To which of course I would have said then as I say now, more Anime please.
The reason why the world has such an appetite these days for Americanism is because it is the culture of the world mixed together in new and innovative ways (sometimes crudely, but not always so) relfected and repackaged back to them. I think it is a wonderful thing.
Comment by J.Kende — 31 May, 2005 @ 8:16 am
Yeah, I know that America is a big melting pot of culture, and I enjoy that aspect of it. I enjoy cultural exchange. I just don’t think one country should dominate it all, that’s all. I think that we should all enjoy each other’s cultural aspects — it’s the hegemony I have issues with.
Comment by Jess Caralize — 31 May, 2005 @ 10:21 am
But one culture isn’t dominating. It just seems that way to some. American culture is just being more productive than European culture right now. Asian culture is also being hyper productive. Rather than Europeans complaining about the competition it would be nice to see them get back to welcoming it and being more creative themselves again. Rip, mix, burn… or die.
Comment by J.Kende — 31 May, 2005 @ 6:30 pm
As usual, I definitely see what you mean. I’d like to see more European creativity right now, and I always enjoy seeing cultural development everywhere. You’re right; we all need to develop and look for progress, change, and exchange.
(Change and exchange…I like that. Maybe it’ll be my new blog subheading.)
Comment by Jess Caralize — 31 May, 2005 @ 8:19 pm
Heh. Yeah, it’s pretty cute.
Comment by J.Kende — 1 June, 2005 @ 10:44 pm
aoeoi
pdoawm
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