Hello, reader!
Well to begin, I’d like to say thanks for coming back! I’m glad you decided to click on my blog to see where it goes from just the preliminary ideas. For this post, I’m just going to be setting the basics and proposing an idea. My idea is that both westernization and globalization go hand in hand. For those of you who haven’t heard actual definitions of either of these terms, I’ll go with some very textbook answers. Westernization is defined by Merriam-Webster as the “conversion or adoption of western traditions or techniques” while globalization is “the development of an increasingly integrated global economy marked especially by free trade, free flow of capital, and the tapping of cheaper foreign labor markets.” Neither of these thoughts are actually very recent and go back farther than you would expect. Westernization has simply changed and focused on different cultures over the years. The most recent culture, I would say, is that of the U.S. Many times I think people of different nationalities can see the effects that our culture here in the States has had on the world. From pop culture to food I feel like we’ve staked our claim on a lot. This I find interesting though as many times our country is considered a melting pot of sorts where there are many different countries and cultures represented. However, much of the world is still influenced by things that are distinctly “American” or from the United States. My own personal question is (riddle me this, Batman): How can this happen? For me the answer is a little perplexing and I haven’t fully figured it out yet. One possibility that I can think of is that there are companies that are based or began in the U.S. that have spread outside our nation’s borders and people look to those as the primary examples. As our globe’s cultures continue to grow and work off of each other though, we’re having to look at these thoughts of globalization and westernization even more as driving factors in a possibly growing “global culture.” I want to know what you, the reader, thinks. Does there seem to be a “global culture” forming? Is this culture being solely influenced by U.S. ideals or are all cultures throwing their two cents into the mix? Also, is there a distinct line between the two ideas of westernization and globalization or, like I think, do they go hand in hand in a type of grey area where the lines are blurred?
Hope to hear some thoughts of yours soon! Until next time!
Culture Shock 