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"Globalisation" never meant American culture taking over the world. What it meant was the world becoming more inter-connected and integrated.
A formal definition of globalisation would be something like: "increases in the size and velocity of the flows of ideas, goods, and people between countries ".
When I was a kid, not many people in the West would have had any idea what Feng Shui or Bollywood was, let alone practiced Tai Chi, or eaten Sushi.
For people of a conservative disposition, anywhere in the world, it looks like the world they knew is changing and foreign people and influences are pouring in. Some people feel threated by it, some people feel excited about it. Often times there is a real basis for that fear or excitement, as these changes can bring threats to livelihoods or new opportunities, depending on who you are and what you do.
As for whether the values of other cultures are likely to have a bigger role in America, I'd say that will depend a lot on their inherent attraction. For example, a large Hispanic and Asian population might mean more communal values and a greater emphasis on extended families. Or those people and their descendents might Americanise like many previous waves of immigrants, and end up not very different in outlook than Americans of Anglo-Saxon heritage.
My guess would be that several things will happen:
- Some "averaging out". Muslim women in the West might have some traditional ideas, but their views on the role of women are also a lot different than those held by their forbears.
- More options for everyone. It used to be unusual to be a vegetarian or do meditation, and people would have thought you were a bit weird if you did. Now anyone has the choice to do it, even if only a minority do.
- Tolerance of diverse lifestyles and values. It's pretty evident in the "world cities" like London and New York already.
- Pockets of ultra-traditionalists of all kinds, dwindling over time
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morriss003
That said, on to my answer.
Yes and no.
Why yes?
Immigration and increased travel opportunities, the internet, etc have exposed "mainstream" America to different cultures and have influenced people, especially young people to think differently. Whereas it's a drive to adopt certain ideologies (like Jose Padilla the enemy combatant) or reject them. There is no doubt that globalization has affected the way we all think and look at things.
Why no?
There is still a very exoticized view of other cultures and by "adopting" certain values and elements we do so but not because we take them as our own but because they are cool or funky. I feel that some cultures become trendy and then are replaced by the new trendy culture.
Right now, Asian (Japanese, Indian, Chinese) and Latino cultures are hip and cool. People are doing yoga, eating sushi, dancing salsa, talking about chis and reiki and shiatsu but it is still perceived as foreign and just some cool or hip thing that's being adopted, not necessarily authentically embracing it as one's own. I don't think Japan fanboys are adopting Japanese culture but are rather having fun with it because it's so cool.
Last point
I find it very interesting how you call globalization the spread of American culture and reverse globalization the coming of other cultures to America. (When you said America did you mean Western or just American?) When I first read your question I thought you meant reverse globalization and culture syndrome as the reactions to protect one's culture against globalization, which I wrote a paper about. I wrote about how Islamic fundamentalism arises from a cultural crisis because an outside culture is perceived as imposed.
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I wouldn't call it "reverse globalization", though. Globalization is not a one way process by which America influences other countries, but, rather, it stands for interconnectedness of local (national, regional) economies and markets, and their merging into one global network. One may say, it's a feature of world economy today. The processes by which other countries affect America are the very same ones by which America affects these other countries. The relationship is reciprocal, which is not to say that it's symmetric, or, in plain English: fair.
This asymmetry is what causes a considerable concern, indeed, not only in the so-called developing nations, but also here in the West. These concerns are expressed in anti-globalization movement, which, again, has nothing to do with "reverse globalization" - the people do not oppose globalization per se - they are unhappy with certain policies that underline this process.
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Look at specific regions and try to understand the culture being established, its rules and laws, its customs and cultures, and geographic traits.
1. The empty quarter
2. Quebec
3. Ecotopia
4. The breadbasket
5. New England
6. The Foundry
7. Dixie
8. MexAmerica
9. The Islands
Source(s):
Books:
What Kind of Nation
The Clustering of America
The Cultural Creatives
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Answered Question
M$1
April 13, 2009 07:24 PM
Is there a reverse globalization/culture syndrome?
We know that some countries are concerned that American culture is having an effect on their cultures. Are the cultural values of other countries effecting America? Like conservatism from China or from Muslim countries, or liberal sexual concepts from the animes and mangas of Japan?
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Best Answer Chosen by Asker
| April 14, 2009 06:16 PM |
A formal definition of globalisation would be something like: "increases in the size and velocity of the flows of ideas, goods, and people between countries ".
When I was a kid, not many people in the West would have had any idea what Feng Shui or Bollywood was, let alone practiced Tai Chi, or eaten Sushi.
For people of a conservative disposition, anywhere in the world, it looks like the world they knew is changing and foreign people and influences are pouring in. Some people feel threated by it, some people feel excited about it. Often times there is a real basis for that fear or excitement, as these changes can bring threats to livelihoods or new opportunities, depending on who you are and what you do.
As for whether the values of other cultures are likely to have a bigger role in America, I'd say that will depend a lot on their inherent attraction. For example, a large Hispanic and Asian population might mean more communal values and a greater emphasis on extended families. Or those people and their descendents might Americanise like many previous waves of immigrants, and end up not very different in outlook than Americans of Anglo-Saxon heritage.
My guess would be that several things will happen:
- Some "averaging out". Muslim women in the West might have some traditional ideas, but their views on the role of women are also a lot different than those held by their forbears.
- More options for everyone. It used to be unusual to be a vegetarian or do meditation, and people would have thought you were a bit weird if you did. Now anyone has the choice to do it, even if only a minority do.
- Tolerance of diverse lifestyles and values. It's pretty evident in the "world cities" like London and New York already.
- Pockets of ultra-traditionalists of all kinds, dwindling over time
| Asker's Rating: |
• One of the first glimmers of the way that America might be affected by other cultural values was when I noticed all these kids at the bookstore reading this new stuff they called manga. This was several years ago. I read a few of them, and I was startled to see one that showed a young girl performing orally on a high school boy.
After reading several different mangas, I realized that there were different cultural values in Japan concerning the availability of materials that in the US we would consider adult. People I knew who had lived in Japan confirmed this.
Some mangas are now wrapped.
After reading several different mangas, I realized that there were different cultural values in Japan concerning the availability of materials that in the US we would consider adult. People I knew who had lived in Japan confirmed this.
Some mangas are now wrapped.
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morriss003
April 14, 2009 07:15 PM
Good answer
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Other Answers (3)
April 13, 2009 11:12 PM
I find a flaw with your question and it's that you're talking about American culture. America is large and does not have one same culture. Massachusetts and South Carolina could be different countries for all it matters because the culture is so different. That said, on to my answer.
Yes and no.
Why yes?
Immigration and increased travel opportunities, the internet, etc have exposed "mainstream" America to different cultures and have influenced people, especially young people to think differently. Whereas it's a drive to adopt certain ideologies (like Jose Padilla the enemy combatant) or reject them. There is no doubt that globalization has affected the way we all think and look at things.
Why no?
There is still a very exoticized view of other cultures and by "adopting" certain values and elements we do so but not because we take them as our own but because they are cool or funky. I feel that some cultures become trendy and then are replaced by the new trendy culture.
Right now, Asian (Japanese, Indian, Chinese) and Latino cultures are hip and cool. People are doing yoga, eating sushi, dancing salsa, talking about chis and reiki and shiatsu but it is still perceived as foreign and just some cool or hip thing that's being adopted, not necessarily authentically embracing it as one's own. I don't think Japan fanboys are adopting Japanese culture but are rather having fun with it because it's so cool.
Last point
I find it very interesting how you call globalization the spread of American culture and reverse globalization the coming of other cultures to America. (When you said America did you mean Western or just American?) When I first read your question I thought you meant reverse globalization and culture syndrome as the reactions to protect one's culture against globalization, which I wrote a paper about. I wrote about how Islamic fundamentalism arises from a cultural crisis because an outside culture is perceived as imposed.
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April 13, 2009 11:24 PM
Very good answer. I rewrote this question several times before I finally posted it. At one point, I did use Western instead of American. The problem was that using Western is even more generalized than using American. Maybe I should have used, "American Television Culture." But I do think that you are getting the point. I can't help but wonder whether the personal conservatism (versus fiscal) of India and China is going to have a long term effect on us.
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April 14, 2009 12:30 AM
I think it's a cool question and definitely a toughie. Only time will tell :-) Have you seen Firefly? Maybe one day we'll be like them. All cultures rolled into one without any particular demarcations.
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April 14, 2009 06:56 PM
Of course America is affected by other cultures, and it has always been so - does "melting pot" rings a bell? The very term originated in the United States, in an attempt to describe the multi-ethnic nature of American society and culture. Further on, the noble ideas and high principles enshrined in Declaration of Independence were inspired by, if not borrowed from, European Enlightenment. In other words, if other cultures were not "affecting America" there would be no America as we know it. I wouldn't call it "reverse globalization", though. Globalization is not a one way process by which America influences other countries, but, rather, it stands for interconnectedness of local (national, regional) economies and markets, and their merging into one global network. One may say, it's a feature of world economy today. The processes by which other countries affect America are the very same ones by which America affects these other countries. The relationship is reciprocal, which is not to say that it's symmetric, or, in plain English: fair.
This asymmetry is what causes a considerable concern, indeed, not only in the so-called developing nations, but also here in the West. These concerns are expressed in anti-globalization movement, which, again, has nothing to do with "reverse globalization" - the people do not oppose globalization per se - they are unhappy with certain policies that underline this process.
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Reply
April 15, 2009 03:47 PM
Book: The Nine Nations of North America Look at specific regions and try to understand the culture being established, its rules and laws, its customs and cultures, and geographic traits.
1. The empty quarter
2. Quebec
3. Ecotopia
4. The breadbasket
5. New England
6. The Foundry
7. Dixie
8. MexAmerica
9. The Islands
Source(s):
Books:
What Kind of Nation
The Clustering of America
The Cultural Creatives
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Reply
April 15, 2009 08:45 PM
MexAmerica - Two Azetec groups was very eye opening. Also, the Empty Quarter very revealing.
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