In the last half century, globalization which is the intermixing of cultures, has sharply increased. A writer who has recognized this trend is Todd Gitlin in his book Media Unlimited. Western culture has become an issue of vigorous debate in the fight for cultural identity, national sovereignty, and corpus juris, and freedom in fashion worldwide. This cultural globalization has been seen in the rise of three types of cultures: pop culture such as American music, sports, and McDonald’s industry; folk culture seen in different languages worldwide; and high culture which is seen in fashion and museums all impacted by the rise of technology. The globalization of cultures directly influences how fashion is perceived across the world. A change in trend via a photo in Vogue can have a major influence on the world economy.
Huntington defined civilization as a whole, through cultural means, making a point that cultural identity is important because it, distinguishes humans from other species. He predicted that one day there would be a clash between civilizations on the “cultural fault lines.” Huntington’s idea of what culture was to become could not foresee the progress that society would one day make. The modern day view of culture is far broader than Huntington’s because globalization now includes folk and high culture as well as pop culture. The ultimate clash is less between civilizations than within them. Therefore, although pop culture is a main reason for this clash within civilizations, high culture and folk culture are main reasons as well.
There are many indirect effects that result from popular culture. “Popular culture is the most obvious realm (of the cultures) because there is a pervasive influence of American music, fashion, movies, TV, all tied to open markets and global consumerism.” In Jihad vs. McWorld, Benjamin R. Barber develops the expansion of the “McDonald’s Empire.” The “McDonald’s Empire” or “McWorld” is symbolic of popular culture, driven by expansionistic commerce, which pushes American culture on the foreign state. McDonald’s serves 20,000,000 customers around the world every day and has established 15,000 restaurants around the world, earning close to 45% of all their profits from foreign states. This idea would have outraged thinkers like Machiavelli and Montesquieu. Machiavelli, Montesquieu, and other thinkers argue that a free society could only be one sufficient in itself for food and resources. Todd Gitlin agrees with this that people have become slaves to television and to the media. The societies who have embraced McWorld can never truly be free again.
The rise of technology has greatly contributed to the spread of popular culture. Bill Clinton stated before leaving the presidency that, “In the new century, liberty will be spread by cell phone and cable modem.” With the urbanization of the world by popular culture through technology, the West dominates through the influence of American culture. The rise of technology has bred international globalization.
The spread of popular culture gave rise to the theme park state and the “Disneyfication” of the world. The spread of culture through commercial means has led to the demise of many different cultures. Disney has built an empire of books, movies, television, clothes, stores, and even food. The Disney Corporation manipulates the young people of the world into thinking that having a Disney experience will result in ultimate happiness. This idea of happiness has promulgated the idea that American culture equals happiness. Therefore, if one is not a part of the American culture, one cannot truly be happy.
Many of the concepts of cultural globalization stem from broader concepts of the American metaphor of the cultural “salad bowl” versus the “melting pot.” The metaphor of America as the “melting pot” of cultures connects many cultures that are mixed together to create one westernized culture. This idea of the “melting pot culture” is seen in Mesopotamia, where cultures mixed together in a “melting pot” of ideas. The diversity within the cultural melting pot led to the point where the lack of diversity extended to the weakening of the state. Ultimately, this “cultural melting pot”, led to the fall of the state. The difference between the “cultural melting pot” and the “cultural salad bowl” is that, in the “melting pot” the cultures reflect the past and in the “salad bowl” cultures are dependent on ideas from the past but reflect the future. In contrast to the belief of many people in the world today, the “Americanized” culture is not a “melting pot” but rather is a “salad bowl”. In New York City this can be seen within the distinct areas of the city that celebrate and are home to the different culture groups. The ideas of many cultures are placed in a “salad bowl”, are stolen, “Americanized”, and then used as American culture. Many varied cultures are no longer “melting” but “mixing”, each keeping their distinct difference and flavor but ultimately recognized as western. The lack of diversity weakens the state, and culture ultimately defines law. It is here, in defiance of law that the westernization of modern day culture will lead to its own self-destruction.
Popular culture and indigenous culture have been highly effective in aiding the westernizing of culture in the world. The best example of high culture is seen with the rise of the “museum state”. If one were to visit a museum in England, one would not only see English art, but French Impressionist art, Italian religious art, Muslim religious art, and many more. There has been an overarching confusion of nationalism in many countries because of this. More than half of the people living in America can only name a piece of art by a Frenchmen. The lack of “artistic differences” undermines the concept of nationalism. Cultural globalization is ever present with the destruction of nationalism. The “museum state,” is globalizing many cultures by bringing the cultures together in one place, promoting acceptance of one ancestry common to all and truly technology is a major cause of this.
Pop culture, indigenous culture, and high culture are ultimately leading the self-destruction of entire cultures. In “Techno Logic“, Thomas Friedman discusses how the world has been flattened by technology making it possible for all people to be on the same playing field in regards to competition. He makes the point that it gives the opportunity for all people from both developing world and the already-developed world to work together in unity. The problem with this is that indigenous people think far differently than the industrial world. Many people in the world do not believe everyone is equal. The concept of globalization is contradictory to their very nature and to accept it is to deny their ancestry or die trying to maintain an indigenous or traditional life in a newly globalized technical world. Globalization is a process that cannot be stopped and is one that benefits the western world while the rest of the world begins to lose their identity. The hope is that this process of a loss of identity does not cross over into the creative world and that fashion will still have a voice in the face of globalization.
References:
Barber, B. R. (2003). Jihad vs. McWorld. London: Corgi Books.
Gitlin, T. (2001). Media Unlimited: How the Torrent of Images and Sounds Overwhelms Our Lives. New York: Metropolitan Books.
Lieber, Robert J. and Ruth E. Weisberg, “Globalization, Culture and Identities in Crisis,” International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society, Vol. 16, no. 2, Winter 2002
Friedman, Thomas, “Techno Logic,” Foreign Policy, March/April 2002.
