Digital, Platform, and Language Imperialism: An analysis of Cultural Imperialism
Introduction
This essay will explore the effects of a globalized digital era towards a standardized culture around the world. It will start with the evolution of imperialism by western nations, in particular by US, through the utilization of Web 2.0 and digital platforms. This essay will focus on cultural imperialism as the internet becomes a tool by influential countries to implement their cultures upon others, focusing on how USA has been building a strong and influential power over other less-dominant countries. This essay will highlight American imperialism as an integral component of Western imperialism and language imperialism as part of this the westernization …show more content…
Platforms, such as social medias, search engines, smartphones, and operating systems have influence information and cultural exchange (Jin, 2013). Geographic boundaries are less significant due to the wide array of platform for a convenient digital traffic. Globalization of the internet makes our world smaller (Romero, 1996) as nation borders are meaningless on the net. Due to the importance of media platforms, especially digital-wise, several countries has developed their own social network sites and search engines (Jin, 2013, pp. 145). However, global digital platform remains as a dominated sphere by Western countries, primarily the U.S. Google, Facebook, iPhone, and Android, are the largest search engine, social media network, smartphone, and operating software respectively; four of these dominant platforms are American based (Jin, 2013, pp. 145). The US which has previously been accused of controlling non-Western countries with its military power, capital, and cultural products, are now dominating the world with Web 2.0 platforms (Jin, 2013, pp. 145). The unquestionable cultural influence by the US has reached a higher level than ever due to their advanced role in promoting the use of American-based digital platforms. As geographic boundaries and cultural exchange are unavoidable in this highly digitalized era, America has greater opportunity and power to implement cultural …show more content…
Language plays a pivotal role in enforcing cultural influence to another nation. It is estimated that 90% of internet traffic in the world is in English (Romero, 1996). As most internet-related platforms, such as websites and search engines, are based in the US, it is unsurprising that English is mostly employed in the Web 2.0. As English is considered as the unofficial language of the international commerce (Morris, 1996), the internet is now seen as a threat towards the eradication of less-practiced languages in the society. This in turn could lead to a standardized language as non-English languages becomes less significant in this rapid globalized world. An argument that centered around the debate against language imperialism, in which English remained as the language that forced the Anglican imperialism, is the need to conserve local cultures and maintain national identity through the preservation of national or local language. Language imperialism through the proliferation of American media could potentially marginalize the status of local languages and undermine cultural values (Phillipson,
Introduction
This essay will explore the effects of a globalized digital era towards a standardized culture around the world. It will start with the evolution of imperialism by western nations, in particular by US, through the utilization of Web 2.0 and digital platforms. This essay will focus on cultural imperialism as the internet becomes a tool by influential countries to implement their cultures upon others, focusing on how USA has been building a strong and influential power over other less-dominant countries. This essay will highlight American imperialism as an integral component of Western imperialism and language imperialism as part of this the westernization …show more content…
Platforms, such as social medias, search engines, smartphones, and operating systems have influence information and cultural exchange (Jin, 2013). Geographic boundaries are less significant due to the wide array of platform for a convenient digital traffic. Globalization of the internet makes our world smaller (Romero, 1996) as nation borders are meaningless on the net. Due to the importance of media platforms, especially digital-wise, several countries has developed their own social network sites and search engines (Jin, 2013, pp. 145). However, global digital platform remains as a dominated sphere by Western countries, primarily the U.S. Google, Facebook, iPhone, and Android, are the largest search engine, social media network, smartphone, and operating software respectively; four of these dominant platforms are American based (Jin, 2013, pp. 145). The US which has previously been accused of controlling non-Western countries with its military power, capital, and cultural products, are now dominating the world with Web 2.0 platforms (Jin, 2013, pp. 145). The unquestionable cultural influence by the US has reached a higher level than ever due to their advanced role in promoting the use of American-based digital platforms. As geographic boundaries and cultural exchange are unavoidable in this highly digitalized era, America has greater opportunity and power to implement cultural …show more content…
Language plays a pivotal role in enforcing cultural influence to another nation. It is estimated that 90% of internet traffic in the world is in English (Romero, 1996). As most internet-related platforms, such as websites and search engines, are based in the US, it is unsurprising that English is mostly employed in the Web 2.0. As English is considered as the unofficial language of the international commerce (Morris, 1996), the internet is now seen as a threat towards the eradication of less-practiced languages in the society. This in turn could lead to a standardized language as non-English languages becomes less significant in this rapid globalized world. An argument that centered around the debate against language imperialism, in which English remained as the language that forced the Anglican imperialism, is the need to conserve local cultures and maintain national identity through the preservation of national or local language. Language imperialism through the proliferation of American media could potentially marginalize the status of local languages and undermine cultural values (Phillipson,