Cultural Homogenization And Globalization

Improved Essays
Globalization is the trend towards greater interconnectedness between people. Social globalization, in particular, focusses on the process by which people's lifestyles are influenced by global networks. One common effect of globalization is cultural homogenization: the reduction of cultural diversity. Cultural homogenization is a direct result of globalization and is actually considered one of its main characteristics. When people are exposed to different cultures, they may choose to ignore their own customs and follow the traditions of what they see instead. This creates a single, popular monoculture. There are differing views as to whether a monoculture is beneficial or harmful. One perspective is that a common global identity should …show more content…
There are many who mistakenly believe a global identity would promote a western worldview and cause the westernization of the world while destroying other cultures. This view may come from the imperialistic attitudes of nations in the eighteenth-century. However, a true global identity would incorporate cultures from around the world. They may not remain exactly the same, new, unique customs may be created through hybridization: the mixing of cultures. Hybridization naturally occurs through contact with other societies and has lately increased because of globalization, which links people together. The creation of jazz occurred through hybridization: it combines African-American folk songs with classical music and has West-African influences. The new elements from the creation of a global identity will expand the horizons people have to express themselves. A person will be exposed to different cultures and new cultures will be …show more content…
Even now, people are listening to the same music, watching the same films and encountering similar experiences. This so-called "popular culture," allows people to relate easily with others, which creates better international relationships. A person from China may have little in common with a person in Uruguay, but they can bond over their common interests from popular culture. Two major forces in the spread of popular culture are transnational corporations and the media. Transnational corporations expose countries to different goods, allowing more and more people to try foreign things. MacDonald’s, a corporation that operates in over one-hundred and twenty three countries, is exposing people to the American fast-food culture. The media has the power and capability to reach a wide audience; therefore it is extremely influential in the spread of a common culture. Some fear that pop culture causes people to disregard their native heritage, thus destroying cultural diversity. This can be combated by promoting individual cultures while accepting a common global identity. People can maintain their own, unique heritage while being a part of the global

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    The idea of the world’s people becoming increasingly more interconnected and interdependent through the movement of ideas, beliefs, religions, and lifestyles across the planet is explained through globalization. Globalization is moving faster and faster than ever before reaching into every corner and affecting all the world’s citizens. Whether one would argue if globalization is affecting us in a positive or harmful way is up to he/she themself. The author of this source most obviously agrees that globalization is impacting the world in a negative form, as the source talks about cultural homogenization taking over the earth. It speaks of how Western lifestyles, and the Western ideology is becoming the dominant culture, and uses strong words…

    • 1391 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Furthermore, building a strong national identity is the core mission for every new sovereign state, especially in culture. People in the same culture tend to have similar…

    • 585 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Cultural Homogeneity

    • 974 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Legislation reflecting the social climate is enacted whenever people become acutely aware of the lack of cultural homogeneity. People tend to react negatively when they feel normal changing. Native residents share common values and beliefs that create a culture of sameness, however, when refugees come in a culture of difference is created, and this difference threatens their homogeneity. The percentage of refugees that are accepted for the resettlement process is less than 1%. However, refugees are resettled in clustered groups which makes the native residents feel a change in homogeneity.…

    • 974 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Appiah Cosmopolitanism

    • 924 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Cosmopolitans as the author says are those who are knowledgeable and comfortable in several different countries and cultures. The author states that the right approach begins by taking each individual as the proper object of moral concern. Cosmopolitans seriously acknowledge the decisions and actions of every person, from every different culture. Globalization began hundreds of years ago and is still continuing today. The author talks about the preservation of culture and how many believe that globalization is changing traditions and lifestyles but for the worse.…

    • 924 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Globalization is the process by which everyday life, marked by the diffusion of commodities and ideas, is becoming standardized around the world. This process has been in progress through the early days of history where explorers such as Marco Polo and Christopher Columbus developed world relations through trade, exchanging both knowledge and goods. This process has become far easier and accessible through the invention of the Internet, where people can exchange knowledge and ideas right from their computer screens. Many countries embrace the idea of globalization because it allows for production and distribution of products around the world, benefiting their economy and allowing access to remote products. Though globalization has united our…

    • 1131 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Both the source and Legrain believe that the world will benefit from the influence of modern culture, and would argue that identity is able to thrive in the process of globalization because the new and different aspects introduced to a culture allow for a wider understanding and more opportunity for individuals to discover new talents and religions, both of which make up a large part of a person's identity. In the sources opinion, an individual would be able to choose what they wish and the resulting freedom would strengthen a sense of identity. The source might also state that many job opportunities are afforded to nations that experience social globalization, as is expected with the introduction of new businesses and companies. In opposition to the source, one might draw attention to dangers of social globalization, such as the disregard for smaller cultures that have been usurped by larger cultures, who wished to assimilate other nations and spread a culture that represented the beliefs of their…

    • 338 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    3 Ideas: 1. Big and Little Culture: a. Big culture- this is the culture that all people share. Everyone in the world is apart of this one culture. b. Little culture- this is all of the cultures that we all are individually apart of, the cultures that we all belong to.…

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    The Dark Ages

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Throughout the history of the human civilization historians have been able to develop labels for the different historical ages by the important events which occurred within each of them For example, the Dark Ages is a reference to the historical period within Europe in which there was a deterioration of the economic and social life. The deterioration was partly due to the degeneration of the Roman Empire. Each age can be labeled by the protruding theme which may identify the way which life was for those living in those ages. Although the 21st century is still a growing, changing times there are different characteristics that may help interpret the themes for the age. Subsequently, the manner in which an age is interpreted also influence the…

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Globalization is the practice of global assimilation ascending from the exchange of world opinions, merchandises, philosophies and additional features of culture. Progresses in transport and satellites organization, as well as the growth of the telecommunication and its expansion the Internet, are most important aspects in globalization, engendering additional interdependence of financial and ethnic events. Globalization has basically remained motivated by the benefits and requirements of the advanced world. Globalization is compelled by communiqué know-hows, along with by the element that intensifying internationalism is making further consciousness on the likenesses and dissimilarities concerning beliefs and administrative schemes. Globalization,…

    • 1759 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Globalization a modern day way to describe the process in which different cultures are able to interact and learn from one another, through different ideas, items and people. Coming together to reconnect humans with the rest of the world, globalization is closely looked at and studied by those who want a clearer understanding of what it takes for people to be able to reconnect with cultures different from there’s. Thomas Loren Friedman, three time Pulitzer Prize winner, and current writer for the New York Times foreign affairs column since 1995, is a famous journalist who took a closer look into Globalization. Covering the topic in his prologue “Globalization: The Super- Story,” from his book Longitudes and Attitudes, Thomas Friedman uses…

    • 1870 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Abstract Cosmopolitanism gives the idea of a ‘world citizenship” or citizens of the world where people are usually viewed as belonging to all parts of the world not just one country. Ribeiro (2005, 19) discusses the idea of cosmopolitanism as a western notion that showing the need social agents have to consider political and cultural entity. This entity is described as larger than their own homeland, which would comprise of every individual a global scale (Ribeiro 2005, 19). Cosmopolitanism is usually associated with culture and identity and promotes the idea that an individual should not be limited by a national ideas or attachments. The notion of global citizenship is observed in the idea of cosmopolitanism where each human being, regardless of their own citizenship are citizens in a single community.…

    • 1860 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Globalization and its impacts on Culture Globalization is the interaction between people, companies and government of different nations. Globalization focuses on changes which occurred in economic and political affairs. Globalization also have significant impact on local cultures and values. The effects of globalization on local cultures have received less intention due to the fact that the issue of local culture is more confusing and sensitive.…

    • 999 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Every major city is inhabited by all kinds of people. Nearly in every corner of this planet, there is demand for goods from all over the world. If your favorite kind of food is from a culture other than your own, then you too are unconsciously a part of globalization. The influence of other cultures is so engrained and present in all of our lives that we are almost numb to it. Your car can be Korean, your phone American, and even if you shop at a local supermarket, most of your groceries are from all over the country or world.…

    • 1012 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The term “globalization refers to a multidimensional set of social processes that create, multiply stretch, and intensify worldwide social interdependence and exchanges while at the same time fostering in people a growing awareness of deepening connections between the local and the distant. ”(J, Campbell, 4) Westernization is usually known as a particular type of universalize in which the social structures of modernity (capitalism, industrialism, rationalism, urbanism, etc.) are spread the world over, destroying the cultures and local…

    • 1367 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    GLOBALIZATION, MEDIA TECHNOLOGY AND YOUTH Youth are suffering from globalization and consequently they lose their identity. They are engaging with globalization on their daily basis through employment patterns, their friendship groups and their usage of internet especially from social network and the more cultural aspirations that has an effect on their lifestyles. Youth go with flow more often as they don't have experience in life that qualifies them to decide whether or not to drop part of their identity in order to be modernized. Ray (2007) points out that globalization creates increased hybridism and differentiation and an overall more complex and fluid world. He suggested that living in a globalized world does not create homogeneity…

    • 851 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays