Have you ever thought about a place where everyone is the same? Perhaps a world where people have the same beliefs and values. A world with the same culture. Would it be uninteresting and lifeless? Would it be better than what exists today? In the essays, “America: The Multinational Society” by Ishmael Reed and “Wrong Ism” by J.B. Priestley, the two discuss their beliefs of humankind moving towards a world culture. Authors Reed and Priestley both portray a growing world culture as the joining of people from multiple societies; however, Reed suggests that America illustrates a single culture through a melting pot of influences that have merged together, while Priestley stresses the importance of regionalism and internationalism working together.
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Reed identifies two independent threats--one being the fact that people still look upon others who are different as inferior and secondly, the possibility of a monotonous world without feelings. People continue to cling to the idea of “Western Civilization” dominance (i.e. Europeans of white decent), which often results in the perceived superiority of the Caucasian population. “Western Civilization, then, becomes another confusing category...as a man attempts to impose his small-screen view of political and cultural reality upon a complex world” (Reed 288). Historical incidents such as: “The incarceration of Japanese-American citizens during World War II, the persecution of Chicanos and Chinese Americans, the near-extermination of the Indians, and the murder and lynchings of thousands of Afro-Americans” (Reed 288) have lead to ongoing prejudice in today 's society. Aside from people sensing the need to be superior to others, Reed believes the merging of their cultures could lead to “A humdrum homogeneous world of all brains but no heart, no fiction, no poetry” (Reed 289). These beliefs create great obstacles for our world as we move towards a universal society. While Priestley identifies multiple threats like Reed, Priestley identifies one main threat to a world culture- nationalism. “National man, drunk with power, demands our loyalty, money …show more content…
Reed sees this through a mix of all cultures blending together and creating one. While, Priestley stresses the importance of maintaining life perspectives through regionalism, while focusing on building success in a universal society; thus creating a more organized and desirable state than the randomness suggested by Reed. Does this growing world culture we live in today create a greater good or does it put us at risk for masking the individual characteristics we each hold dear to our heart? You be the
Reed identifies two independent threats--one being the fact that people still look upon others who are different as inferior and secondly, the possibility of a monotonous world without feelings. People continue to cling to the idea of “Western Civilization” dominance (i.e. Europeans of white decent), which often results in the perceived superiority of the Caucasian population. “Western Civilization, then, becomes another confusing category...as a man attempts to impose his small-screen view of political and cultural reality upon a complex world” (Reed 288). Historical incidents such as: “The incarceration of Japanese-American citizens during World War II, the persecution of Chicanos and Chinese Americans, the near-extermination of the Indians, and the murder and lynchings of thousands of Afro-Americans” (Reed 288) have lead to ongoing prejudice in today 's society. Aside from people sensing the need to be superior to others, Reed believes the merging of their cultures could lead to “A humdrum homogeneous world of all brains but no heart, no fiction, no poetry” (Reed 289). These beliefs create great obstacles for our world as we move towards a universal society. While Priestley identifies multiple threats like Reed, Priestley identifies one main threat to a world culture- nationalism. “National man, drunk with power, demands our loyalty, money …show more content…
Reed sees this through a mix of all cultures blending together and creating one. While, Priestley stresses the importance of maintaining life perspectives through regionalism, while focusing on building success in a universal society; thus creating a more organized and desirable state than the randomness suggested by Reed. Does this growing world culture we live in today create a greater good or does it put us at risk for masking the individual characteristics we each hold dear to our heart? You be the