Globalization: local cultures assignment

Globalization has been expanding all over the world, yet the debate whether it is good or bad for the world is still being discussed today. Some says that globalization makes the world healthier, but some others insist that the world is worse because of globalization, and it could destroy the tradition values and cultures of other countries. This essay, however, argues that even though globalization has been expanding more and more, traditions, local values and cultures will not be eroded.

First of all, new ideas from other countries which are obtained via globalization will enrich local cultures. Secondly, a large variety of product will be brought to other countries, which encourages product diversity. Lastly, people can enjoy many kinds of entertainment from all over the world and get more knowledge via entertainment. New ideas about politics and education that are borrowed from other countries via globalization, will make local culture more diverse. In the Phillipines, such ideas as individual right, freedom of speech, and respect for women did not exist in the past.

However, these ideas have become more popular, local people have become more familiar with the culture of freedom of speech and individual right since America was in this country although they are sometimes used for political purpose (Rice-Oxley, M, 2004). Furthermore, such American’s ideas as freedom, individual, and independence open people’s mind and help people develop their own identity (Blakley, J, 2001). In addition to politics, education also benefits from new ideas borrowed from other countries.

In Shanghai, local television station transfers an American show called Sesame Street to Zhima Jie that is used to educate children and promote Chinese values. This show teaches children Chinese ancient cultures and art forms, Chinese alphabet, and family values so that traditional values of Chinese are maintained (Zwingle, E, 2000). Therefore, new ideas from globalization only enrich local cultures and help maintain local values but not destroy them. Apart from new ideas, globalization also brings a large variety of products, such as McDonald’s fast food, Coca cola’s beverage, or Starbucks coffee and other products to other countries.

These new products will encourage product diversity, so local people have more options to choose products fitting their cultures. Thus, local people do not need to change their cultures although products that they have been using originate from other countries. For instance, McDonald’s fast foods are present in 115 countries, but its products are suitable for local cultures, such as Ayran (a popular chilled yogurt drink) in Turkey, McLaks (a grill salmon sandwich) in Norway, and Maharaja Macs (no beef for Hindus and no pork for Muslims) in India (Zwingle, E, 2000).

An explanation for this problem is that cultures are just matters of appearance, and they are different from country to country. For example, a Christian in Japan is very different from a Chirstian in Europe, democracy from the West has to fit into local social and political structures but not replace them, or when Christianity come to Africa, it adapts to local cultures instead of replacing them (Arste, K, 1999). Likewise, when new products penetrate into other countries, they have to fit into local cultures. Therefore, local cultures are kept unchanged.

Although globalization has many impacts on society, it brings other countries many different kinds of entertainment to enjoy and encourages people to learn to get more knowledge via entertainment. These new kinds of entertainment provide people with many options to enjoy, such as CNN television, cartoon television of Disney channel (N. Wasserstrom, J, 2003), baseball, Hollywood films, internet, and satellite television (Rice-Oxley, M, 2004). Thanks to these kinds of entertainment, people have opportunity to learn English because English is a major language in these entertainments.

However, new entertainments only increase people’s option but not change their cultures. Hong Kong and Taipei, for example, are highly internationalized, but their cultures are highly maintained. 61. 5 percent of people prefer watching local television series in Hong Kong. In terms of music, 49. 4 percent of people in Taipei prefer Mandarin songs to Western songs, and that in Hong Kong is 67. 6 percent. In addition, 55 percent of Taipei and Hong Kong residents prefer local lifestyle to Western lifestyle (Shin-Huang Michael Hsiao; Wan Po-San, 2006). Therefore, international entertainments do not affect local cultures.

More importantly, the factor of local culture still plays an important role in society. For instance, in India 92 percent of television programs are domestically produced, and 99 percent of Indian viewers watch domestic programs. Similarly, low-budget films are still able to defeat American movies (Blakley, J, 2001). In conclusion, it is possible to say that globalization makes the world better because countries in the world can borrow new ideas from each other, which will diversify local cultures. In addition, people will have more opportunities to access foreign-produced products that are suitable for their cultures.

Finally, people’s need of entertainment will become diverse because globalization brings many kinds of entertainment in the world to their country. Therefore, local cultures, values, and traditions will not be eroded because of globalization. Reference list Arste, K (1999). The myth of cultural globalization. Contribution to discussions at Atlantic College. February ??? July. Full text on-line available http://www. kahome. co. uk/essay1. htm Shin-Huang Michael Hsiao; Wan Po-san. Korea Observer. Seoul: Spring 2006. Vol. 37. Iss. 1; Pg. 191, 35 pHs. Norman Lear Center (2001).

Entertainment goes global: Mass culture in a transforming world. USC Annenberg: Blakley, J. N. Wasserstrom, J (2004). A Mickey Mouse Approach to Globalization. YaleGlobal. June 16. Full text on-line available http://www. globalpolicy. org/globaliz/cultural/2003/0618mickey. htm Rice-Oxley, M (2004). In 2, 000 years, Will the world remember Disney or Plato?. Christian Science Monitor. January 15. Full text on-line available http://globalpolicy. igc. org/empire/analysis/2004/0115plato. htm Zwingle, E (2000). Globalization. Full text on-line available http://magma. nationalgeographic. com/2000/culture/global/frame1. html