Globalization vs. Americanization
In
Andrew Lam’s essay, he refers to globalization as “the psychological
transformation that’s affecting people everywhere”. When we think of
globalization we tend to think in terms of business or profit, so it’s no
wonder we associate the concept with Americanization. Lam’s own friend summed
globalization up by saying that “Everyone will be eating at McDonald’s,
listening to Madonna, and shopping at Mega Malls”. When we look at the
spreading of technology and an open market in that sense, the results do seem
problematic. The systematic spreading of practices raises many questions. Does
everything lose its’ originality when it is picked up by various people from
different backgrounds? Or does it lead to new breakthroughs and adaptations of
cultural aspects, which, in turn, can lead to acceptance of one another? Are we
contributing to the downfall of independent identity, and ultimately cashing in
on it, or are we celebrating the history of all civilizations? I believe that
globalization is not just, as many may think, an American notion. I believe
that globalization refers to the ever-spreading volume of ideas, technology,
practices, and cognitive dispositions that many different countries and regions
distribute to one another.
Lam
briefly discusses his early child hood is Saigon, which is located in East
Asia. The contrasting environment of his native country as opposed to America
is hardly a surprise. He, as well as other members of his family, were no
longer subject to small towns based primarily on agriculture. They have grown
into much more elaborate individuals, incorporating new languages and customs
into their everyday lives. In this respect, globalization has to be
acknowledged as a positive influence. Expanding one’s cultural understanding
teaches tolerance and an appreciation for other countries. In terms of
intellect, it’s undeniable that taking different perspectives into
consideration aids in the gaining of knowledge. Where one geological area may
be weak in education, another may be quite strong. By exhibiting the fluid
interaction we encompass in modern society we very well may be helping one
another.
A large part of globalization in current years is the overwhelming breakthroughs
in technology. As Lam states, “There’s a transnational revolution taking place,
one beneath our very noses”. Cellular phone and internet access link people
despite great distances like never before. No longer is interacting with one
another a question of travel options, rather, it is obtainable by the click of
a button or the selection of an icon. We are quickly becoming a world that
breaks through physical barriers and exchanges thoughts with one another at any
time of the day or night, regardless of location or social status. I believe
that globalization is a necessary and progressive tool. I also believe that the
theory of it should not be confused with the corporate act of expansion that is
Americanization.
America:
Land of the Lonely
In
his article “America: Land of Loners?” Daniel Akst elaborates on the
increasingly diminishing value friendship plays in modern society. He mentions a book called “The Naked Sun” which is about a distant
planet whose residents live almost completely isolated from one another and
communicate solely using avatars to project images of themselves into the homes
of their “friends”. It’s hard not to make the connection between technology on
the planet Solaris and the technology that plays such a major role in the lives
of most people today. Oddly enough, technology has the potential to bring us humans
closer together, to increase our everyday interaction, but it appears that it
has made us engage less and less with one another. Instead of gathering in
public places and enjoying the physical presence of a companion, we turn,
instead, to social media, like Facebook, or to our telephones in the form of
text messaging. Akst touches on the the subject of Facebook saying “…today
“friends” are everywhere in our culture – the average Facebook user has 130
friends – and friendship, of a diluted kind, is our most characteristic
relationship”. By turning to communication such as this, we are cheating
ourselves out of the experience of palpable intimacy, such as the contact of a
friendly embrace or listening to the tone of another’s voice. It is conceivable
that, outside of your place of work, one doesn't really have to socialize in
order to make a living. It’s no surprise that people turn to technology to
converse. After all, we are living in an age of convenience. But at what point
does it rob us of the tangible company actually seeing a person can offer?
Akst
goes on to point out that platonic friendships seem almost nonexistent. He
states, “Friendship has also suffered from the remorseless eroticization of
human relations that was bequeathed to us by Sigmund Freud”. It does seem true
that sexuality is more openly accepted currently than it ever has been, which
in and of itself, isn't bad, but our culture appears to be nothing less than
obsessed with sex. Sex is used as an aspect of social status as well as a key
component in marketing schemes. At the same time, an overwhelming sense of
guilt about sexuality can be detected in society, especially between two men, a
point brought to light in this article. Companionship has turned from simply
enjoying the company of one another to constantly looking for a potential sex
partner. The idea of confiding in one another and finding comfort in one
another has been almost fetishized.
The
idea of friendship has existed for millennia in countless cultural
settings. Having friends is beneficial for the psychological well being of every
human being. Friends can influence you in a positive way by offering a fresh
perspective to help solve your problems, or by simply providing an open ear and
sympathetic shoulder to cry on. Turning to one another to alleviate the
loneliness we all experience is essential to growing as individuals. This
emphasis we have put on self-reliance has robbed us of the security we can find
in depending on one another.
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