What about tradition and cultural identities?

I know the benefits of globalization and how old the world is becoming such a small place..but what I noticed is that many different cultures and identities are totally lost within the process..for example, U can no longer identify a city from just looking on a picture of it, all places are turning to be the same!!
So what about cultural heritage and individualism ? will that be history??

 

As we merge cultures we are effectively creating a new culture. A new man that is the combination of all before.

I think individualism + collectivism can go hand in hand. Proper group structure *should* promote what's best for the individual and the group at the same time.

Whats ur take?

 

well.the individualism + collectivism thing seems great...but does that actually happens?!..I see that people fakes one dominating culture..disregarding their own culture and identity.I'm not against development and progression, but poeple tend to copy what would seem the best for them.well...that can be quite obvious here in the middle east.

 

I think this can come down to how much artistic,journalistic and religious freedom a country has. As long as a country has artistic,journalistic and religious freedoms then this will allow people to work out the changes that can come with globalization in relation to culture and traditions.

 

If you're talking about the globalization which means a Micky D's on every corner then wiping out any and all real culture and diversity is the goal. That type of globalization would love to see it all destroyed and each city a clone, all people clones, and nothing cultural to reference against.

 

I recall once upon a time there was a man who fought for cultural preservation. And I recall everybody hated him for it.

 

Clone? Do you really get everything being a clone with a market economy where people should have more choices? This clone thing is associated with communist/socialist systems isn't it? How much variety did people get under communism?

 

First the individual has to become separate from those environments. The term 'individual' itself is ironic because it suggests a separate entity. Really we are all a result, a byproduct of our environments.

 

That depends on your definition of 'more choices' as well as 'communism' which seems to be some sort of knee jerk labeling of a very simple statement.

Does 'more choices' equate to what the op is talking about or is that more appropriately defined as 'replacing choices'.

 

^

Could you clarify what you ment when you said that having a Micky D's on ever corner wipes out a people's culture?

 

What does that mean as far as cities looking the same? Does Detroit,San Francsico and New York look anywhere near the same?

 

Excerpt from Ronald Aronica and Mtetwa Ramdoo's The World is Flat?​

“As capitalism spreads, it turns society upside down, destroying entire industries, ways of life, and regimes. This can hardly be expected to be a peaceful process, and in fact it has been accompanied by major conflicts and social upheavals. The expansion of European capitalism in the nineteenth century involved Opium Wars, genocide in the Belgian Congo, the Great Game in Central Asia, and many other forms of imperial conquest and rivalry. The seeming triumph of global capitalism at the end of the twentieth century followed two world wars, the cold war, and savage neocolonial conflicts” (78).​

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Globalization is one of those terms with various meanings. Globalization refers to
the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of communication, transportation, and trade. It is a fairly new term that was first used in the early 1960’s and recently it is a term that is used quite frequently when describing international relations. Globalization can be seen as a worldwide epidemic. Some countries embrace globalization while others fight against it.

McDonald’s is an American fast food chain that has dotted the planet with over 31,000 restaurants worldwide and serves over 58 million people daily. McDonald’s can be seen as the poster-child for capitalism and globalization. An example of how globalization and capitalism turns societies upside down would be the sudden emergence of fast food chains all over the world. As these fast food chains pop up in places like Europe and Asia, rising rates of obesity is no longer just in America, but also in other nations where people have the means to consume these products. In places like Mexico, Serbia, France, and more people are destroying or burning newly built McDonald’s to fight against the fast food corporation. Fast food restaurants, like McDonald's ruins cultural values, for example in France, a country known for fine dining and taking long leisure meals. The concept of “fast food” ruins the long standing tradition of how to eat in France and other European countries. French cuisine and fast food are complete opposites. The growth of fast food chains like McDonald’s is also detrimental to the environment. As more restaurants are built and more burgers are flipped there will be a rise in the need for cattle. Rainforests and natural wildlife will be slashed and burned to make room for cattle farms, destroying ecosystems all over the world. 91% of the deforested land in the Amazon since the 1970’s was use specifically for livestock pasture such as cattle grazing.

Perhaps today, the wars being fought to spread or decrease the growth of capitalism and globalization aren’t fought between armies, but between cultures and the natural environment. McDonald’s is just one of many examples of how globalization and capitalism crosses paths with ways of life and the environment.

 

I think the world's different cultures is something to appreciated not annihilated.. I mean if globalization can occur without any type of unified culture that'd be great. but cultures are collective unique experiences and beliefs of certain peoples and to erase that would be destroying the unique diversity of the human race.. my opinion though

 

Cities looking the same? You really need to travel a little