How influential is American Popular culture worldwide?

Discussion in 'Globalization' started by Gpeel1, Mar 21, 2007.

  1. Gpeel1

    Gpeel1 Member

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    Hi my name is Gareth and I am doing paper music, culture and politics, so if you can help in anyway I would by very grateful. Please if you would like to participate in the poll could you please state your nationality, Thanks



    with American films acounting for more than 70% of box office reciepts worldwide and paticularly dominating the British, German, French and Italian markets, I wanted to establish how influential has America's popular culture been in reshaping the identity of the rest of the world. Ziauddin Sardar and Merryl Wyn Davies suggests that "anyone who grew to years and conciousness with the rise of the technology of mass communications grew up with America by just watching television - America's heros are ours and not ours."

    How legitimate or relevant do you think this view is to you personally?
     
  2. Carlfloydfan

    Carlfloydfan Travel lover

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    It is influential on a superficial level. Some people will eat it up more than others though while other people are able to maintain their countries unique culture and support that instead. On the surface, it may appear to some that American culture has trumped other countries cultures. Not the case if you look deep enough. Thank goodness. I don't like a lot of American culture.

    I also think that a lot of what other countries get is the worst of American culture. There are some things of substance here, mostly more underground, that you guys tend to not get, from what I saw. which also sucks. The stuff you guys get under sells what a lot of America is about. What you do get again, is a lot of superficial crap which makes us appear over rated. Which sheds us in a negative light.
     
  3. Gpeel1

    Gpeel1 Member

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    Just thought I would explain that I am not trying to scrutinize the quality of American popular culture in anyway, I am just trying to establish whether the developments that occure in America, influence or are associated with futher changes worldwide. For instance theorists have remarked that the way British news is now presented have been based on American equivalents, or British politics now employs American gurus and spin doctors to help win elections - in fact Tony Blair has often been compared to clinton in many ways.
     
  4. Gaston

    Gaston Loup Garou

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    Hahaha, not that much, and I'm American. I cut my teeth on British bands, haven't been to a theatre for a film in 30 years, and the TV is rarely on (although Mom watches TV in the breakfast nook, and I walk by it from time to time). My favorite internet news site is the BBC. So very little of the marketing-oriented influences affect me at all. I don't go to baseball, basketball or football games, lived close to the Bristol Motor Speedway for 11 years and never went to a NASCAR race.

    On the other hand, all my shoes were made in China, shirts and pants made in Sri Lanka or Indonesia. Can't tell where my PC was made, but my Jeep was made in Germany and the wife drives a Mitsubishi. Huge amounts of the fruits and vegetables in the grocers come from Mexico or Costa Rica.

    By the way, I didn't vote, since I'm American I was afraid it would skew your poll. Sure hope you post your final results here, I'd like to have a look when you're finished with it. :)
     
  5. Gpeel1

    Gpeel1 Member

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    Thanks for the information, and yeah I will post it as soon as I gather enough information. I don't restrict people from participating in the poll because of nationality, though it would be good if people could state where there from after voting as it would help with the data analasys. Again thankyou for helping
     
  6. Freewheelin Franklin

    Freewheelin Franklin Hip Forums Supporter HipForums Supporter

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    I think the only thing Hollywood has accomplished is to make the rest of the world think Americans are idiots.
     
  7. evsride

    evsride are you irie?

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    I am continually ashamed at what is passed off by Hollywood and American pop culture as "American values and culture" on the rest of the world. What horrible examples. Yet they are not necesarily a misrepresentation....only a representation of a small yet pervasive cross section of our nation.
     
  8. ippi

    ippi Member

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    Well in Finland we respect pop-culture of America maybe too much... Everyone is just talkin how great it would be there...!

    I have to say that i have get lots on influentals from america... Music, Movies etc... They are my enviroment and, enviroment makes me what i am...
     
  9. PsyGrunge

    PsyGrunge Full Fractal Force

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    American Culture is something that's been in Britain for a long long time; the past 5 years have seen this country become more Americanised then ever. There's fast food stalls right left and centre, influences in areas such as cinema, retail, clothing, music and even transportation.
    Despite the shape this country is taking, I can safely say that the impact America has had on this country has had no influence on myself as a person. A good old British chippy tea will see me over a McDonald's any day of the week.. and that's just one example.
    To me, America or the people that make it what it is try too hard, and the number of Americans and Canadians (slightly more of the latter) I have met have all given the 'in your face' boisterous approach. I find that fucking disrepectful, especially if they don't know you. But I suppose that's where culture comes into play and there are plenty of boisterous 'groups' of people in this country too.
     
  10. evsride

    evsride are you irie?

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    we used to be respected/or know internationally for much more complementary things like our progressive liberty minded values and our hard working population...we have degenerated as a whole though and I fear that Hollywood's interpretation of American culture isnt that far off target. However, there are always holdouts and people unlike the norm. The American counter culture which is pretty fairly represented here on the forums is a good example. We are the types of people who feel great alienation when our president says god bless America instead of just god bless everyone.
     
  11. mandell

    mandell Banned

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    Historically, there were two "United States of America"s, the "north" and "south". Nowadays, the lines are drawn between "red" and "blue" states. It's more a clash of ideas, values, perceptions, etc. "cultures" if you may.


    It's not as great as it's cooked up to be by Hollywood and stuff, but this is the reality that most people live and deal with on a daily basis.

    Like everywhere else around the world, America has it's share of monsters and dumb people.

    But some of us are really nice. :)
     
  12. No Quarter

    No Quarter Member

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    yeah i think that is very influential, because American culture is the most known and most popular culture. everybody nows popular American singers, American politicians, their decisions, American films etc. I think its like...a kind of strategy of marketing! yeah i guess that's the only definiton to tell you my thoughts. maybe the members here from U.S.A ain't gonna agree to my thoughts, but when you criticise the situation from an another country, you can see those influences clearly. i can see american culture influences in my country too (Turkey), but thanks God not everywhere! because if that culture were influenced everywhere, then my own country would lose itselves nationality! maybe it had already started i don't know, i see that Turkish politicians really love to go on same way with bush!
     
  13. Airfern1313

    Airfern1313 Member

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    Look how American Idol spread to just about everywhere.
     
  14. themnax

    themnax Senior Member

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    too damd monotonously influential, and too damd often at the threat or actual use, of deadly force.

    =^^=
    .../\...
     
  15. sentient

    sentient Senior Member

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    Most Brits try to avoid american culture like the plague. I think bands who americanise their words here are doomed - like "the streets" said - we call em birds not bitches

    One thing is a certainty painters from the USA have their work vastly overvalued
    Look at Warhol - people in France, Belgium, and the UK were doing that stuff way before he did

    Nah even if theres anything good about culture from the USA its definitely not influencing british art right now

    as for its effects on society - the sooner the uk gets its nose out of americas arse and starts becoming more european the better
     
  16. Zadria

    Zadria Member

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    Ahh What about Eric Clapton who is influenced by American Blues?
     
  17. hailtothekingbaby

    hailtothekingbaby Yowzers!

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    You can't escape American popular culture nowadays. You can choose to ignore it as much as possible, though never 100%, and I don't think anyone can honestly say it has not had ANY influence on them whatsoever.
     
  18. brainstew

    brainstew Member

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    VERY, I mean once you see a Mc Donald's in the middle east and in China and you see "American Idol" in languages and in places you've never heard of, you start to realize that the USA have an enormous impact on the rest of the world. If you go to other countries you'll see clothes made JUST to look and sound American like "Hollywood girl" in Japan and what not.
     
  19. steffan

    steffan puffin

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    I would say that those who wish to influence globaly make great use of the american entertainment industry to do so.
    " become a capitilist and you can watch sinfeld while we try and sell you stuff"
     
  20. sentient

    sentient Senior Member

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    Yeah what about eric clapton? very boring guitar riffs, nothing spectacular unless youre really into boring guitar music.
    I prefer the sex pistols, the clash, Stone Roses, Franz Ferdinand, Jean Loves Jezzebel, Cocteau Twins, Beatles, Morning Bride, Kaiser Chiefs, Kid Carpet, Billy Bragg, John Hegley, Oasis, Blur, Gorillaz

    But really I love techno, drumnbass and twisted disco
     

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