How influential is American Popular culture worldwide?

What exactly do you mean by American culture? That phrase means many many things to many many people. Some limit it to entertainment as in movies, music, etc. Others relate it to economics as in market control, respect of private property, etc. Yet others talk about power and military might. Plus, like many countries, we have many cultures within our borders. There's a not often talked about class system here, and each class, though somewhat fuzzily defined, has a distinct culture. Not only that, Americans themselves, and I'm one, distinguish between "Eastern Culture," "California Culture," "Southern Culture," "Black Culture," "Hispanic Culture," and on and on and on. American culture has also been informed by many other cultures. The ideas for many American television shows came from Japan, for example. Japanese culture has really infiltrated American entertainment recently with the anime craze. Regardless, the dominant business-oriented caucasian culture here came from europe. Native cultures exist, but they have been greatly marginalized in mainstream power and influence.

What I've seen as I've traveled around the world is that American culture tries to make inroads into other cultures via entertainment and economics - movies, television, fast food, etc., but those American products need to get modified somewhat to become accepted elsewhere. For example, for me going to McDonald's in Italy, Spain, or South America was a completely different experience from going to McDonald's in Chicago or Des Moines. As for American elements being injected into other cultures, in the counrties I visited various people seemed to accept these American elements to various degrees. Some saw it as imperialism while others saw it as an inevitable result of market forces, accepted it as such, and weren't bothered by it. But in the end, American "culture" is not accepted automatically by people in other countries. It isn't always seen as "better" simply because it's American. If people try it and like it they consume it unless it has some nasty political implications. It depends on who you ask. And, don't forget, "American" really means North and South American. Both continents were named after Amerigo Vespucci, and South Americans also call themselves "Americans." So the issues can get more complicated the further one strays from the USA.

 

How sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet it is!

 

Erm that was a Britsh idea 'pop idol'

I think America is influential - most of us wear jean drink coke watch american films. To be honest i think it is because the first language is English - that is very influential.

The problem is - like i highlighted a lot of ideas that are NOT American get hijacked and sold as American ideas - so the influence is sometimes indirect imho.

All these: ''Stone Roses, Franz Ferdinand, Jean Loves Jezzebel, Cocteau Twins, Beatles, Morning Bride, Kaiser Chiefs, Kid Carpet, Billy Bragg, John Hegley, Oasis, Blur, Gorillaz'' well atleast the majority have had to 'Americanise' themselves to 'break' into the American market and to a large degree are influenced by American artists past and present. Anyone going through Lennons jukebox will have gathered that. that.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon's_jukebox#CD_track_listing

To be honest i think the Americanisation of the world is multifaced and difficult to define. Should we be overly worried ? NO imho.

The only problem i have is the UK MUST [i think were about 5 years behind]follow the trends of American society its gains and loses [gains : culture / prosperity - loses:gun crime / gang crime etc / every other social trend ] .Why this is i do not know .

I'm English by the way.

 

Stone Roses, Franz Ferdinand, Jean Loves Jezzebel, Cocteau Twins, Beatles, Morning Bride, Kaiser Chiefs, Kid Carpet, Billy Bragg, John Hegley, Oasis, Blur, Gorillaz'' well atleast the majority have had to 'Americanise' themselves to 'break' into the American market

all selected because the either never broke through to the American market or didnt want to

Blurs cultural references were specifically British and didnt translate to the US market
same with Kaiser Chiefs, Billy Bragg, John Hegley, Oasis
the USA just dont understand them but they are absolute genius
and people like Morrissey, the irony being that argentina, equador, brazil love him - USA much too cosseted and illiterate. nobody needs the USA I purposely dismiss their cultural (ha misnomer) achievements as they arent actually theirs, their film industry is, by and large, fascile and lacking intelligence, and plot. Their paint artists are good copies of the schools and thought processes of people who did the work first in Europe, and their music is basically now so outdated what with hip-hop being irrelevent to the UK due to garage and the new wave of indie bands that they have receded thank heavens. I have to admit that a few talents came out of hip-hop but they were always a few out of trillions of hourts of boring crap they launched into our airwaves.

No the USA is basically out of the UK in terms of its culture at the moment now we just have to chuck out its NSA and its embassy

 

Morrisey is a GOD in America. Any 80s themed film or Film from the 80s will have atleast 1 Morrisey tune - i think you are being a bit snotty there.

Franz Ferdinand have even played the grammies.

I'm not going through the lot of 'em.
I appreciate the significance of the majority of them [in America] is not Beatletastic.

I won't go on - as i think your dislike for Americana is justified to a degree - Knock your self out dude - have nice day yeah hear *hick*.

 

America is influential in it's "Freedoms", which actually don't really exist anymore. But it's the wars that the government makes that has the countries of the world up in arms about it.

People love to dress in bright clothes and listen to all kinds of music, but that's about as far as America's freedom's go anymore. Just try to say something against the government and see what happens now. Look at Ron Paul and Rosie O'Donnell

 

you all have to realize that north america has more natural resources than any other place in life-----------in this we have more to give------thats why we've spread around the world ----globalization is happening because no one else can do it------------------did you all know that japan imports 90%of all its stuff------and most of its from us------------all countries will be great one day because of us-------they'll have solar power air conditioning for african countries---------ocean power for asian countries and others-------all because of us--technology that came from the US

 

pop culture is kinda the same

 

we just can't overhype stuff because that s what the devil does and it takes people away from their peace

 

When I was younger my parents heavily restricted my exposure to the media, now I generally avoid it, except for the music, so it hasn't played a major role in shaping me.

 

I picked the FIRST option on the poll!!

I couldnt agree more!!

EVERYTHING IS PURE GARBAGE NOW and the worst part is PEOPLE ACCEPT THIS TRASH!!!!

Back in the 70s,80s THEY WOULDNT EVER ACCEPT THIS GARBAGE,they wanted better quality!!!!


Most people have been REPROGRAMMED in the last 20 years or so to ACCEPT TRASH AND LIKE IT BETTER,to not question govt,only listen to MSM.... (Which is meant to keep them uninformed of whats really going on,thus keeping them living in a state of control)

Food has become crap.... GOOD INGREDIENTS being replaced with CHEAP crap that makes it taste worse..... "HEALTHY" RECIPES WHICH TASTE LIKE CRAP BEING FORCED ON EVERYONE!!


I FRANKLY WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS SHIT HOLE!! -- I STAY INSIDE ALOT,I AVOID PEOPLE,ETC....... I am just disgusted as hell with what the world has become!!


I thankfully HAVE NOT BEEN REPROGRAMMED,i thankfully still have my good 80s and earlier qualities i have always had!! -- I DO KNOW WHAT GOOD IS AND IM NOT AFRAID TO SPEAK IT EITHER!

 

There isn't a country, anywhere, not influenced by American popular culture. Many don't want to admit it but it's true.

They all like our music, our movies, our jeans, our, our, our. I know many people will deny it but I've traveled extensively and I see our influences everywhere.

 

When I was in France visiting family, I heard so many U.S songs being played in cafes in Paris.

 

hey there are some good movies that have been made in the past 20 years. and a lot, LOT of stupid ones too. but w/ pop culture, that is mostly the music industry/ect. telling you/us what to think and buy. actually a lot of people here dont give a crap about any of that stuff.
and american idol was made by that simon douche, and i believe there was a tv show similiar in the 70's or 80's as well. remember star search?

 

Sadly MORE STUPID ONES than good ones!

 

Hey ever since the 50's and the beginning of pop culture the whole world has wanted to 'cool' be like us...I think they should have probably been more careful what they wished for...:devil:

 

There's no such thing ipso facto as American culture. There are 'memes' associated with America, which stem from American icons and ideals. But to put them all together is preposterous.

I grew up in Hollywood, so I grew up seeing the veneer covering personal corruption, and often also, the reverse. Especially as a punk rocker in 78-82 I saw that punks as often scary as they appeared had hearts of gold.

That was just an illustration that what a person sees as a culture isn't shared by even two, let alone three or 350,000,000. The polyglot nationalities of especially the largest cities ferment entire populaces within this very country which are disassociated from the government, the health care, education, religions of the majorities, and pop culture.

The thesis you proffer is much too broad and will have only too vague and therefore useless answers.

I recommend choosing a specifically American meme like Mickey Mouse, where does he stand now on global economics and the political ramifications to the modern Monarchy. Or some such thing.

Maybe -Has Muddy Waters Deterred Dictatorship, A Global Perspective.

 

^^^ "pop culture" dude...Key word here 'pop'...

And yes it is a polyglot but is also uniquely American.
You mention Muddy waters...yep the blues; uniquely American.

With that in mind, here's a little pop culture paradox for y'all to ponder...

So influential was this uniquely American music form, a bunch of British white-boys decided it would be a great idea to repackage it as rock n' roll and sell it back to us.
A country where more than half of our honky-ass nation hadn't even heard the likes of Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, or John lee Hooker because the radio stations didn't play "race music" (especially out west)...
We gobbled it up when it came back to us from the Rolling stones, Fleetwood mack, Led zep, among others, who had been listening to these guys for years on records and idolized them as gods!

 

music and painting are the most cutting edge of human pursuits
well, and certain sciences

 

American culture is constantly changing, and immigrants add to that. I was amazed in 1989 to find a Kentucky Fried Chicken in Alexandria, Egypt. The younger generations seem to enjoy our music quite a bit, not so sure about the movies. I think the exporting of American culture is very strong.