Globalization means that in some ways people around the world are becoming more and more similar. We often eat the same food, watch the same TV programmes, listen to the same music and we wear the same clothes. Some of this at least can be blamed on the spread of multinational brands available all over the world.
On the surface, it may appear as if the global diversity of cultural identities is being lost. If, the argument goes, people in Tokyo and London look and dress the same, then that must mean that cultural differences are disappearing. However, I would argue that this is a very narrow definition of culture and that in fact cultural differences are as present as ever.
Cultural Identity is built on far more than just the films we watch or the jeans we wear. The foundation of cultural identity is shared values. When you look in detail at different cultures, you realize that the things that are important to one culture can be very different from the things valued by another culture.
Take my own culture, India, as an example and compare it to a very different culture, Japan. Although I have never visited Japan personally, I believe that it is a culture which places a lot of value on hard work and that people often work very long hours. The Indian people, in contrast, greatly value their leisure time and strive to spend as much time with their family as they possibly can. Even if we consume the same products, I would argue that there are still some very deep-rooted differences.
To summarize, I do not accept that total loss of cultural identity is inevitable, despite the influence of large companies and their products around the globe.
Globalization means that in
some
ways
people
around the world are becoming more and more similar. We
often
eat the same food,
watch
the same TV
programmes
, listen to the same
music and
we wear the same clothes.
Some
of this at least can
be blamed
on the spread of multinational brands available all over the world.
On the surface, it may appear as if the global diversity of
cultural
identities
is
being lost
. If, the argument goes,
people
in Tokyo and London look and dress the same, then that
must
mean that
cultural
differences are disappearing.
However
, I would argue that this is a
very
narrow definition of
culture
and that in fact
cultural
differences are as present as ever.
Cultural
Identity
is built
on far more than
just
the films we
watch
or the jeans we wear. The foundation of
cultural
identity
is shared
values. When you look in detail at
different
cultures
, you realize that the things that are
important
to one
culture
can be
very
different
from the things valued by another culture.
Take my
own
culture
, India, as an example and compare it to a
very
different
culture
, Japan. Although I have never visited Japan
personally
, I believe that it is a
culture
which places
a lot of
value on
hard
work and that
people
often
work
very
long hours. The Indian
people
,
in contrast
,
greatly
value their leisure time and strive to spend as much time with their family as they
possibly
can. Even if we consume the same products, I would argue that there are
still
some
very
deep-rooted differences.
To summarize
, I do not accept that total loss of
cultural
identity
is inevitable, despite the influence of large
companies
and their products around the globe.