There is no denying the fact that societies are becoming more and more alike. People all over the world now eat the same kind of food, watch the same TV shows and wear the same kind of clothes. Part of the reason behind this phenomenon is the growth of multinational companies. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
Let’s first look at the positive sides. While globalization can be blamed for making people wear the same kind of clothes and eat the same kind of food, it is also responsible for creating more job opportunities and wealth. It has considerably reduced poverty in the undeveloped world. Globalization has also led to better understanding among countries. When people from across the world get to know each other, it is good for global harmony.
Does this mean that cultural identities are being lost? Well, not really. You cannot understand the culture of a society by looking at the way its people look or dress. The foundation of any culture is its value system which is passed from one generation to the next. In my opinion it is these values that distinguish an Indian from an American. They might wear the same kind of clothes or even speak the same language, but their value systems are going to be different in many aspects. For example, family ties are extremely important for an Indian. Even after sons and daughters get married it is quite common for them to continue to stay with their parents. Indians are also taught to obey and respect their parents. Although I am not all that familiar with the American culture, I think there the emphasis is on self-reliance. In my opinion, these traits and beliefs are the cultural identity of a person and a society. It is unaffected by the way they look or talk.
To summarize, I do not think that globalization will lead to the total loss of cultural identity. It might make people speak the same language or look the same, but it will have no real impact on deep seated cultural values.
There is no denying the fact that societies are becoming more and more alike.
People
all over the world
now
eat the same
kind
of food,
watch
the same TV
shows
and wear the same
kind
of clothes. Part of the reason behind this phenomenon is the growth of multinational
companies
. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?
Let
’s
first
look
at the
positive
sides. While globalization can
be blamed
for making
people
wear the same
kind
of clothes and eat the same
kind
of food, it is
also
responsible for creating more job opportunities and wealth. It has
considerably
reduced
poverty in the undeveloped world. Globalization has
also
led to better understanding among countries. When
people
from across the world
get
to know each other, it is
good
for global harmony.
Does this mean that
cultural
identities are
being lost
? Well, not
really
. You cannot understand the culture of a society by looking at the way its
people
look
or dress. The foundation of any culture is its
value
system which
is passed
from one generation to the
next
. In my opinion it is these values that distinguish an Indian from an American. They might wear the same
kind
of clothes or even speak the same language,
but
their
value
systems are going to be
different
in
many
aspects.
For example
, family ties are
extremely
important
for an Indian. Even after sons and daughters
get
married it is quite common for them to continue to stay with their parents. Indians are
also
taught to obey and respect their parents. Although I am not all that familiar with the American culture, I
think
there the emphasis is on self-reliance. In my opinion, these traits and beliefs are the
cultural
identity of a person and a society. It
is unaffected
by the way they
look
or talk.
To summarize
, I do not
think
that globalization will lead to the total loss of
cultural
identity. It might
make
people
speak the same language or
look
the same,
but
it will have no real impact on
deep seated
cultural
values.