American Culture
Writers such as Pico Iyer, Richard Pells, and Joseph Nye are in fact correct that the world culture has not and will not be Americanized. These writers are correct in asserting that American culture is ever forceful, but still America remains just one influence in a multicultural world: a manifestation of globalization. With such a supreme focus on America, it can seem like America is the dominant force; however, this is just a result of a skewed perspective. It is true that other cultures have also spread outwards and that local cultures cannot and will not be destroyed.
The phenomenon of culture shock is direct evidence of the fact that American culture is not as pervasive as many people would like to assert that it is. As centers for study abroad programs in various universities explain, culture shock is a logical reaction to the body and mind in response to the differences encountered in foreign culture. This is something that can occur even when one visits countries which are similar in feel in language and culture to the UK. Consider the following explanation that Chapman university provides: "After the first stage of excitement, you may start to feel frustration. This frustration occurs because some of your initial excitement wanes because of misunderstandings, or feelings of anxiety arise. Homesickness may also start to creep in and you might reject your new environment. You will become frustrated with trying to speak a foreign language, and you may even feel that you have lost some of your identity...
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