Effects of globalization on cultural change

Globalization and Culture

It is stated in the work of Lieber and Weisberg that culture "in its various forms now serves as a primary carrier of globalization and modern values and constitutes an important arena of contestation for national, religious, and ethnic identity." (2002, p.273) Technology was envisioned by Bill Clinton to be such that would further the cause of liberty however the other side of technology is more ominous in nature. Lieber and Weisberg write that from the view of both an artist and a political scientist it is possible to delve into the meeting of culture and politics with a synergistic effect that enables one to gain a better view that would be gained in a study on culture or politics alone. (Lieber and Weisberg, 2002, paraphrased) From all appearances, for everything gained by globalization, something is also lost. The example stated in the work of Lieber and Weisberg ask, "who among us would not be disturbed by, for example, the echo of rap music in an old Barcelona neighborhood, the demise of local food products and neighborhood shops, or the proliferation of the same brand and chain stores from San Francisco to Santiago to Shanghai? (2002, p.274) In this specific work Lieber and Weisberg examine the irrational hatred held for the U.S. By bin Laden and the Taliban and report that there are two primary cultural anxiety factors and those are (1) globalization; and (2) American primacy. (Lieber and Weisberg, 2002, p. 277) There are therefore two reactions identified globally to globalization and those are specifically cultural symbolic reactions and culturally intense reactions or in other words polar opposite reactions to globalization. American primacy while viewed as irritating by the more modernized countries that are larger and weld more power such as Japan and the same can be said for Europe however, to smaller more vulnerable countries American primacy is viewed as threatening and overpowering. Leiber and Weisberg relate that a phenomenon that emerges periodically is "a dynamic of attraction/repulsion between high culture and associated elites and transgressive outsiders…" (2002, p.275) Leiber and Weisberg report that in 2001 two giant images of Buddha were destroyed and that it was reported that the Taliban had stated that destruction of the two Buddha would make the Islamic world happy. Appiah (2006) notes that the 21st century "urban geographies of privilege have been exacerbated by globalization and cosmopolitanism. However, the ability to "become a cosmopolite is necessarily circumscribed by socioeconomic factors." (2002, p.278) Foer writes that the events of September 11, 2001 "formed another convergence where geographies of privilege and challenge intersected." (2005) It is reported by Lieber and Weisberg that the hatred of bin Laden and the Taliban which was directed at the United States was more for the purpose of having killed than for the purpose of attempting to make policy demands" therefore showing how the Taliban hates not only the U.S. government but the entirety of the American society and the American way of living which reflects that the grievance of bin Laden and the Taliban was not "only what our leaders do, but also who we are." (Lieber and Weisberg, 2002, p. 278) According to Lieber and Weisberg such a "transference of deep-seated rage about turmoil and humiliation within their own societies into bitter attacks upon the United States can be understood in many ways, but above all it represents a sublimation of anger and its redirection toward a source that has little to do with the problem in the first place." (p.293) According to Samuel Huntington "cultural characteristics and differences are less mutable and hence less easily compromised and resolved than political and economic ones." (2002, p.275) This may help to understand the odd choices that are made by groups and individuals in which the choice is clearly against the best interest of the group or individual. Americans are held to have made an art out of repackaging cultural products derived from abroad and send them to the rest of the world as the history of America, one comprised by immigrants has resulted in the ability to conduct a synthesis and assisted in the incorporation of both cultural and popular expression that represent a broad range of nationalities and ethnicities. (Lieber and Weisberg, 2002, paraphrased) American is not only a point of origin according to Lieber and Weisberg but as well, it is a style. (Lieber and Weisberg, 2002) Cultural anxiety and turmoil are both a result of globalization and American primacy and this is witnessed differently in terms of outcomes in the West and in other modern societies when compared to developing countries and most particularly Muslim countries. Cultural anxiety and turmoil are stated to be a result of "two related but distinct phenomena: (1) material and economic effects of globalization and modernity; and (2) Western values which are "more tangible but often more profound in its impact. Included are such as "scientific reasoning, secularism, religious toleration, individualism, freedom of expression, political pluralism, and the rule of law, equal rights for women and minorities, and openness to change." (Lieber and Weisberg, 2002, p. 277) The resolution of problems relating to culture are more difficult that resolution of issues on globalization including economies of trade problems, aid, investment and poverty." (Lieber and Weisberg, 2002, p. 279) Violence is greatly embraced by many societies and America becomes the focal point for the Muslim society who in reality has not America as the oppressor but Arab nations and just as violence is avoided by the culture in America arising from the culture of the Muslim countries is violence that comes from within rather than from without. Globalization then has removed barriers and set in place other barriers. Globalization is viewed by many cultures as Americanization since the American culture is so pervasive across the entire globe in terms of the popularity of American music, American food, and dress and the growing base of individuals who speak the English language. Therefore, cultures that resist globalization somehow formulate the American influence as being something evil and something to be resisted and even to blame for the changes taking place in their world and in their culture. Because the Muslim culture is greatly affected by the domination of the Arab culture in their area of the world the Muslim society strikes out and because of the primacy of the American culture, which is all pervasive somehow a shift has occurred blaming America for the oppression that has, been inflicted upon them by the Arab world. This is because America stands out clearly as an icon of global power and dominance. Irrational fear and hatred of the unknown is not only present in the Muslim society but is also very much present in the Western society and the only way that this fear can be alleviated is for opposing cultures to allow one another to embrace their own cultural without fear, admonition or pressure for change . The Muslim society is just as resistant to change and in fact more resistant to change that the American society. Furthermore, since American is viewed as possessing a high level of global primacy, the Muslim culture has chosen the world leader to be the country upon whom the blame is placed for globalization and the ongoing onslaught of the globalized society to enter into and bring about changes in the lives of Muslim individuals. These barriers can only be crossed if both societies put aside fear-based policies, actions and interactions and allow the other culture the self-same validity that each holds for its own culture externally and internally.