Globalisation taking over cultures

Culture, as we know it, normally defines a person: their beliefs, values, background and lifestyle. But what happens when what you know, believe, value and everything of importance to you, is taken over by one main stream culture that eliminates any individuality? In a world where there is constant change, how can you expect culture not to change? This is what is happening. Culture isn’t static, it changes and develops the same way a person grows, evolves and changes. The change that is occurring in different cultures is mostly influenced by one main stream culture which nowadays would be pop culture .And the growth of this pop culture seems to be stemming out of Americanisation which in many ways can also be described as globalisation. Globalisation leads to different identities being stripped away leaving what I would like think is a moulded culture that only exists because of the great speed at which globalisation is spreading.

Some may view globalisation as a way of bridging the gap between cultures so that there is better understanding amongst the population of the world. But with nearly 6 billion people living in this world it seems highly unlikely that everyone would agree with the concept of being bound together under one culture. With all the diversity that is out there it seems like cultural genocide to want to take up another culture which isn’t naturally yours, whereas the best thing to do would be to honour and practice your own. Engaging in another culture doesn’t necessarily mean throwing away your own, which is why multiculturalism exists too. Not only should the human race learn to co-exist with other cultures, but we need to gain more understanding of the differences between all races without being discriminatory. Being bound under globalisation just appears to be the easy way out of stepping outside our comfort zones to embrace and acknowledge other diverse cultures.

The youth of today are the ones that are most affected by globalisation through the media and technology. It is us whom the future of most cultures rely on, but in this modern day where the average teenager struggles to identify with their own culture, it leaves most to question if the future of a culture is safe and guaranteed? Young people these days tend to follow what Americanisation has taught them, what we see and hear through the media is what we adapt in our lives, and this ultimately subjects us to forget our own roots and beliefs. It gives the impression that we are more comfortable with a culture that isn’t our own but hinder away from what and who we truly are.

Although some may argue that globalisation/Americanisation/McDonaldsation is only helping to further develop civilisation, I would argue the fact that in order to develop anything doesn’t one have to understand and learn about their past in order to grow in the future? The past here being your own ancient cultural beliefs and systems which have been successfully passed on generation after generation only to be confronted by this globalisation.

Culture does matter if any development is to be made in the world. With diversity comes individuality, and with individuality comes differences, differences which make the world what it is today and what is has been for the years and generations that have gone by. How can we help keep the equilibrium of the world that makes it the intriguing dwelling for humans? By simply not giving in to the culture-sucker that is globalisation, which is easier said than done but at the end of the day has to be the only way to keep different cultures alive and passed on to the next coming generations without being classified under one main culture.