Globalization Is Just Americanization - Essay Example

GLOBOLIZATION IS JUST AMERICANIZATION: By (Insert both names) (Name of class) (Professor’s name) (Institution) (City, State) (Date) Introduction The Global socio-political matters never cease to mesmerize any interested character, since the times of civilization arrived to the epoch of colonization up to the time of independence. The cold war era then followed whereby the Soviets were gradually but firmly outmaneuvered by the more resourceful capitalist of the time. The aftermath of the cold war epoch resulted to the growing influence of what some individuals of our generation refer to as quasi- governments (for example the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)). The World Bank and the IMF subsequently took the responsibility of the global economic police information especially the poorer states how they are suppose to spend their funds. So as to get more monetary assistance, these Bretton Woods institutions ordered that nations open up their markets for liberalization within the “Structural Adjustment Programs” that motivated state governments to finance privatization initiatives, ahead of public and welfare services (Hagwati 2009). Parallel to this was the impact of multinational organizations such as the United Nations (UN) also majorly structuring the global issues. Towards the new millennium matters took a divergent route. Out of nowhere, we were being feed with the rhetoric known as globalization, which is an umbrella idiom for sophisticated series of social, political, economic and technological transformations viewed as enhancing interaction and interdependence between companies and people in unfortunate locations. Within the fields of political economy and economics it generally implies to the growing integrations of economies all over the world, and more specifically in terms of financial flows and trade. The term in certain cases also refers to the movement of knowledge (technology) and people (labor) across the globe. Within its most basic principles, nothing is mysterious concerning globalization. But at the moment certain individuals are arguing that globalization has majorly advantaged the already well-established world economies and has offered them leverage not just to trade with the entire world but also affect their general politics and lifestyles (Weatherford 2010). Some have said that USA is deploying globalization as a mechanism of “corporate imperialism”, the one which crushes the human rights of the growing communities and purports to bring forth prosperity, yet frequently simply results to profiteering and plundering. The other depressing impact of globalization has been the cultural imperialism through cultural assimilation. This may be further illustrated by a scenario of exportation of the artificial needs or wants and the inhibition or destruction of indigenous local cultures. This then, lands me on the essence of my submission. When viewed critically, globalization is gradually moving toward Americanization. For the purposes of clarity, at the start of 1900, the term referred to captivating new immigrants and transforming then to Americans… regardless whether they wanted to maintain their customary ways or not. This system often entailed adjusting to American customs, dress and culture and learning English (Hopskins 2009). Critics affirm their concerns that globalization is nothing short of imposition of the cultures of the Americans on the whole world. To be precise, the most evident symbol of globalization appears to be the spread of cola (Coca Cola products and Pepsi) and hamburgers to almost every nation on earth. In reference to the materials from (globalization.about.com), in one of the latest columns exploring why terrorists hate US, Thomas Freidman, a champion for globalization wrote…”globalization is in a number of approaches is Americanization: globalization drinks Coke and Pepsi; puts on Mickey Mouse, and uses an IBM laptop operating on Windows 98. A lot of societies globally cannot get enough of it, while some view it as a deep threat”. The entire world appears to be going by Uncle Sam (US) and abandoning their original way of life, even the Chinese “tight air” society has not been spared. Americanization is the modern term used for the effect of the USA has on other nation’s culture, whereby they substitute their authentic culture with the culture of the America. When met unwillingly, it has unconstructive connotation, when voluntarily sought, it has a constructive connotation. How we get Americanized? The United States of America which has the worlds’ versatile know army and the largest economy, has taken massive steps in persuading the entire world to act and think like them. A lot of individuals particularly Europeans have frequently looked down on the Americans claiming that they don’t have any culture (Hopskins 2009). When it comes to fashion, the American casual style of wearing T-shirts, sport shoes and jeans is now acceptable and common in a number of places. The USA music industry has also been instrumental in affecting the dress of some individuals across the world. So many youths across the globe have imitated to dress codes of the prominent American rap musicians such as Tupac Shakur (R.I.P), 50-Cent, Snoop Dogg and Eminem. Globally the United States of America is probably well-known is for successful and numerous fast food chains. Such franchises comprising Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken and McDonald’s are famous for simply selling readymade foods for example, soft drinks, hamburgers, chips (French fries), ice cream and fried chicken. Though undoubtedly popular, these foods, the mode of preparations have been criticized as being unhealthy by the dietitians. It has therefore, become some kind of a stereotype to related American cookery with junk food and obesity. The entire world is now complete with similar eatery joints. Within Africa most of them as known as “take a ways”. The popular Culture: This American Culture transmission has been majorly through numerous conduits with electronic media being the leading medium (Hagwati 2009). The Television has specifically contributed a lot in Americanizing the people who consume images particularly from the Hollywood. The Hollywood characters have made us to admire the rough cigar-smoking folks in the Casinos, the slender legged females and to believe to the stories of rags to riches which are popular tag lines of the films. We adore rap music, jazz, hip-hop as well as country music all of which were engineered in the US. And because of such adoration, a lot of countries have designed equivalents of Grammy Awards for the music and Oscar Awards for the movies. Just have a look at the KISIMA awards in Kenya, PAM awards in Uganda and the international Kora Awards performed yearly in South Africa. Most countries have also forged ahead to develop theme parks applying the principles of the American Disney. This phenomenon has also resulted to the acceptability and popularity of what is commonly referred to as American English. In Rwanda I have come across so many posters of schools alleging to be teaching American English. A lot of young people are currently using this kind of English taking it as the in thing. We should not overlook the massive impact that the U.S has manifested in the internet development and its consequent control. Recall the conference that took place in Tunisia three years ago where countries were complaining about the internet control by the United States. They were suggesting that an International body should be given that responsibility, but this proposal didn’t bear any fruit. The American Sports particularly basketball is now a popular game in the whole world, especially among students in colleges (Weatherford 2010). The obvious determination of the United States of America to nominate itself as “Mr. Fix it all” is somehow immature but hopeful belief by the Americans that very problem could be fixed with sufficient effort and commitment. This in some instances leads them into situations which are problematic for example the Iraq and Vietnam. Though in some situations the US attitude of fix it all has positively resulted into massive outpouring of humanitarianism. This is overtly demonstrated by the huge aids that Americans are donating to the poor countries. In conclusion, thus, the global phase is at an era of American take-over in several ways than one can think of. The Americans appear to have hijacked globalization. The world too, appears to be bellowing for more of the Yankee Kind of lifestyle. Nonetheless, merely demonizing or dismissing globalization as simply Americanization is deceiving. Globalization has the capacity to change much more than merely the food or the movies the society consumes. References: Hagwati, J. (2009). In defense of Globolization. Oxford, New York. Oxford University Presss. Sheila, L. (2010). Globalization and Belongings: The Politics of Identity in a Changing World. Cambridge University Press. Hopskins, G. (2009). Re orient Global economy in the Asian Age. U.C Berkeley Press. Hobson, M. (2008). Eastern Origins of Western Civilization. Cambridge University Press. Weatherford, J. (2010). Making of the Modern World , MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. Kogut, B. (1985). The Multinational Corporations in 1980’s, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. Kumar, K. and McLeod, G. (1981). Multinationals from Developing Countries. Lexington, Mass.: Lexington Books/DC Heath and Company. Read More