Music Banter - View Single Post - Cultural Imperialism and the Homogenization of the Western World

duga · 03-12-2010, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheBig3KilledMyRainDog

Well when you say "English" I'm going to assume you get programing from all over the anglo-sphere. That being said, here's what i think about it.

The cultural values that are present here in America are certainly not uniform, nor would I imagine them to be in Canada, New Zealand, Austrailia, Great Britain, Ireland, Scotland, South Africa, or India (all apologies to those I've left out). In EHM, most often those houses are given to people with outstanding community service, severe medical issues, or that functions as a community hub. Ostensibly it looks as if America is in the business of handing out free, giant houses. We aren't.

But my overall point would be that English, and the culture that comes with it, shouldn't be viewed as an insular culture.To my knowledge, not country who speaks english as a major language has ever tried to standardize it, we've never had Academies that attempt to keep English, English, like the French and the Germans have.

We're a hodgepodge of culture in our own language. We never really shook things (and yes I think most americas would follow our history back to England) from Vikings, to Normans, The romans and its own imperlistic ventures abroad English has soaked up, like a rolling Blob, anything and everything thats stood in its path. For better or worse, we're not like msot countries.

And with the inception of America its only become a bigger pot. Be it inventions in the business sectors, or growing communities within our borders theres not been a move for cultural purity as there has been in some of the more "open-minded" nations out there. We may discuss the legality of immigrants, but never the the culture they have.

I don't know what to tell you. My experience as an American is that English is just a language, a vehicle for communication, and our language can't be traced back to other english speaking people from the same island we all associate it with. Its a moving target, so its hard for me to see us as foreign interlopers when you show our television stations.

I agree with a lot of what you said, but I just want to point out there is a big difference between a country claiming it is "melting pot" and actually being one. Sure, people from all over the world immigrate here, but are generally expected to live out life as an "American". I hear way too often that Mexican immigrants need to learn to speak "American". The general population of this country is not concerned with other cultures in the least, save for the few open minded folk I meet.

That being said, I think the language argument is the least of our problems. I think having a global language will do nothing but help...it needs to happen, in my opinion. Maybe some people are upset that that language may be English, but that is just the way history went. What is dangerous is the business and economics side of things. American companies expand into foreign markets and as a result, many cultures are diluted.