A decade ago, the idea that "Baywatch" would be available in China was unfathomable. Today, it is a reality. The siege of American culture on Chinese shores has increased exponentially over the past few years and will only continue with time. Although The Chinese government have great "face" to save and will never advocate or admit the americanization of its people, the masses have taken a different point of view. More and more Chinese people are growing fascinated with American culture. The speed of transformation is as utterly mystifying as it is amazing seeing that not long ago their society was a constrained, controlled one to say the very least.
Reading the article "The Americanization of China" was thoroughly enjoyable for me. I could not help but snigger at the fact that there were billboards of Nike's "Flyer Qiao Dan", otherwise known as Michael JORDAN, and that his "airness" outranked Mao in a survey. Although soccer has been the most popular sport in recent times, the popularity of basketball has been on the rise. Kids grow up now associating Ronald McDonald with Chinese culture while munching on Big Macs. People can be seen strutting around the streets parading the latest Levi's collection and some even bearing hip-hop outfits waltzing into clubs with names like "New York New York". Cinemas are no longer merely a run-down space playing Hollywood flops, rather the latest Tom Cruise and Sylveser Stallone flicks are now available in all its American glory. American products ranging from cosmetics to toothpastes have flooded the Chinese market and thanks partially to satellite technology, shows such as "The X-files" are now available too. At this rate, nobody would be surprised if there was a Mandarin version of Sesame Street in the making.
This Diffusion of culture through the media and other mediums is as clear as an example of cultural imperialism can get. It is clearly a "Give to dominate" strategy by the Americans as they would have many economic benefits to reap by bringing these franchises and products to China. In Shanghai, at one glance in certain areas, it is a sea of red. No, it is not the colours of communism, but the color of Coke. A French trader's cheeky remark does sum it all up really. "From some angles, it looks like Coke is sponsoring Shanghai." The Chinese government know that the influx of American culture is a "devious plot" to "conquer". However, they are quite powerless in stopping it because the masses are demanding it.
The Americans defend the invasion on China. They suggest that with the younger generation having the chance to experience American culture, it gives them a sense of attachment to the rest of the world, since the American brand is in fact at times the global one.
"It's maybe not for the older generation, but there is a feeling that if their child can eat at McDonald's then he can go out in the world and succeed." - Harvard Professor Watson .
Many people around the globe, and even here at home in Singapore, have adopted the popular American culture. Do you guys think that this is necessarily a bad thing? Or does it have its advantages?
12 comments:
Very interesting points indeed.
I find myself walking through a visual flashback when I read your blog entry. As you describe about how the Chinese culture (in China) has become more Americanized throughout these years, I can't help but realize the very same thing happening in Singapore, that all you've just described wasn't strange at all, but all too familiar.
I would say that in Singapore, we have taken the role of a consumer, that most of the things we buy or listen are imported. When it comes to music, I do not see myself or my friends listening to Singapore music, in fact, our local artists are too few and too "unpopular" to be considered interesting to our ears. As Singaporeans, we are very much exposed to the imported media, and that has been our culture ever since. To us, Locally produced shows and music are never really to our interest, except for some.
Well, to me, I would conclude that we are just a society of consumers and surely, there is nothing wrong with that. (Right?) In fact, it seems beneficial as it allows us to relate to other countries in the world.
Its pretty much like hard rock cafe, another proof of Americanization. It just goes to show the power of the American culture.
It is a fact that we see American culture seeping into most, if not, all countries globally. But each country still retains their strong roots and values. This is just a way of "grabbing" what's good from the US and implementing it in one's country, or is it just capitalism at its best?
I believe that there are pros and cons.
But the most evident pro that I will concern about is the lost of culture.
Every country has its own unique culture and traditions. I thought that China has a very rich culture, with its many different dialects etc. Too much of americanization would make China lose their local culture. And make it lose the uniqueness that draws in the tourists.
yijing
Well, it is all about globalization nowadays. Countries are being more liberated from their native cultures to encompass more diversity in their society. Considering that opening up one's country can help to boost the economy, as long as the government controls adequately, the country will definitely prosper.
Fiona, I agree that America has affected us with their culture as well. But i think it's slightly different in our case. Like you said, we are a society of consumers, and yes i don't believe there is anything wrong with that too. In Singapore's context, we have a cosmopolitan city made up of a people of many different ethnicities and backgrounds and so we adopt the popular "international" culture that is the American one maybe because there is a lack of presence of a strong, singular Singaporean culture. Okay speaking Singlish may be considered our culture but really it hardly can be compared to the rich cultural heritage and tradition that China has deep-rooted in their society for instance. The very fact that America is capable of intruding into such a strong, deep-rooted culture like China's is something to think about. Maybe deep inside all people regardless of where they come from, the American lifestyle is really the desired one and they just won't admit it or don't know it yet?
Let's try and envision a future where all cultures and races are but one blend and mix of the different ones that exist today . After all , social-cultural integration is what's happening all over the world today . Wouldn't that be cool ? Or weird ?
America is like the steam-roller of cultural globalization - you can only run so far before they finally catch up with you and turn you into one of them .
Now , is that really a bad thing ? To be assimilated into some other culture and lifestyle ? It can have it's benefits where one absorbs the best and combines it with one's own culture to produce a superior sub-culture . Starcraft fans could even liken this to the Zerg . A race that absorbs other species into their genetic pool to extract the best qualities and create superior subjects .
So what say you ? Americans ? or the Zerg ? =D
To be honest, I do not see this whole globalization phenomenon as Americanization. Lets just put it this way, mankind's progression towards technology, quality of life etc. in the last 50 years or so is many more times what forefathers experienced in our short history of 6000-8000 years on this planet.
Throughout the course of history, man have desired what they cannot have. Man have constantly wanted to improve, to crave for more and thus it comes as no surprise with the view of Americanization. What really happen was the force of economics working for man's greed. I have visioned that it is possible fer a world without economics, but it would be a world that was willing to share that common believe(and no its isn't communism). An e.g. is as such: imagine this, money is still around but everyone earns the same, everything cost the same. It is possible but only in a utopia world. My point here is this, economics is simply a tool man use(more like man that get favored by it) to manipulate what's desirable and what's not.
I do feel that the term Americanization is very biased and somehow jealous term of describing what really is earthlings presented with more choices and greater consciousness about what is happening. There are a ton of things out there which the world do not adopt from America and I don't think its simply cause of culture but just lack of interest. American football is a major player in US, in almost all other parts of the world we decided to recognize Rugby more so, a southern dominated game. Other examples such as baseball, the chain gang culture, hippie culture etc. We do not see Jimmy Choos in singapore not because it ain't desirable but rather our very own Charles and Keith can take the role.
Local music is used by one of the commentators as an example of of Americanization. Much more to it, I did enjoy certain bands in singapore but all of a sudden they are gone. Singapore music is simply not mainstreamed enough at least on the english side. Steph Sun, JJ Lin on the Mandopop side are global icons in the Mandarin world. Consider the fact that we are small and only about 6X% of singapore are truly singaporeans, it already is remarkable.
America just had a head start after the world war 2 that's all.
I have nothing against the Americans. Adidas, Apple, McDonalds.. It's all fine. What I don't like about Americanization is the seemingly corrupt values they bring with their entertainment shows, programmes, music, and films. I feel that American values have led to a degradation of the human condition. I am furthermore put off by it when Asians choose to accept and embrace these values, forgetting their own Asian roots of etiquette or conduct in the process. Loyalty.. marriage and sex as a holy sanctity... filiality... The list goes on. Sometimes, not all change is good. The question is whether we are willing to accept the good and bad that comes with any type of cultural imperialisation, or if we would rather remain perhaps more technologically backwards but morally sound. This would be a difficult question to respond to.
I don't know if it's possible but it would be ideal to embrace all that is good about the American culture and filter out the bad stuff. Some of their value systems are extremely contradictory to that of most Asians and one must be very morally strong to resist adopting their more "flexible" beliefs.
I'm quite neutral about adopting other cultures. It can be a good thing and a bad thing. It all depends on what values you have adopted. But I do feel that we should all be proud of our own heritage instead of totally disregard our own culture and embrace foreign cultures and try to make ourselves look like who we are not =D
For me, I'm proud to be an Asian!
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