Globalization of clothing
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The ubiquitous white wedding with its formulaic white bridal gown is considered the norm in many countries that is to be worn on your wedding day. To some, not having that exquisite white bridal gown means that your wedding is somewhat incomplete. This is an undeniable fact. The link that I have provided links to a website which promotes wedding gowns, while I was looking through it, it occurred to me that these wedding gowns are in fact similar, most of them are white and share many other similarities. The main one being that they are gowns which are styled in a very westernized manner. Seldom do we see traditional wedding costumes when we visit these sites or go to bridal shops. I am not saying that they do not exists, they do but due to globalization, there is now a common and conventional way of thinking of how a wedding gown should look like, that is the white westernized bridal gown, despite the race or religion of the person who is going to be wearing it on her wedding day. The white conventional wedding gowns are apparels which are basically worn in the western countries but with globalization catching in, they have become popular in oriental countries as well.
So just how much have globalization change the way in which we dress? My article is globalization and its effects on clothing. I started of with the example of the wedding gowns as I feel that it is a good example to show how globalization has in fact change the way in which we dress.
Brides and grooms wear different kinds of clothing in different parts of India. In the South, grooms either wear the traditional veshti (dhoti) and kurta or three-piece suits while those in the north wear a sherwani with a churidar pyjama or a bandha gala suit. Most brides wear saris, usually in shades of red, pink or mustard but in different ways. On the other hand, a Gujarati bride will wear a saree in Gujarati style usually in red, white and gold; a Coorgie in their particular style and a Bengali usually white or onion pink with red and gold border in their own style and so on. As for the Chinese ethnic wedding attire, the brides wear a series of vividly colored brocade Qi Pau (Chinese jacket) and Cheongsams, which are very slim fitting gowns with two slits up each side of the skirt. As for the grooms, they wear Da Gua, a front-closing tunic. For the Africans, the brides wear a headpiece called a 'gele', a loose fitting wrap skirt called an 'iro', a shawl called a 'iborum' and a short loose blouse called a 'buba' ,all fashioned out of matching fabric. The groom wears a pair of slacks called 'sokoto', a shirt called a 'bubba', a long flowing pullover type jacket called an 'agbada' and a rounded box-hat called a 'fila'.
We can then question ourselves. How many times have we been to a wedding where we see the brides and grooms wearing their ethnic and traditional wedding attires, one in which symbolizes their culture and ethnicity? Personally, I have never been to a Chinese wedding, be it one of relative or a friend in which both the bride and groom are wearing their ethnic wedding attire as described in the previous paragraph. As for the bride, the white bridal gown is the norm and as for her partner, the black suite which is usually accompanied by a tie. Similarly to Malay weddings, there are some Malay weddings which I have been to, in fact quite a few to be exact, however, despite some of brides and grooms still wearing their ethnic wedding attire such as the baju kurung, they are bound to change to the more western way of dressing that is the white wedding gown for the bride and the black suite for the groom usually for the second half of the day. Then again, there are the handful of Malay weddings in which they do not even wear their traditional wedding attire.
The effects of globalization on clothing can be seen in other forms of clothing too besides the wedding attire. There are several forms of clothing like the white bridal gown which are “universal” such as the man’s business suite, with colored tie and buttoned shirt in a sense that they are worn everywhere, in numerous countries around the globe, however, variations have appeared in countries that are cautious about adopting global popular culture. For example, Iranian parliamentarians, for example, wear the “Western” suit but forgo the tie, while Saudi diplomats alternate “traditional” Bedouin robes with tailored business suits, depending upon the occasion. As for the women, emergence of women's “power suits” in the 1980s signified another form of global conformity. The white silk scarves, colorful blouses, stylized trouser-suits are now considered as worldwide symbols of modernity, independence and competence. The export of used clothing from Western countries to developing nations has accelerated the adoption of Western-style dress by people of all socioeconomic levels around the world.
There are also instances in which certain forms or ways of clothing have underwent transformation and changed due to globalization. For example, Chinese fashion underwent sweeping change after the death in 1976 of Communist Party Chairman Mao Zedong and the resultant economic liberalization. Following this period of time, western suits and causal wear became the norm. The previously androgynous grey or blue Mao suit disappeared in the 1980s and in the 1990s, these Mao suits were later being sold in Hong Kong and Shanghai boutiques high-priced nostalgia wear, saturated with postmodern irony. In the case of world fashion, it can be seen that at the start of the twenty-first century, the preferred garments of both sexes from around the world tend to be the all too common jeans, sweatshirts, T-shirts, and sneakers. These clothing signify youth, modernity and an eagerness to belong to the newly globalized capitalist world and are also international icons of American culture.
There has indeed been much change in the way that people dress now as compared to the past. It is undeniable that in the process of this change, there are certain disadvantages. For example, in the case of the wedding gowns, I mentioned how people tend to loose their ethnicity and culture as the way they dress tend to be more westernized, similarly to the way that we dress nowadays. In the past, even during the time when our grandparents were young, for the Malays, the women would usually use the baju kurung as their everyday attire and it was regarded as the norm back then. However, as we can see this is clearly not the case in present day society. However, there are advantages too, due to globalization, people tend to move around the world more as it becomes increasingly convenient to do so, thus there have been certain cases in which new designs have been made for example through the fusion of ethnic clothing of various cultures or the fusion of modernized clothing with ethnic ones. Back to the wedding attire, a good example would be the wedding attire that Mexican brides wear, mantilla veils and either a slim dress with a bolero jacket or a Flamenco-style dress with a layer of ruffles at the hem. This is a combination of the traditional wedding attire, however, they made the dresses that the brides wear more modernized which looks more similar to the conventional wedding gowns, at the same time while still maintaining part of their ethnic wedding attire. In my opinion, more of such designs should be made so that while people want to wear more modernized clothing, they still retain part of traditional clothing so as to remember their ethnicity and culture.
Signing off,
Warda
Cultural expert
Future Perfect; Cultural Expert
4:59 PM
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Globalization and Islamic extremicism
Source:
http://www.image-dream.com/membre/up/baronbleu/cartoons.jpg
Personal Response
Protests spread across the Muslim World last year over the publication in a Danish newspaper of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad. The drawings which were first printed in the Jyllands-Posten, sparked a fresh row when they were re-run in several newspapers which eventually led to the sacking of the editor of a French newspaper. Above are some examples of the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad. The caricatures include drawings of Muhammad wearing a headdress shaped like a bomb, while another shows him saying that paradise was running short of virgins for suicide bombers. There is indeed enough animosity between Muslims and the West without this happening. Have globalization only made matters worst? The cartoons sparked diplomatic sanctions and death threats in some Arab nations, while media watchdogs have defended publication of the images in the name of press freedom.
I am sure that the growing unrest in the Islamic World is nothing new and something which most of us have heard about numerous times before especially after events such as 9/11 and London Bombings which have cast Muslims around the world in a somewhat negative light. But how far can they be blamed? Does globalization have anything to do with this? Is globalization a factor that contributed to the widespread protest of many Muslims around the world? Islamic fundamentalism is actually a product of globalization and uses globalization for its own benefit.
The controversy of the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad is a good example to show how globalization has resulted in the intense circulation of ideas and information globally, and increased the role of the media in doing so. In this case, the global media such as the internet and newspapers has fostered a common global Muslim identity, when there is actually no such thing as Muslims come from different areas and thus have different backgrounds. In the case of the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, media such as the newspapers, internet and television circulated the cartoons around the world, resulting in many people having access to them. Before the globalization of media, the uproar would probably be more localized and not have been so intense since people who had access to the caricatures would have been limited. The fact that a comic strip in a small newspaper in Denmark managed to reach the global Muslim audience as far as Pakistan and Indonesia is prove of the global reach of current media forms.
On a similar basis, globalization has led to an increasing movement of people across borders. This can be seen in terrorists move between the West and Afghanistan resulting in the spreading of fundamentalist ideas, in ‘foreign’ American soldiers becoming increasing involved in sectarian violence in Iraq, in youths going to Pakistan to attend terrorist camps and coming back to the topic on the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, in how quickly the caricatures angered the Muslim world. Furthermore with the existence of cheap phone calls and cheap flights people can communicate and move around more easily thus enabling ideas to be spread around more effectively.
Another factor is how globalization has resulted in increasing freedom of expression. Many people in the world feel that they have a right to express their feelings and opinions and in certain cases, do not consider the consequences of their actions. Getting back to the issue of the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad, the Danish press thought that they were not in the wrong as they believed in freedom of expression and refused to have this right limited in any way. However, the whole issue of the caricatures of Prophet Muhammad shows that freedom of expression can cause undesired events to occur and cause mush offence to certain groups of people. This is because globalization brings together many diverse groups with different values, increasing the chance of conflict.
In my opinion, people have to be very careful when they publish things that could potentially anger other groups. The caricatures of Prophet Muhammad is one example. Although people should be open minded and believe in the freedom of speech, this right should be used responsibly and with good judgment. Personally I feel that there has been an overreaction on both sides of the argument on this issue. The display of solidarity on the part of the European newspapers was an overreaction and rather foolish. On the other hand, having people make bomb threats against the newspaper is something which is going way too far. However, lessons can be learnt from this event such as the need to be more sensitive to other religions and cultures. To end off, I feel that globalization which has brought about the movement of ideas, the movement of people and the increasing reach of the media has increased the threat of conflicts between varying cultures, including the rise of religious fundamentalism.
Signing off,
Warda
Cultural Expert
Future Perfect; Cultural Expert
7:49 AM
Globalization- Musicals, The Phantom of the Opera
Source:
http://james.istop.com/music/musicals.jpg
Reviews on the Musical, The Phantom of the Opera
“There’s no longer any reason to see this show anywhere else -- unless they make them all like this. Which would be impossible”"The orchestra is full, lush and Broadway-size.”“These are all Broadway actors with no intention of compromising their craft just because they are in Vegas.”
Chicago Tribune
“I love the phantom of the opera! Luckily they return to Singapore, if not I am going to miss this splendid production since it first debut in Singapore in 1995 at that time I was only 10 yrs old. I heard of these musical when i was in primary school, and is a dream come true for me as I waited for yrs for them to return. Even though I have seen the musical but I simply just can't get it out of my head. I really hope that the Phantom opera will return to Singapore to perform again in future. I'm certainly to attend=)”
Cindy- Singapore
“On Saturday we went to see Phantom for the first time. It definitely won't be the last!! What an emotional experience. The staging was immaculate and quite literally breathtaking. As the chandelier began to make its ascent in Act 1, my 19 year old son and I both gasped. It set the trend for the remainder of the show. The theatre itself oozed atmosphere and we were treated to surprise after surprise. The talented cast squeezed every bit of drama from the score and script. The line between grand opera and musical was very fine. The finale was reminiscent of Rigoletto or Onegin and every bit as moving. Thank you to all concerned for such a wonderful performance!!”
Susan Morrison - Glasgow
“Oh my god I am so in love with the show I went and saw the show again and this time I was sitting right under the chandelier it was so good. I love the Phantom of the Opera”
Pats - London
This was the first time I had ever seen the show live. It was the U.S Tour. The show was at the princess of Wales theatre in Toronto. Even though it wasn’t in this huge Broadway theatre I thought it was the most amazing thing i have ever seen in my life. I cried right when i walked into the theatre. Being there was a dream come true for me and i will never forget it. John Cudia (the phantom) and Marni Rabb (christine) were amazing individually and together. The chemistry, acting, singing, everything was amazing!!
Alexandra Davitksy- Toronto
Personal Reflections
Having recently watched the musical, The Phantom of the Opera at the Esplanade, I decided to write about it as I realized that without globalization, I probably would not have had the opportunity to have experienced the magnificent musical or maybe not be able to understand it. The reason being that the musical would probably not have been performed in Singapore if it was not for globalization. The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a disfigured musical genius who haunts the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House, waging a reign of terror over its occupants after the woman that he falls in love with has another admirer, Raoul, who was also her childhood sweetheart. The Phantom's fury at her betrayal becomes murderous. He hatches a plot to win her back and in a dramatic and tense climax Christine is forced to choose between Raoul and the Phantom - her Angel of Music.
The longest-running show in Broadway history, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, The Phantom of the Opera has indeed reached another unprecedented milestone as it is the first Broadway show ever to reach 8,000 performances and a worldwide audience of over 80 million people. The reviews that I have included show that they were made by people from various countries around the world having had the opportunity to experience the musical in their own countries. This goes to show that globalization allows people in different countries to experience such performances now that these performances are able to be performed overseas. Previously, similar performances would only have been performed locally, mostly in New York and London, two countries where most of such musicals originated from. Thus, the performance will only available for a limited number of people, mainly the locals. Furthermore, the musical is performed in English, which is fast becoming the global language.
Besides the Phantom of the Opera there are other musicals and performances that are performed on a global level. One example is the all too well known, CATS. Since its opening in London in 1981, CATS has been presented in over twenty countries and in about two hundred and fifty cities, including such diverse destinations as Buenos Aires, Seoul , Helsinki and even in Singapore .Within two and half years of the London opening there were productions in New York, Tokyo, Budapest and Vienna, and the first tour of the US had hit the road. Other performances and musicals that are performed on a global level include Oliver Twist and STORM. These too are performed in English.Thus, more people can enjoy these musicals and performances.
However, some people argue that these musicals and performances lead to the loss of culture and identity as different cultures are becoming more westernized and tend to neglect their similar local forms of entertainment. For example, in the past such as in countries like Singapore, it is common for people to watch Chinese Opera that are put up beneath their blocks. However, as performances and musicals such as the Phantom of the Opera are being performed, many Singaporeans would rather attend these than Chinese Operas. This is especially the case among the younger generation. They would rather go to the Esplanade with their friends to watch performances and musicals such as the Phantom of the Opera. Moreover, the fact that these performances are in English would mean that they are able to watch them with their non-Chinese speaking counterparts. It is an undeniable fact that the younger generations in Singapore speak more English as compared to their local languages. Therefore, naturally many of them would rather go for performances and musicals that are in English in contrast to those that are in their local languages, in this case in Chinese.
With the increasing popularity of such musicals and performances, it is no wonder that certain cultures are making an attempt to make similar musicals and performances. In the past, Wayang kulit, where hand-crafted leather puppets depict epic stories of the gods in shadow play and a traditional Gamelan orchestra would accompany the story-telling was a popular form of entertainment especially among the Malays. However, this is not the case any longer. Rarely do people watch the Wayang kulit now; instead, they would rather watch Malay musicals and performance that are similar to the western versions. For example, towards the end of last year, many Malays bought tickets to watch Puteri Gunung Ledang (The Legend of the Princess on Ledang Hill) which was held at the Esplanade on the 24th,25th and 26th of November. Some of them did not manage to do so as tickets were sold out very quickly, thus showing how popular it was.
The aim of the musical, Puteri Gunung Ledang was to produce a uniquely South East Asian stage musical that is directly inspired by Puteri Gunung Ledang the film. This is Malaysia's first attempt to stage its very own West End scale production. It was structured along the lines of a traditional Broadway or West End musical with scenes of spoken dramatic dialogue, punctuated with songs highlighting the emotional moments and dance sequences adding spectacle and excitement to the narrative which is a well-known Malay legend. Another feature of globalization that can be seen through these musicals is that people of different races, not only the Malays are given the opportunity to act in them. This is an increasingly common feature in global musicals and performances. For example, there are non-Malays who act in Puteri Gunung Ledang. Both its lead actor and actress were not Malays, namely, Tiara Jacquelina as Gusti Puteri Retno Dumilah and Stephen Rahman-Hughes as Hang Tuah.
Thus, in my opinion, the impact of globalization on performances and musicals does have its advantages and disadvantages. However, one should not neglect local forms of entertainment with the increasing influence of western performances and musicals. At the same time, the mixture of elements from different cultures into such performances do indeed make them much more interesting.
Signing off,
Warda
Cultural Expert:)
Future Perfect; Cultural Expert
7:28 AM
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Personal Response
English as a Global Language
The article entitled ‘College for Chinese culture opens’ dated 12 March 2007 is an example of how different cultures, in this case the Chinese culture is trying to promote their language through the building of Confucius Institutes such as the one stated in the article, the recently built Confucius Institute in Lampeter University, the first of its kind in Wales. However, this is only one of the 100 similar institutes which China aims to establish throughout the world by 2010. Thus, we may ask why is there the need for them to promote their language? This article is an example to show how the spread of English as a lingua franca for business, entertainment and other activities globally is forcing other countries to promote their language aggressively too.
“In South-east Asia, the response to globalisation is to acquire language skills, not in many languages, but in one, the English language, which is seen as the key to success in the globalised age,” said Dr Rujaya Abhakorn, a lecturer in South-east Asian history at Chiang Mai University, Thailand. It is a fact that there is the emergence of English language as a global language in the world today, English is the dominant medium of communication around the world, the language of business, technology, science, the internet, popular entertainment and sports. In academia, almost 50 percent of all research is published in English; in some science fields, virtually all studies are published in English. There is no doubt that English is the dominant global language in the world, and this can be seen in the explosion in the general demand for English. For example, in China, there are 600 000 new enrolments in private conversation schools every four to six months.
China is not the only country which is trying to increase its use of English in the increasingly globlalized world, countries such as Mongolia are making significant attempts to increase the use of English in their countries. In Mongolia, English is seen not only as a way of communicating, but as a way of opening windows to the wider world and is viewed as the ticket to future economic progress, and as an expansion of international understanding. There is a nationwide drive to make English the primary foreign language learned in Mongolia. Furthermore, the government has embarked on a national program of teaching English in all elementary and high schools. The goal is to make Mongolia, a nation of 15 million people bilingual in English within a generation. Mongolia, being a country thousands of kilometers away from the nearest English-speaking nation thus reflects the steady march of English as a world language. Therefore, it is an undeniable fact that due to the growing dominance of U.S. culture and the financial realities of globalization, English is now taking hold in many parts of the world including Asia, just as it has done in many European countries.
However, how far are the countries in the world willing to go in their attempt to ensure that English is the language spoken by its citizens, especially in this era of globalization? What will be the impacts faced by the world? “English is all too often seen as a Tyrannosaurus Rex that voraciously gobbles up cultures and traditions” quoted from Prof Joseph Lo Bianco, director of The National Language and Literacy Institute of Australia. In a way, he has a point; as people in the world start speaking more in English, they tend to speak less of their local languages. Thus, various countries have made attempts to control this issue, such as through the building of the Confucius institutes mentioned earlier, which is an attempt made by the government in China to ensure that Chinese continues to be a language spoken in the world.
Thus, globalization has resulted in the increasing emergence of programmes and activities which aim to ensure that people keep in touch with their local languages. Besides China, such programmes and activities take place locally, in Singapore. For example, Singapore started the ‘Speak Mandarin Campaign’ and the ‘Bulan Bahasa’ to encourage its people, in this particular case, the Chinese and Malays to continue to speak their languages. Similar programmes exist in the world, such as France’s ‘Alliance Francais’ and Germany’s ‘Goethe institutes’, all of which have many centres spread throughout the world. Returning to the case of Confuscius institutes, these show that China is working very hard to promote its language overseas and trying to expand the use of its language on a global scale. Hundreds of teachers have been sent to Africa, and since 2004, China has also set up Confucius Institutes around the world, actively promoting Mandarin Chinese. China’s response to English’s global control, especially through the use of its language, is the first goal of Confucius Institutes. Therefore, all these show how countries and their governments are involved in promoting and preserving their local languages in response to the popularity of English.
In my opinion, it is important that there is a common medium of communication in the world, however one must stay true to one’s roots and should not neglect one’s local language. Furthermore, English can act as a neutral link for nations split along ethnic lines. In the case of Iraq, where Arabic and Kurdish are to be official languages, there is a growing movement to add English. The need to learn English will encourage people to be bilingual and thus expose themselves to foreign languages, widening their experiences. This is because, people who used to be able to make their way in the world as monolingual English speakers are now finding that they have got to compete with people who are genuinely multilingual.
Signing off,
Warda
Cultural Expert
Future Perfect; Cultural Expert
5:55 AM
Source (Article)
Last Updated: Monday, 12 March 2007, 12:17 GMT
College for Chinese culture opens
Chinese has been taught at Lampeter University for many yearsA new college which aims to promote the Chinese culture and language, as well as strengthening business links with Wales, is to open in Ceredigion.
The Confucius Institute, named after the famous Chinese philosopher, will be based at Lampeter University.
It will be one of 100 similar institutes around the world, and according to Lampeter University, the first of its kind in Wales.
The college will be partly funded by the Chinese government.
University officials signed an agreement with the Chinese Government in Beijing on Monday, but it is unclear when the institute will officially open.
It is understood Lampeter is being recognised for the pioneering role it has played in teaching Chinese studies over the years.
'Cultural dimension'
The university claims to be the only one in Wales where students can read degrees in the Chinese language and culture.
Professor Robert Pearce, the university's vice chancellor, said: "Lampeter's engagement with China is important socially and economically.
"The Chinese students at Lampeter enrich the experience of all our students, and they bring a valuable cultural dimension as well as overseas income to the town.
"In addition, the future prosperity of Wales will be better secured if we have strong links with China, given the pace of economic and educational development in China."
Professor Xinzhong Yao, director of the Lampeter Confucius Institute, said: "The Centre for Chinese studies at Lampeter has a record extending over a full decade in providing higher education in Chinese studies and has already established a strong reputation in the UK."
University officials said the Ministry of Education in China aimed to establish 100 Confucius Institutes throughout the world by 2010.
This article is from:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/mid_/6441635.stm
Future Perfect; Cultural Expert
5:46 AM
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Personal Response
Global Culture of Food
Food is the oldest global carrier of culture. In fact, food has always been a driving force for globalization especially during early phases of European trade and colonial expansion. One significant growth in global culture is fast food restaurants, such as the all-too-famous McDonalds. Furthermore, restaurants which sell food such as French cuisines are also going global where people outside France are able to savour these cuisines internationally. However, whether this is a positive or negative phenomenon is debatable. In my opinion, there are in fact two sides to this issue. However, I feel that the global culture of food will result in more problems than benefits if people were to act irresponsibly.
The new global culture of food can be considered a positive thing whereby, people of different cultures and backgrounds share a common liking for fast food, thus, placing global culture in a positive light. However, as mentioned in the article, I agree that the average daily diet has undergone tremendous change, with all nations converging on a diet high in meat, dairy products, and processed sugars. This supports the statement made that the new “global diet” is not necessarily a beneficial trend, as it can increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. Furthermore, besides posing health risks, this new global culture of food is causing an increase in the lost of local cuisines.
McDonald’s has become the best-known fast food brand in the world, with 30,000 restaurants in 120 countries. As mentioned in the article, McDonald's has become a symbol of globalism for obvious reasons as on an average day in 2001, the company served nearly 45 million customers at more than 25,000 restaurants in 120 countries. Thus, it is a world wide restaurant known to many. In certain instances, travelers who are uncertain about local food would often turn to McDonalds, as most would be familiar with the food there. Fast food outlets globally provide much convenience for people, especially working parents. Due to the numerous number of outlets, fast food restaurants like McDonalds are also easily accessible to the public. Over half the US population lives within 3 minutes’ drive of a McDonald’s. Furthermore, “Give Mom a night off” was an early advertising slogan, so the meal out meant no cooking, serving and washing-up for her. Thus, as people in the world get busier by the day, more of them will turn to fast food as an alternative. This shows that the global culture of food can make the lives of people more convenient.
The article mentioned that our new global diet, consisting of much fast food, poses health problems such as obesity, which is viewed as a global health threat. Furthermore, it has been dubbed “globesity” by the World Health Organization. In my opinion, it is true that the global culture of food will indeed pose health problems as more and more people consume fast food. For example, my research shows that Americans spend $110 billion a year on fatty, sugary fast food, more than they do on films, videos, books, magazines, newspapers and music combined. Furthermore, nearly two thirds of Americans are now overweight, and the US Surgeon General says 300,000 Americans die each year of obesity. People grow fatter as fast food chains spread through countries. In 1995, the WHO estimates there were 200 million adults and another 18 million under-five children classified as overweight. By 2000 the number of obese adults had risen to 300 million. This is not just a problem in industrialized societies. In developing countries, says the WHO, over 115 million people suffer from obesity-related problems. These statistics that I found are indeed scary and shows that globalization can be threat to the world if it is not controlled. At the same time, I feel that globalization cannot be fully blamed for these problems. Individuals should practice self discipline and control their diets instead of putting the blame solely on globalization.
The global culture of food in the world causes the loss of local cuisines, national and ethnic identity. As mentioned in the article, we are what we eat, and when our diet changes, notions of national and ethnic identity is affected. I agree with the statement and that the spread of fast food undermines indigenous cuisines by forcing homogenization of world dietary preferences. For example, fast food causes many people to eat less of their local food. Furthermore, due to globalization, food from different cultures are being sold and eaten by people who are not of the same culture. For example, Italian food such as pizzas are not only eaten by the Italians but also by people all over the world, especially when more places such as Pizza Hut are being set up in many countries.
Then there is also the problem that globalization of fast food can influence public conduct. The article mentioned that fast-food chains have introduced practices that change consumer behaviours and preferences. I agree that the fast food do indeed cause this to occur such as the example that is given about Japan. However, one has to be practical in these situations. We cannot expect a Japanese to be eating a hamburger with a chopstick. Not only will this be a tedious thing to do but something that can be said to be impractical. Therefore, even though certain cultures and etiquettes such as that of the Japanese are facing changes due to globalization, we have to take into consideration that sometimes practicality should be taken into consideration in similar situations.
Thus, there are several effects of the growth in global culture. In this case, it concerns food. However, these changes may bring about both positive and negative outcomes, and individuals should take up the responsibility to ensure that the negative effects of globalization are kept to the minimum. Such actions will include watching over their own diet and staying committed to their local cuisines despite the numerous fast food outlets surrounding them.
Signing off,
Warda
Cultural Expert
Future Perfect; Cultural Expert
4:30 AM
Source (Extract):
The average daily diet has also undergone tremendous change, with all nations converging on a diet high in meat, dairy products, and processed sugars. Correlating closely to a worldwide rise in affluence, the new “global diet” is not necessarily a beneficial trend, as it can increase the risk of obesity and diabetes. Now viewed as a global health threat, obesity has been dubbed “globesity” by the World Health Organization. To many observers, the homogenization of human diet appears to be unstoppable. Vegetarians, environmental activists, and organic food enthusiasts have organized rearguard actions to reintroduce “traditional” and more wholesome dietary practices, but these efforts have been concentrated among educated elites in industrial nations.
Western food corporations are often blamed for these dietary trends. McDonald's, KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), and Coca-Cola are primary targets of anti-globalism demonstrators (who are themselves organized into global networks, via the Internet). McDonald's has become a symbol of globalism for obvious reasons: on an average day in 2001, the company served nearly 45 million customers at more than 25,000 restaurants in 120 countries. It succeeds in part by adjusting its menu to local needs. In India, for example, no beef products are sold.
McDonald's also succeeds in countries that might be expected to disdain fast food. In France, for example, food, especially haute cuisine, is commonly regarded as the core element of French culture. Nevertheless, McDonald's continues to expand in the very heartland of opposition: by the turn of the 21st century there were more than 850 McDonald's restaurants in France, employing over 30,000 people. Not surprisingly, many European protest movements have targeted McDonald's as an agent of cultural imperialism. French intellectuals may revile the Big Mac sandwich for all that it symbolizes, but the steady growth of fast-food chains demonstrates that anti-globalist attitudes do not always affect economic behaviour, even in societies (such as France) where these sentiments are nearly universal. Like their counterparts in the United States, French workers are increasingly pressed for time. The two-hour lunch is largely a thing of the past.
Food and beverage companies attract attention because they cater to the most elemental form of human consumption. We are what we eat, and when diet changes, notions of national and ethnic identity are affected. Critics claim that the spread of fast food undermines indigenous cuisines by forcing a homogenization of world dietary preferences, but anthropological research in Russia, Japan, and Hong Kong does not support this view.
Close study of cultural trends at the local level, however, shows that the globalization of fast food can influence public conduct. Fast-food chains have introduced practices that changed some consumer behaviours and preferences. For example, in Japan, where using one's hands to eat prepared foods was considered a gross breech of etiquette, the popularization of McDonald's hamburgers has had such a dramatic impact on popular etiquette that it is now common to see Tokyo commuters eating in public, without chopsticks or spoon.
"globalization." Encyclopædia Britannica.
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Apr.
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2007 <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-225002>.
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2007). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved
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2007, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online: http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-225002
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