Lioudmila Berlejung 2

www.stateofnature.org/globalizationandculture/html.

This article treats the phenomenon of the ongoing globalization which is linked to the spread of American values, wealth, economic systems and goods.

Various viewpoints of some famous personalities are represented  in it. Some of them state that America imposes its own culture and destroys cultural diversities. The others maintain that the transmission of American culture contributes to establishing capitalism , wealth and prosperity and it goes without saying democracy.

Dr.Henry  Kissinger, a former Secretary of State, in the course of a lecture at the Trinity College in Dublin on 12.10.99 said"... the previous phase of globalization was under the British hegemony, the current phase has to be under the US domination.

Thomas L. Friedman explained the process of homogeneity like that "...globalization has its own dominant culture," that`s why it tends to be homogenizing.

American food habits are spread with the establishing coffeehouse chain Starbucks worldwide. It is impossible to ignore that America is the most advanced capitalist society in the world.

Francis Fukuyama rejects the view that the globalization leads to cultural homogeneity. From his viewpoint political, social and economic realms are products of homogenization. The cultural realm is mostly independent from the globalization. He gives an example of Asian perception of the American culture. There is probably less mutual liking, more distant and greater emphasis on the difference between the cultures of the United States and Asia today than there was 40 years ago. In 1950s and 1960s Asia looked up to the United States as a model of modernization. Communication technology has allowed both Asians and Americans to see each other more clearly and it turns out they have very different value systems.

An important feature of present day globalization is the invention of consumer credit society. Credit cards give consumers an opportunity to purchase throughout the world without having any cash.

An importance of English as global language has been rapidly increasing as it becomes the most important medium of telecommunication.

Globalization limits the economic and commercial independence of every single state in the world. The governments  are forced to cooperate with each other and guarantee wealth and prosperity to their citizens . Some scientist describe the relationship between the cultural identity and globalization as reciprocal.

Globalization brings interdependence into social and technology worlds. The borders are wiped away. Advantages and disadvantages are never ending arguing points in the social and linguistic studies.

As for me it is hard to share a certain viewpoint to this phenomenon. Each of it has its own part of truth.