Impact Of Globalization On Culture

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The world is changing at a fast pace. As the time passes, old concepts and practices become absurd and new terms and phenomenon come into existence. One such phenomenon that has remarkably changed our life is ‘Globalization’.

Globalization is the movement of goods, products and business from the boundaries of one Nation to the boundaries of another Nation. It is the interaction and integration of people, tradition, ideas and cultures among the Nations of the World. Globalization is not a whole new concept. According to the Historical evidences, people from ancient times used to migrate from their Mother land to the other parts of the World in search of food, shelter, protection from natural calamities, business and for a better living. This migration always involved a blending of two traditions, life styles and cultures.

According to Economists, in modern era, Globalization actually started when the Multi National companies mainly from the western world left their boundaries and started to operate Worldwide. These developed countries rely on less developed countries for raw materials, cheap labors and market for their goods and products. While the under developed Nations depend on developed countries for their economic development and technologies. When people from two different countries live together or share a common land, a mix and blending of culture always takes place. This cross border trade has put an impact on life style, habits and culture of people in one or another way.

Culture of a Nation is a set of knowledge, beliefs, traditional values, life style, literature, language and morals which are being practiced by the natives of the country at a particular time. Culture is dynamic by nature. Globalization has affected the cultures of various countries in both positive and negative ways.

Positive Effects Of Globalization

We may take the example of eating habits of people. Food or cuisine is an integral part of any culture. Due to Globalization, people now taste different products which were otherwise not available to them. May be it the KFC or Kentucky fried chicken and Mac d of USA or Coca cola of Atlanta; Georgia, these products have become an integral part of consumption by citizens of the world. In the same way, food items from Eastern part of the globe like Hakka noodles of China or Alphonso Mangoes of India are making their place in the world.

Countries like Singapore, China and South Korea have made a significant position in exporting their mobiles, batteries, electronic items and gadgets throughout the World. In the same way, cars, packed medicaments and vehicle parts from west are accessible to the whole world.

Globalization leads to urbanization of developing countries. As Globalization creates employment, the living standard and life style of natives of these countries has also risen to a marked extent. Their purchasing power has increased leading to an increase in the consumption of foreign products and goods like. Cars, mobiles ,electronics, cosmetics and gadgets. Now, no country can be confined to her limited boundary in terms of business and goods.

Globalization has allowed people to understand the cultures, ideas and beliefs of different parts of World. Information technology has played a significant role in making this understanding easier. As a result, Countries from the Eastern part of the Globe are getting familiar with the art forms, dance forms, life style, literature and cinema of the Western world and adopting them very well in their day to day life. In the same way, countries from the west part of the Globe are welcoming yoga and meditation of East in their life style and are benefitted in one or another way. There is an increased sharing of common values, life forms and arts among the countries.

Educational pattern and system has also changed due to this cross border culture. To be fit in this changing scenario, more developed and modern skills are being acquired by the students worldwide. It has lead to a greater understanding of literature or cultures of different parts of the World.

Negative Effects Of Globalization

Globalization has some negative effects too. It has lead to an easy access to the culture of different countries. The culture of a country can be best described by the country herself. Globalization may lead to misrepresentation of the culture. It may result as a loss of culture or individual identity.

The images, symbols dance forms and artifacts are the integral part of any culture. Introduction of new technology has made it easier to reach these icons. Using them, selling them, reselling or misrepresenting them may induce the loss of this valuable heritage of that particular culture.

Globalization has also affected local trades and business negatively. Due to an easy approach to foreign products and goods, country made art forms; handicrafts have been suffering the most. These art forms, handicrafts and scriptures etc represents the culture of a Nation which are otherwise getting neglected and losing their separate or individual identity. Globalization is often viewed as the westernization of developing countries. Due to this increasing impact, citizens of these countries are adopting western culture to a large extent.

According to Economists, this cross over culture and increasing impact of Multi National companies on poor or less developed countries may lead to further colonization. As the History is evident that cross over business by the powerful Nations of World on less developed countries is the first step of colonization.

Every coin has two faces. Changing market environment brings new issues in front of the world. On one hand, Globalization is converting World into a Global village where there is a better access to products and services, while on the other hand, loss of individual culture, identity, colonization and exploitation are its another face. People and Government policies should work together to absorb the foreign impact while protecting their own culture, heritage and values. This will lead to a better world for new generation.

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