Monday, January 19, 2009

How Do These Three Pieces Exlempify Globalization?

In Packers' "How Susie Bayer's T-Shirt Ended Up on Yusuf Mama's Back', globalization comes in the form of trade between different cultures. Through his travels, Packer meets a Pakistani named Hussein Ali Merchant. Merchant defies the American dream by openly talking about the difficulties of our culture. Merchant says that he does not understand why he would want to go to America since he is making enough money in Africa, saying that "I'm a king here in Africa." His profits are all thanks to those who are giving away their old clothes that no longer fit, however. Packers driver, Robert Ssebunya, also talks about the influence the clothes have on the African culture. He says that it has an extremely negative impact since the Ugandan culture will soon be dead with the Western style.
Ssebunya shares a similar fear to that of the older Chinese generation in "McDonalds in Hong Kong". No one expected McDonalds to take off the way it did in Hong Kong, mainly for the fact that it had nothing to do with the Chinese culture. This quickly changed however, and has since become a part of daily life for teenagers and children. These two articles show how American culture has infultrated other countries, yet has not necessarily had a negative impact. In both cases, there are people who depend on our exports, whether it be clothes or an entire restraunt chain. In Hong Kong, millions of people are able to get jobs thanks to McDonalds, and the younger population has come to accept it as a typical sight, not a way into American culture. This also leads to globalization in the way that the people of Hong Kong are not giving up any part of their own culture or traditions by accepting McDonalds.
America is not the only country to export a taste of our culture, however. In "How Sushi Went Global", Japan provides the perfect example of another food type that was not expected to do well abroad. It has since become a favorite part of the American cuisine, from sushi bars to sushi to-go sections in airports. Once again, however, America has not been asked to give up any part of our own culture in order to let sushi in.
All of these articles share a common theme of acceptance of other cultures without totally giving up your own traditions. Through the trade of clothing and cuisine, we are slowly working towards globalization.

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