Feb 24 2013: Currently studying Global Cultures for A2 and often we look at cultures from local to global. I think sometimes I can be too skeptical and think its doom and gloom for all local cultures due to the globalisation of certain culture clusters - sped up by technological leaps and economic power. But like a few comments here, what is 'local'? I immediately think of the close physical vicinity - a city, a town - but even then those consist of multiple cultures living side by side.
I live in Slough, a town known for it's diversity due to it's history of factories and offices offering migrants livelihoods, resulting in enclaves. The local culture here is the fact that it is multicultural (if that makes sense...) Living here for most of my life, it's safe to say we're used to seeing shops shoot up aimed for the assimilating cultures, a new market. An example is increasing Polish migrants due to the accession in 2004 has led to shops and services introduce to satisfy growing Polish market.
The point is culture is dynamic, always changing due to politics, society etc. and even more so with transportation causing space-time compression. Some cultures might have more influences, such as 'Americanisation' - sometimes seen negatively causing culture erosion through culture hybrids, mixing old traditions with new ideas. Another view is that it is heading to a unipolar world.
However, I believed that stronger cultures do have great spatial influence but it dilutes as it is globally spread, and so does their power. Local cultures are changed from the outside by these powering cultures, but wasn't it changing from the inside too? This is more evident in cultures receptive to change - like Manila's westernised culture through televised showbiz, TV, internet etc. The youth wanted to have a unique identity, so they take from what they see. Culture is not lost, just ever-changing, adapting to the people. Locals have the power to change their culture more than the outside players.
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A comment on Conversation: How will travel change local places in the future?
I live in Slough, a town known for it's diversity due to it's history of factories and offices offering migrants livelihoods, resulting in enclaves. The local culture here is the fact that it is multicultural (if that makes sense...) Living here for most of my life, it's safe to say we're used to seeing shops shoot up aimed for the assimilating cultures, a new market. An example is increasing Polish migrants due to the accession in 2004 has led to shops and services introduce to satisfy growing Polish market.
The point is culture is dynamic, always changing due to politics, society etc. and even more so with transportation causing space-time compression. Some cultures might have more influences, such as 'Americanisation' - sometimes seen negatively causing culture erosion through culture hybrids, mixing old traditions with new ideas. Another view is that it is heading to a unipolar world.
However, I believed that stronger cultures do have great spatial influence but it dilutes as it is globally spread, and so does their power. Local cultures are changed from the outside by these powering cultures, but wasn't it changing from the inside too? This is more evident in cultures receptive to change - like Manila's westernised culture through televised showbiz, TV, internet etc. The youth wanted to have a unique identity, so they take from what they see. Culture is not lost, just ever-changing, adapting to the people. Locals have the power to change their culture more than the outside players.