Blog Post #10

      A working defintion for "globalization" is the increasing acculturation among nations, cultures, and individuals. Cultural Imperialism ties in with globalization really well. The Western Culture (i.e. the United States) is without question the main influence in terms of globalization. We see influences of our culture in nearly every corner of the globe, impacting countless societies. Is there any country that doesn't have a McDonald's on every corner? And who hasn't tasted Coca-Cola at least once in their lives? These are just 2 of the countless examples as to why the American culture is imperialistic- one can't escape it! Since the early 20th century, the United States has been making and distributing films, with our ideas and culture embedded throughout every one. As these films were seen  in other countries, many containing strong pro-American messages, the American way of life became very desireable to people in other countries. Suddenly, our culture was seen as the norm, and was being adopted by more and more people each day, who were striving to be like the protagonist of their favorite film. Movies are just one of the media sources that perpetuate this idea of cultural imperialism, and they are (and continue to be) a major factor in globalization as well.

Here is a clip from "Team America: World Police", dubbed here in German. This film crams American Patriotism and ideas down your throat, and is a good example of how the United States is a major agent in globalization. The fact that it is translated into other languages just goes to show you how much our imperialistic American ideas are spread throughout the world: