The case for Contamination by Kwame Anthony Aphiah published on January 1st 2006 was a very detailed, in depth explanation about the cultural diversity in the world. The text also focuses deeply on the difference between cosmopolitans and neofundamentalists. At the beginning of the text, the author described a Wednesday festival day in Kumasi, Ghana, the town where the author grew up. The description of the place that he was at for the festival was nothing like anything that I know, it was so different and surprisingly modernized and old-fashion simultaneously, I would experience a culture shock if I were to live in that moment at that place.
After reading the entire twelve pages of the document, it took me a while before I could sink everything
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Just because they are exposed to new products through globalization does not necessarily mean that they will abandon their own culture for it nor will they be deeply influenced by it. I believe that people can judge whether a product is right for them and according to their beliefs and values, they will make their own decision about it. Whether they approve it or not, it is their own judgement that matters because at the of the day their values and traditions stay with them since they are innate. I am very convinced that cultural consumers all over the world are not just marionette to be played by the advertisements and products. They are most importantly human beings with the capacity to make decisions that are good for them. In this argument, I agree that the cultural diversity of the world is not threatened just because people from different cultures are exposed to different traditions which are not their own. Let’s face it, we cannot stop people from interacting nor can we stop the grow of globalization of the world. For instance, students from KwaZulu-Natal were asked about American Soap Opera and what lessons did they get from it. One of the student, Sipho responded that in soap opera “Days of our lives”, he drawn the lesson that a man can tell a woman that he loves her. I feel like Sipho took a lesson from the soap opera only because he wanted to and especially because it was correct according to his values and beliefs. What Sipho watched did not completely change his mind about what he already knew but it only opens his mind to a new way to see the same things that he already knew. This proves that the products from a culture do not necessarily affect people from other cultures because they already have their own beliefs and foundations. Thus, I strongly believe that globalization is not at all a treat to the cultural diversity of the
The isolation of man from diversity is unfair for both him and society. Without globalization, man would not have the opportunity to make his own decisions and grow to the best he can be. Instead, there is a fight of resistance against the West.
Being raised in Ghana, receiving higher education in England and working as a professor in the United States certainly helped Kwame Anthony Appiah receive a fair share of different cultures. Appiah is a recognized philosopher with several published books and an impressive track record of accomplishments. His article The Case for Contamination, which was published in The New York Times, speaks on the topic of how globalization affects individuals in many aspects of their life. He discusses how forcefully preserving cultures can harm a culture more than help it. While the article is lengthy, it goes into great detail about how globalization affects people in countries all over the world, even Ghana. Globalization makes a large impact on the world we see today and cultural groups can benefit from the effects of globalization because it promotes diversity, creates cosmopolitan citizen development, and allows economic growth.
Globalization has it's obvious ups and downs. In Kwame Appiah's article "the case for contamination" he makes it clear that he favors globalization but doesn't ignore the contradictions and set backs that globalization brings. Globalization offers other countries different perspectives on life and cultural ideas. Kwame Appiah uses a story about visiting his home land to show how two cultures can merge successfully without one over imposing its views on the other. While waiting for the king to arrive, a very cultural and traditional ceremony, many people stood in business suits with phones in hand. Yet these modern westernized products did not change the overall customs and cultural beliefs of these people. They are not being over run with technology or westernized ideas. They have simply adapted them into their own culture. Appiah is very opinionated and uses his own religion as well as other religions as an example to get his point across but he never pushes or tries to influence the reader by these religions. He has travelled and had close relationships with people of different cultures, customs and places. This makes him appear knowledgeable in the field of cultural globalization and ethics in world affairs. Appiah illustrates his view on the difference of isolating a culture to preserve it and letting it choose its own path to evolve with the times. He uses this same idea in the way he writes ultimately letting the reader choose their own stance on the topic. Without any hesitation I agree with the authors point of view that giving a person the individual opportunity to chose what to adapt or exclude in there life is the most fair and beneficial situation.
Monique and the Mango Rains is a book that details the experiences that Kris Holloway went through when she went to Mali and meat Monique. In this essay I will analyze some of the things that she went through while there from a cultural realistic perspective. Cultural Relativism is the comprehension and understanding of a particular group’s beliefs and practices from that particular culture’s perspective. Some of things that I will analyze are the economic factors that result in not having adequate resources, the social structure of families in Mali including the sizes of families, and the Healthcare that which plays a critical role in how people live.
This process is catalysed by technological, economic and political trends operative in the contemporary world. (Gikonyo Wokabi and Omondi Owino, 2016) Since Western society is becoming more knowledgeable of the issues taking place for other ethnic backgrounds, where its people may suffer greater economically, there’s more opportunity for others to endeavour to assist and improve standards of living. Another positive factor of globalisation is the increase in media coverage drawing attention of the world to human rights violations. (Sites.google.com, 2016)This can further better a certain culture on their views such as violence against women, encouraging proper formation of identity and creating a better experience of belonging. The benefits of globalisation may not be universal. “Globalisation, exposes firms to a wide range of cultures simultaneously.” (Slater, Paliwoda and Slater, 2007) Countries such as Japan has shown to be historically averse to globalisation, and have only slowly changed and evolved to accept and adapt to a more American style approach to business. (Slater, Paliwoda and Slater, 2007) This emphasis the impact of globalisation on ethnicity today as cultures must begin to develop a different attitude towards globalisation in order to change for the better. This change may result in individuals feeling a loss of their own cultural norms and values
Toyin, Falola. “The Power of African Cultures.” Woodbridge, Suffolk, United Kingdom: University of Rochester Press, 2003. Print
Globalization is a term which became popular after the 3th quarter of the 20th century. It is used to describe the movement of people, information, commodities and financial tools across national borders which increase the interconnection between countries economically, politically, socially and culturally. The effects of globalisation on different fields are one of the main discussion topics of these days. One can easily find thousands of articles on the impacts of globalisation on economy, agriculture, politics, democracy, science and even on climate. However, globalisation and its effects on culture is an unheeded area. The defenders of globalisation consciously avoid discussing culture, because they all know that globalisation is the main source of cultural genocide.
Khapoya, Vincent B. The African Experience: An Introduction. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1998. Print.
Achebe opens his lecture, "An Image of Africa," with the story of a student who sent him a letter saying how he was "particularly happy to learn about the customs and superstitions of an African tribe," not realizing that "the life of his own tribesmen in Yonkers, New York, is full of odd customs and superstitions" as well (1784). Western thou...
In the introduction to “The Pure Products Go Crazy,” James Clifford offers a poem by William Carlos Williams about a housekeeper of his named Elsie. This girl is of mixed blood, with a divided common ancestry, and no real collective roots to trace. Williams begins to make the observation that this is the direction that the world is moving in, as Clifford puts it—“an inevitable momentum.” Clifford believes in that, “in an interconnected world, one is always to varying degrees, ‘inauthentic.’” In making this statement, Clifford is perhaps only partially accurate. In the western hemisphere, where Williams was located, perhaps it can be said directly that the influence of modern society has attributed to the lack of general ancestry, as one culture after another has blended with the next. Perhaps it can be said as well that, as Clifford puts it, “there seem no distant places left on the planet where the presence of ‘modern’ products, media, and power cannot be felt” (Clifford, 14). The intention of this paper is to contend first that there is essentially such a thing as “pure” culture, and contrary to Clifford’s belief, that there are “pure” unblended cultures that remain (while not altogether untouched by foreign influence), natural within themselves. It will be argued as well that the influence of modern society does not necessarily lead to a loss of cultural soundness itself, but rather that a presence of certain cultural practices within the respective cultures has attributed to the lasting “purity” of certain cultures. In this case, we will be discussing the cultures that exist in Haiti and Bali.
...’s depictions of both traditional and modern beliefs in varying degrees illustrate the importance of both in contemporary Nigerian culture, as well as the greater Africa as a whole, and how both are intertwined and cannot exist without the other. In effect, she skillfully subverts stereotypes or single perceptions of Africa as backward and traditional, proving instead, the multifaceted culture of Africa. She further illustrates that neither traditional African nor western culture is necessarily detrimental. It is the stark contrast of the fundamental cultures that inevitably leads to clashes and disagreements. In the end, what holds African countries such as Nigeria together is their shared pride. Modern, western influences can bring positive changes to society, but new cultures cannot completely eradicate the foundational cultures to which a society is founded on.
In the last two decades, the influence of globalization has been rapidly growing through the use of technology, media, communications, transnational corporations, and advances in social relations. With the increase in social relations and advances in technology, this allows citizens across the world to connect and interact, allowing barriers to break down and slowly emerge. The source we are currently met with and are analyzing, proposes that globalization has a negative impact on identities of human beings. Regarding media, culture, beliefs, systems, judgements, and social interactions, globalization can be seen from both lights, positive and negative since it can help spread innovative ideas but also contribute to the process
Colonialism is a situation whereby a dominant imperium or center carries on a relationship of control and influence over its colonies (Key Terms in Post-Colonial Theory, n.d.). In this drama, Aidoo not only tells a disobedient child’s story, but she actually reveals a very important historical moment in Ghanaian history through the personal tragedy of Anowa and Kofi Ako. Anowa in this drama represents Africa. Her destruction represents Africa’s fall which was as a result of the actions of selfish men (represented by Kofi Ako) who only cared about amassing wealth to the detriment of their fellow Africans’ wellbeing, thereby betraying Africa as a whole.... ...
Culture has a power to overcome boundaries and even conquer distances by migrating and interfering in foreign cultures, and doing so it can lead to homogenization- where this main characteristic unifies culture making it global and model for everyone. First, as a definition, globalization implies deep and fast interconnection with global countries all around the world, and technological changes made that interconnection possible and created more support for a homogenizing
...evelop. But the original impact of globalization is shows on culture in some particular aspects. So every place different from other place in terms of culture and habitats. So it is very important for every culture or ethnic group to adjust. In my views globalization is very beneficial as long as it is not harming the main culture activities.