W6. Cultural globalization/ Heo Yoon Jae

Summary

The article started with the meaning of globalization and culture before to talk about cultural globalization.

Globalization is a multi-dimensional process consisting of various dimensions such as economics, politics, environment, and culture. Advances in technology - especially in terms of media and communication - have increased connectivity and dependence on modern society and the network is becoming dense. These links affect us in various areas, preference of food, music and movies to global warming and influenza. We live in the most interconnected world.
Culture is tool-kit to interpretation and motivation of social life behaviors. In particular, the author views the culture as a tool for expression or interpretation. It provides a context for understanding the meaning and reasoning of events through culture. Also, culture serves as a tool to express itself while fulfilling its physical needs.

Many scholars said that cultural globalization is based in a single culture – western culture. This phenomenon is described by the word cultural imperialism, Americanization, or westernization. For examples, Microsoft, Google, McDonald's, CNN, Nike, Starbucks, Hollywood movies and American pop music. They said we should be care about this situation.

However, the author says the consumption of cultural goods can’t state the dangers of the practice of culture itself. Since globalization is multi-dimensional, it is impossible to say that reunification in the economic means to the unification of the cultural aspect.
The concept of cultural globalization can be found in history. The Ebstorf MappI MundI, a 13th-century century, is a world map centered on Christianity and Europe. This reflects the world's view of the world, which wanted globalization based on Christian culture and European culture.
Cultural globalization changes our local experience. The author describes this phenomenon as a devitalization, meaning that the practice of physical, environmental, climatic, climate and climatic positions is collapsing. Culture is no longer tied to local circumstances.

Cultural globalization changes our local experience. The author describes this phenomenon as a deterritorialization, meaning that the practice of physical, environmental, climatic, climate and climatic positions is collapsing. In this aspect, culture is no longer tied to local circumstances.
Deterritorialization integrates global unity in events, processes, and causation in our lives. For example we eat American fast food in Seoul and watch American TV programs in our house with Netflix. We watch news about foreign government, chat with foreigners.

Deterritorialization changes the region's experiences and provides broader cultural horizons to people. Through the increase in mobility, the use of new communication technologies, and globalization, people naturally absorb the cultural data of the region and the world.

Due to globalization, simple local citizens have disappeared. Now we are Cosmopolitan. By understanding international trends, we can think about the identity of international tendencies. Global world order can be used as a means to understand our human being and can act as a universal order. We are facing the future world and need a more flexible cultural concept than we have.

Interesting points

I interested in deterritorialization. It was interesting that we were losing sight of the characteristics of space-time while overcoming space and time.

Discussion points

This topic and last topic about globalization, authors said we should have flexible attitude. But I had learned “The most Korean thing is the most cosmopolitan.” in past. Because we have to save our unique – Korean - culture. In this global trends, how flexible should we be and how firm should we be?