My reader response on 'Globalization of culture through media (2002)'

In Kraidy's article, "Globalization of culture through media (2002)", he created a context for the global media debate about 'cultural imperialism' and 'globalization'. He contends the point that audiences especially from developing countries are passive and homogenized under the influence of Western culture. He evaluated cultural imperialism and the imbalanced flow of information and how it evolved with the influence of media into 'globalization' and 'hybridization'.

Kraidy mentioned that it is difficult to find a precise answer to the question on the ‘relationship between media and the globalization of culture’. Furthermore he also mentioned that one side of the debate supports the idea that “mass media trigger and create the globalization of culture”.

I personally feel that even though the claim that the globalization of culture is mainly brought about by the advent of mass media is undeniable, it is too generalized and failed to take into consideration the other driving factors. Therefore, I am in favor of the view that the phenomenon of globalization of culture is already prevalent in the past, long before the introduction of mass media.

Due to the advancement of technology and progression into the digital age, it has invariably increased the speed of culture globalization. The assimilation of culture is further boosted. Ashdown (2011) stated that “Because of the internet”, “Everything is connected to everything [in our modern world]” making nations and people ‘interdependent’ and ‘interlocked’. Such as the television and online news portals supplying news from all over the world to our intimate spaces. Interconnectivity of people worldwide through various social media platforms allowed parties to adapt and gain knowledge of different cultures. Through mass media, our cognition, lives, habits and emotions are being shaped and altered when we are presented with abundant information from various cultures. This transforms our cultural experiences in unprecedented ways.

Media is an indisputable force of the globalization of culture, but I would not label it as the sole trigger. Looking at the history of Singapore, when we are established as a trading port and then, being much behind the digital age, I believed that there are already multiple forms of cultural globalization. Being heavily involved in entrepot trade and the inflows of merchants of different nationality (Chinese, Arab, American, etc.), allowed the assimilation of their culture with the locals back then. Therefore, I do not agree that mass media should be solely culpable for cultural globalization even though it has indeed quickened and escalated the whole process.