Effects of American Globalization

August 29, 2011

Another great weekend this past weekend!!

Friday night the four of us went to a bar with friends (Anthony, Giancarlo, and Richard) to watch a live band play. Here there are a lot of cover bands who cover American songs, especially 80s rock songs. They sounded good though!! We got to try Peru’s national alcoholic drink, which is called Pisco Sour, which is like am amaretto sour kind of?? It was good, but realllllllly sour.

Saturday and Sunday we were pretty much at the parish the entire time. We went to a meeting for the youth about leadership. It was interesting to participate in a leadership workshop when we didn’t really speak the language… but we had fun and made more friends!!  Saturday night we played games with the youth group.

This afternoon we went to a fundraiser for hospice (where I will be working). They had Pachamanca food there and tickets were $10. Pachamanca is a tradition food that is cooked underground and is common in the Sierra Mountains. We had two different kinds of potatos, rice, and meat wrapped in a big banana tree leaf.

Something that has really stuck out to me here is the impact of United States culture on the rest of the world – and not in a positive way. The billboards have white people on them, posters advertising fashion have Caucasian models, the Peruvian people sing “Happy Birthday” in English and learn how to play American songs on their guitars, gang-tagged walls with spray paint are written in English, the mannequins in the windows of clothing stores have white skin and white features, etc. It is such an eye opener on the effects of our culture on the rest of the world. It is unfortunate to me that the young people are not embracing the traditions of their own beautiful and rich culture with such an incredible history, but instead are yearning to be a part of this “American pop culture”.

Is it something for us to be proud of that our (the United States) culture and presence in the world is so imperialistic and imposed so strongly on others that they are losing their own identity to become more Americanized?? On the other hand, I guess these are just the more tangible effects of globalization which is inevitable, but it is hard for me to see and not feel guilty about it as a representative of this country that so often thinks it is superior to others and others must be like us. Why is ENGLISH seen as “cool”?? Why is white or light seen as “beautiful”?? Why are OUR fashion trends considered what “should be” popular?? I just wish every culture could see the beauty in their own music, food, history, traditions, and strong loving spirits… I wish that Americans weren’t so adamant about being #1 (and I don’t just mean politically).

All people in the world are beautiful no matter their color, religion, tradition, way of dancing, speaking, or sense of humor, no matter the food they eat or whether they ride a donkey or drive a Lexus. What is our world coming to when the eradication of different cultures and histories is just accepted as part of the norms of globalization?? Again, maybe this is inevitable for progress, change, and modernization to a more developed world. It just feels strange in a way, and is confusing to be part of.