Hello,
I thought I'd ask a political question... this has the potential to get really controversial - just what I like!
I am reading a great book called Jihad vs. McWorld, about the potential dangers - and potential advantages - of the expanding globalization of the world. It has me thinking a lot about this, and I've been wondering lately about just how culture around the world will be affected.
On one hand I have hope that all countries/cultures will be able to hang onto the vital elements of their culture, the things that make them who they are. After all, the countries in Europe and the East have been easily doing this for centuries.. not taking into account the shifting borders always taking place through those same centuries, and ignoring other delicate points.
On the other hand, with the Internet, instant communcation, the windows we have into things happening literally around the world, and the way particularly American culture seems to be able to insinuate itself into others' daily lives, the danger seems to be that there will be a melding of cultures world wide.
That is of course one of the fears of those who oppose all forms of globalization.
I was wondering what others thought of the way the world is being 'westernized' or 'Americanized' (as some would say), and what dangers you all think this poses for cultures around the world.
Teresa
Caveat: "Culture" and "identity" are debatable concepts; culture as a concept has been discussed in other posts and may not really exist... but for the sake of argument let's assume that there is a definable national culture each country can claim.
Globalization 
Linear Mode
