Globalization's Influence on Cultural Dynamics and Preservation

The essay 'Culture and Globalization' examines the intricate connections globalization creates among nations from both cultural and economic perspectives. It highlights how major multinational corporations like Shell, Mitsubishi, and Samsung engage with various countries, leading to cultural leveling where identical products are globally available, resulting in a standardized global culture. Despite this, the essay discusses concerns about cultural erosion but argues that many nations actively protect their unique cultures. The French government's efforts to preserve its identity against Hollywood culture exemplify such protective measures. Furthermore, the essay debates globalization's role in inspiring societal change and revolution under oppressive regimes by exposing citizens to alternative lifestyles. It posits that while globalization accelerates cultural adaptation, it does not necessarily lead to cultural erosion as people integrate new customs while maintaining their distinct identities.

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Summary: Culture and Globalization
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Culture and Globalization
According to the article, globalization is an intricate interconnection among nations
which is experienced at both a cultural and economic viewpoint. Shell, Mitsubishi, Samsung,
among others are some of the significant multinational companies that engage in complex
relationships with various global countries. One of the considerable benefits of globalization, as
pointed out by the sociologists, is that it enables cultural leveling. In other terms, the companies
mentioned above and others will be in a position to supply identical products across the globe.
As a result of globalization, the similarity of distinct cultures increases, the same stores are seen
in every country’s shopping mall, every television airs Toyota advertisements, and so forth. The
results, as the experts point out, will be a standardized global culture. Conversely, the article also
outlines some drawbacks associated with globalization. One of the firm arguments against
globalization, according to other schools of thought, is that it may cause erosion of individual
cultures. However, the article argues that this may not be the case. In fact, many nations are keen
on the issue individual culture erosion and are ready to protect their culture at any cost. The
French government, for instance, has worked very hard to prevent its citizens from adopting the
Hollywood culture.
Indeed, the issue of globalization and its impact on culture has been the subject of
unrelenting debates for many decades. Majority of thinkers suggest that the benefits of
globalization outweigh the drawbacks. For instance, citizens of a particular country may be
subjected to oppression by their government. However, upon seeing the excellent life of other
cultures under a non-abusive administration, they are convinced that they need change
(Cleveland, Rojas-Méndez, Laroche,& Papadopoulos, 2016). Globalization has been argued to

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be the cause of revolutions in many nations, and especially those under dictatorial rule. Culture is
dynamic. In any society, the ability to incorporate new cultures is a crucial part of human life.
One thing that is important to note is that globalization has hastened the process culture
adaptation. Also, the argument that continuous penetration of foreign cultures will cause erosion
of individual cultures does not seem to hold any truth. Haynes (2016) notes that as different
people come together, they adopt new customs but maintain their distinctive characteristics.

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References
Cleveland, M., Rojas-Méndez, J. I., Laroche, M., & Papadopoulos, N. (2016). Identity, culture,
dispositions and behavior: A cross-national examination of globalization and culture
change. Journal of Business Research, 69(3), 1090-1102.
Haynes, J. (Ed.). (2016). Religion, globalization and political culture in the Third World.
Springer.