In his interview with The Atlantic, Chinua Achebe talks about Americanization and a Universal Culture. It is intriguing to hear what Achebe has to say because his point of view goes against that of many within the U.S. Achebe writes that contrary to popular belief, we have not yet reached a Universal Culture. This part is not necessarily contrary to popular belief, but the fact that the American-European culture, the one that is widely adopted around the world, is not the universal culture. This brings up some interesting debates surrounding globalization and Americanization, some of which I will write about here.
Although the U.S.A.'s days of colonization are (or at least on the surface appear to be) over, it's influence on the world is ever growing. As one of the greatest economies in the world, the U.S. dominates world trade. As a result, the United States sets the precedents that countries follow when it comes to trading. In order to trade with the U.S., countries are required to speak english. This has a drastic effect one that is more easily seen when a person asks someone from outside the U.S. what languages they are learning in school. The answer, more often than not, is their native language, and English. Schools around the world require their students to learn english because it is necessary for them to be prosperous economically. Many of these students grow up and leave for the United States, where they will most likely never use their native language and where many will choose not to teach their children their native language. Thoughts of the "American Dream" has long lured people away from their homelands and brought them to the United States, where many of them learn English and forget their native language. Losing a language is a devastating blow to any culture. The globalization of English effects more than just a culture's language.
Americanization causes a culture to abandon practices which it had used throughout its history. It adopts practices which deplete its natural resources in order to be more competitive in the global economy, which is dominated by capitalist societies. While capitalism has its benefits, it can and has been a destructive force in regards to culture for this very reason. There are stories of countries running out of a vital resource for the first time in its history because it began to use them at a much faster rate than ever in order to advance economically. The effects prove disastrous for the people of the country, with the exact effects depending on what natural resource they are using. A prime example is that of the diamond trade's effects on the people of Sierra Leone.
There are many, many more negative effects of globalization, and even more negative outcomes from Americanization. One can only hope that more people realize the American-European culture is not the Universal Culture
I think what Achebe is trying to get at, and you are alluding to, is that globalization is different than a "Universal Culture". Globalization just refers to the interconnectedness of the billions of people around the world. In this day and age, it is at an all time high, and it still has not reached many. Part of the reason we have not reached the Universal Culture is because not everyone is connected instantaneously with each other, there are still millions, perhaps even a billion that do not have access to constant global contact. The other, main reason is that as we do connect more people, we are drastically changing their lives, cultures, and how they live. This washout of different societies is what has Achebe despairing. Sometimes it takes the form of resource extortion, sometimes it kills off people on a genocidal level; but whatever level it happens it, it needs to stop because what is happening now as we globalize, is a distancing from the Universal Culture.
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