Cultural Standardization: The Effect Of Globalization On Culture
The transformation of the world into a global village has consequences in all aspects of people’s lives. Of course, culture is not immune to these changes.
Through these lines We will see what is known as cultural standardization we will broaden the perspective about the mechanisms that affect local cultures and cause them to experience alterations and sometimes radical changes due to the process of globalization.
Cultural standardization refers to the mixture that all cultures suffer among themselves when they connect, due to the permeability of the borders of the territories In an increasingly connected world, both physically and digitally, it is increasingly difficult to establish cultural boundaries. Customs and practices quickly spread through a multitude of territories, sometimes very far from the place where they originated.
One of the factors that has had the most to do with cultural standardization is the mobility of people. On the one hand, through migratory processes, which historically have developed in waves and to very specific places, but which in recent decades have occurred in a more diffuse way but in all directions, they have encouraged people with a specific culture to mix. with others of different customs, experiencing an exchange between them.
It is not only the migratory processes, but also the ease of travel, the interconnection of all places in the world, being able to cross the ocean in just a few hours and return shortly after Although of course nations with their borders continue to exist, today they are much more permeable than in the past. Furthermore, going one step further, it is not even necessary to leave home to mix with cultures from very distant places and it is thanks to the Internet and global connection.
It is easy to talk to people from different countries through our digital devices, another factor that has facilitated cultural standardization. We can play online against opponents who are thousands of kilometers away, we can participate in forums or social networks and exchange opinions with individuals from very different nations. Even through cinema, literature or music, we can soak up the culture of remote and exotic places.
The effect produced results in a homogenization of all cultures, as a result of the mixture of all of them, giving rise to the cultural standardization we were talking about. Logically, the majority ones will ensure that most of their features prevail over other less widespread ones, although on certain occasions some features of a minor culture (in the sense that fewer people share it) can become popular for various reasons and be absorbed by a larger culture.
Pathways to cultural standardization
We have mentioned some of the ways that can promote cultural standardization. Now let’s delve into some more.
1. Gastronomy
Indeed, Gastronomy is a fundamental part of culture Each territory, each country, and even practically each region or town, has its typical dishes. Some of them become so famous that they rise to the level until they become part of the country’s gastronomic culture. But sometimes this phenomenon goes further, crossing borders and even reaching extremely remote places.
You just have to walk around any central street in a big city to be able to choose between typical menus from truly diverse and distant countries. Without leaving cities like Madrid or Barcelona we can taste Italian pizza or pasta, Mexican tacos, Japanese sushi, American hamburgers, Turkish kebabs, etc. Some of these dishes are so assimilated that it is common for them to form part of the regular diet of many people.
Of course, Big brands and multinationals have a lot to say in this, especially fast food, which have extended their domains to practically the entire globe. This example shows that cultural standardization has its advantages, such as the possibility of trying foods from very distant places, but at the same time it has a risk.
And sometimes these new gastronomic options can become so powerful that they can progressively weaken some of the local culinary traditions. Likewise, by exporting new fast food options, eating habits are also being promoted that may be very appetizing but are not particularly healthy, which can trigger nutritional imbalances.
2. Audiovisual entertainment
We mentioned previously that one of the most powerful means of cultural standardization has to do with cinema, music or books, among others. All of this encompasses audiovisual entertainment. Regarding cinema, Traditionally the predominant culture has been that of Hollywood, in the United States which year after year provided the world with blockbusters that viewers around the globe eagerly awaited.
Although they continue to be the kings of the box office, more and more countries are exporting high-quality feature films, even displacing local productions in the Academy Awards, the popular Oscars, as was the recent case of the film Parasites. , from South Korea, which won the statuette for best non-English language film, but also for best film, the main category. An example of cultural standardization.
It’s not just about cinema, well This phenomenon is also observed with television series, which are increasingly abundant thanks to on-demand television content platforms Today, the episodes of the most important series are released at the same time in almost the entire world, becoming a global phenomenon that keeps viewers from any continent glued to the screen.
Literature is another catalyst for the mixture of customs and also one of the oldest, since since the printing press was invented in the 15th century, the expansion of works was facilitated, both in the original language and in its version translated into Spanish. any other language, thus opening the way for anyone to access the knowledge but also the cultural traditions that each page housed.
The case of music is also another form of expansion and mixing of customs that can favor cultural standardization. Big groups and superstars have followers all over the world, so they represent a link between all of them, who have assimilated that certain musical style as part of their culture. That is why on big tours the repercussions of the concerts are always the same, regardless of the specific place where the group plays each time.
3. Sports
Sport is another part of culture that has managed to jump all borders and expand globally. Sports such as football, basketball, tennis or formula-1 are a spectacle with hundreds of millions of followers around the world. A championship final can keep half the planet in suspense as is the case of the Olympic Games or the Soccer World Cup.
The case of that specific sport is especially important in cultural standardization, since Soccer players become idols for many children around the world who proudly wear their shirt, wear their hair like them and are their reference in many ways, for better or worse.
4. Fashion
Everything related to fashion could not be missing from this list. The way of dressing is also an axis of culture that is becoming increasingly globalized. As with restaurants, It is easy to find stores of any international brand near our homes What’s more, with the rise of sales through the Internet, we don’t even need that proximity, since the products of our favorite brands arrive directly to our homes.
Due to this form of cultural standardization, it is common for inhabitants of opposite regions of the globe to wear the same clothes, since the offer is practically similar in many countries, so it does not matter whether we enter the store in Paris, Shanghai or from New York, since we can find identical products.
The dangers of cultural standardization
We have reviewed the characteristics of cultural standardization and various paths by which it can take place. Thanks to this mechanism, cultures change, grow and mix, but this also has its risks. Mainly, the greatest danger that we encounter with the advance of this phenomenon is the loss of local customs and traditions which can be buried by others from more predominant cultures.
It happens at all levels: typical gastronomic dishes, as we had already seen, more localized forms of art, or even festivities that are relegated by others that are much more powerful thanks to the commercial interest behind them. Therefore, although cultural standardization is a way to learn about other lifestyles, it is advisable to never forget the roots of each place, as they are equally enriching.
