Ch. 4 Key Issue 4

1. Ch. 4 Key Issue 4 Why Does Globalization of Popular Culture Cause Problems?

2. Threats to Folk Culture • Loss of traditional values • Wearing suits symbolizes success in the West • Jeans vs. chador in Islamic regions • Role of women • Empowerment? (Increased dowries in India) • Prostitution in LDCs

4. Clash of Cultures (Pop vs Folk/Local) • US gov’t policy of assimilation (1800 and pre 1900s) • Trying to make everyone “American” • Folk/local cultures are sustained through customs (a routinely followed practice) • Increasingly difficult with the diffusion of pop culture • Assimilation forced local cultures to stop customs • Local cultures try to: • Keep other cultures out, Keep own culture in • Avoid cultural appropriation – when other cultures adopt customs and knowledge and use them for own benefit • Commodifying local culture (Katy and Russell); Lindsborg?

5. Drawbacks of Cultural Appropriation • Shouldn’t it be a compliment? • Usually done for economic benefit • Commodification affects local cultures in many ways • Material and nonmaterical culture can be commodified by nonmembers • The culture itself can be commodified- “observing” the Amish culture • Stereotypes / replicas mistaken for authentic • Some Amish DO use tractors

6. Authenticity of Places • Local cultures strive to make each place their own by infusing their customs, beliefs and traits into the landscape • Theme parks and other entertainment venues look to copy the “mysticism” of local cultures • Unsuspecting tourists may mistake it as “authentic” • Corporations try to commodify the mystique of local cultures to intrigue customers/make profit • Irish Pub Company/Guinness • Globalize the mystique of the traditional Irish pub • *Spain, US, Italy and France have more than Ireland

7. Authenticity of Places • With commodification, usually one image or experience is typecast as the “authentic” image/experience of that culture. • It is that image/experience that the tourist or buyer desires. • People need to experience the complexity of a place/culture directly, rather than a stereotype of it. • An “authentic” culture is complex, not categorized or stereotyped

8. Authenticity of Places • Commodifying local cultures freezes customs in place and time • Local cultures, both urban and rural, are touched by outside influences over the years and therefore are dynamic (always changing) • The search for an “authentic” local culture perpetuates (keeps going) the myths about local cultures

9. Did these buildings ever exist this way? Did people really dress like that? Are these stereotypes of the “mystique”/uniqueness of a culture? Or are they authentic representations? Does it matter?

10. Busch Gardens would love to sell you some authentic “Africa”!

11. Amish for Sale! • November 4, 2007, we purchased Flaby's Amish Tour business. Gerry had wonderful tours with the Amish, and we thought it would be fun to carry on Flaby's professional Amish tours. Vern, Eric, Rory, and Joan are our excellent, knowledgeable, and friendly hosts that guide the tours • http://www.bluffscape.com/amish_tours.htm • “certified guides”--Unique, intimate visit to 3 Amish properties --- a farm at milking time to observe how the Amish milk cows and cool milk without electricity (oohh, aahhh) • http://www.padutchcountry.com/members/amish_country_tours.asp • Are these “tours” conducted by Amish members? Again, does it matter?

12. Commodifying a name Is this the inside of an “authentic” Irish pub or an exported copy?

13. Am I being too critical? • Possibly. Some cultures may embrace people coming to “look at/study” them because it could educate and raise awareness. They may want/need that economic benefit. • Problems arise when: • cultural artifacts/customs/traditions are exploited (abused or misused), especially by nonmembers • We “think” we know about a culture from what has been portrayed to use by popular culture—movies, magazines, etc. • Both of these problems will lead to stereotypes and perpetuate the myths in search for the “authentic” culture

14. Western Control of Media • West (US, GB, Jap) controls majority of media • TV programming diffuses western ideas/culture • Glorifies consumerism, violence, sexuality, and militarism • News coverage • MDCs are unlikely to focus or provide third world perspective on issues important in the LDCs.

15. Marlboro Man in Egypt

16. Satellites • Satellites provide a way to get banned shows from all over the world • Banned in Singapore; “un-Islamic” in Saudi Arabia

18. Environmental Impact of Pop Culture • Modifying nature • Pop culture ignores local environment • Spatially expansive—takes up a lot of room • Golf courses

20. Beijing, China Palm Springs, CA

21. Environmental Impact of Pop Culture • Negative Impacts • Increased demand/depletion of natural resources • Animal consumption (chicken, beef) leads to grain depletion (feed) • Pollution • Pop culture produces waste (Garbage can Ghana)

25. Environmental Impact of Pop Culture • Uniform Landscapes • Creates homogeneity • “placelessness”- loss of uniqueness of places • Product/name/brand recognition • Brings familiarity to a “strange” place • Buildings designed for recognition of function • Hotels, gas stations, grocery stores

26. 3 ways to get “placelessness” 1. Certain planning and architectural forms have diffused around the world • Skyscrapers in downtowns 2. Businesses and products are so widespread that they leave distinctive “stamps” on the landscape of far flung places • Signs: Pizza Hut, McDonalds, etc. 3. Borrowing of idealized landscape images blurs places together • Transplanting landscape features even it doesn’t fit • Las Vegas strip

27. #1: Skyscrapers-Petronas Towers, Malaysia

28. #2: Business “stamps” on landscape: Munich, Germany

29. #2: Business “stamps” on landscape: Las Vegas Strip

30. #3: “Idealized” landscapes blur lines between places- Rialto Bridge in Venice, Italy

31. #3: “Idealized” landscapes blur lines between places- Venetian Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas

32. #3: “Idealized” landscapes blur lines between places- Venetian Hotel and Casino in Macau, China

35. Surfing at Disney’s Orlando Typhoon Lagoon Are places still tied to local landscapes? Disconnect with landscape: indoor skiing/swimming pools? desert surfing?