Reader Response (After Evaluation)

In the article "Globalization of Culture Through the Media", Kraidy (2002) discusses the perspective about cultural imperialism, globalization and hybridization. One of those is cultural globalization is a result of cultural and media imperialism.  As Kraidy mentions, some feel that Western countries have manipulated mass media to exert their cultural influences across the world, especially the developing states. As interaction between countries increases, there was a shift from a parasitic relationship to a mutualistic one – Globalization. According to Kraidy (2002), mass media’s great contribution towards the homogenization of cultural difference proves that it is one of the main driving forces of cultural globalization. However, it still remains debatable whether media acts as the trigger of such revolution, or simply accelerates the process.

It is undeniable that media has exacerbated the outbreak of globalization. In modern society, just by a click will render countless information at our disposal. As a result of globalization, we are becoming increasingly interconnected within the globe. With increasing number of social media networks, it is difficult not to be connected with the rest of the world. By using Facebook, for example, we are able to network with people in different countries. Since the revolution of the Internet, a country’s domestic news becomes more easily available and accessible. For instance, stories about the wreck left behind after the most recent Thailand political elections is circulated everywhere almost everywhere on the Internet. The “World Wide Web” phenomenon has resulted in a ‘symbiotic association’ that no one has ever predicted.

Kraidy (2002) also asserts that globalization is driven not solely by mass media. There are several other factors that have proliferated the growth of globalization. Trade is one of the main drivers of globalization. Resources needed for a country’s individual growth are dispersed and we have to depend on one another for trade.  It is essential to have vital connections amongst countries for economic purposes, especially for countries such as Singapore. With no natural resources and land scarcity, she heavily depends on the trading industry.

Building a good military relationship is another factor that promotes globalization. Since the Second World War, countries have begun multinational military trainings and even joint military exercises. In 2012, Singapore held a bilateral navy training with Australia (Ministry of Defence, 2012). As a result of military exchanges at a multinational level, it is inevitable that countries are becoming interconnected as one, fuelling globalization.

It is hard to refute that there is a transition globally from media imperialism over the developing states to a tightly weaved international relationship. Globalization of culture has become a conceptual magnet (Kraidy, 2002), resulting in the proliferation of knowledge, culture and society. However, there are other underlying reasons for the rapid globalization experienced by everyone. Globalization is like a burning torch, which will evolve into a burning flame when fuelled by external factors.

References:

Marwan M. Kraidy, 2002, Globalization of Culture Through the Media, retrieved from http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1333&context=asc_papers

Ministry of Defence, 2012, Singapore and Australia Armies Conduct Bilateral Armour Exercise in Australia, retrieved from http://www.mindef.gov.sg/imindef/press_room/official_releases/nr/2012/oct/03oct12_nr.html#.Ux6ff3mR3wI