I find it incredibly unfortunate that though Americans have access to learn so much about other cultures they don't. Other countries are fighting for an opportunity to speak their minds or/and learn about other perspectives and concepts that don't exist in their own countries, and Americans don't even try to learn because their lives are consumed with the "capitalistic race." That's how it started with me too. My parents drove doing well in school so I could be successful, not to actually learn anything. I wasn't learning to be actually "like" anything I was learning, I was learning to "choose" something to be successful in. I was reading Elpais.com and noticed that these topics wouldn't stand a fighting chance to make it into the American news.
To be honest, the average American I talk to thinks it's funny that they don't like to read and that they find the news boring. The average American and built a natural barrier around them that blocks any information that blocks out any information that they believe doesn't involve them.
"Globalization (or globalisation) describes the process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global network of political ideas through communication, transportation, and trade. The term is most closely associated with the term economic globalization: the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment, capital flows, migration, the spread of technology, and military presence.[1] However, globalization is usually recognized as being driven by a combination of economic, technological, sociocultural, political, and biological factors.[2] The term can also refer to the transnational circulation of ideas, languages, or popular culture through acculturation. An aspect of the world which has gone through the process can be said to be globalized.
It's been an ongoing process for other countries to partake in this feat called "globalization" because it's an important to continue to compete in the world's competition for power. However, I believe that because Americans have been too spoiled, selfish, and proud the long term damage of not paying attention to other countries and their circumstances creates and sustains a level of animosity and tension among other countries and the United States. To not even read about the conditions of other countries shows America's own ignorance. I am not looking forward to when Americans will have to pay attention because it will affect their everyday life.
Totally agree. Great post! Reading and global interest is so important. Lack thereof is the reason for the world-wide term "stupid american" lol
ReplyDeleteAlso I think this lack of versatile education & disdain for reading/writing among Americans is the reason why you have nearly 900 hits on your thought-stimulating topics & only a handful have any type of thoughtful feedback to offer.
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Part of the problem is that the lack of a credible threat to the American "way of life" has left us complacent as a people. We have outsourced our manufacturing capabilities (including most of the military industrial complex), and increasingly rely on not-so-friendly countries (China, Russia, etc...) to buy our debt so that the country can continue to spend "Monopoly Money" on ineffectual domestic and foreign policy. On top of all that, most Americans refuse to recognize the growing relevance of "Global Economies" and the role of foreign culture/society and show disdain for those cultures as if they could never unseat the mighty United States. News Flash: the EU was fairly close to becoming the preeminent super power until they decided to carry the burden of the fiscally irresponsible states, and the BRIC pact countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) are fairly close to finalizing a plan to subvert American economic dominance. Countries like Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran are a credible military threat whom we could never defeat without a costly war on their home turf (and they know that hence their posturing when it comes to certain US policy). Meanwhile, the next generation's future has been mortgaged for the present, and the general malaise that hangs over the populace will only grow to threaten American sovereignty. It is troubling when more young adults caring more about American Idol and Jersey Shore than what their country will be facing in the next 10, 20, 30 years.
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