You are on page 1of 9

GLOBALIZATION AND YOUTH CULTURE

Possibility of the Globalization of Youth Culture


Name:
Institution:

Globalization and Youth Culture

Possibility of the Globalization of Youth Culture


The terms globalization and culture have different meanings to different people. Their
relationship with the youth and religion is unclear. Intertwining of the subjects of globalization
and the emerging cultural issues shapes their future. Globalization is common in politics and
economics. However, culture is very essential in the study of globalization because of their close
relationship. Some people see culture as an intrinsic aspect of the entire globalization process,
whereas others argue the priority of culture by the statement exchange of material localizes,
exchange of politics internationalizes and symbolic exchanges globalize (Berry 2008, p. 329).
Nevertheless, implications of culture are central to understanding the human side of
globalization and how the culture of the youth will have a key bearing on its future.
Globalization is a new born culture with no boundaries and spreads across the world. Therefore,
there is a symbiotic relationship between globalization and youth culture. Despite the complexity
of the emerging youth culture and its defiance to reasoning, it is essential in understanding the
future of both religion and globalization. Young people are currently considered as the emerging
world market and winning their loyalty is vital to any type of business (Berry 2008, p. 331).
The Impact of Technology on Young people
The youth have embraced technology advancements with passion. This is because the
dynamic world has the latest technology, which is part of everyday lifestyles for people to
operate fluently. Their knowledge levels of technology also exceed the knowledge of those in the
previous generations (Ruddick 2003, p. 335). Therefore, technology has brought together many
people of various backgrounds worldwide. This is because the power of music and media enables
individuals across the world to watch and listen to similar videos and music. Most of the young

Globalization and Youth Culture

population is trying to find a place they can be valued and belong. According to Ruddick (2003,
p. 337), the world is very fragile and the youth form partnerships, and tend to move away from
the mentality of total self-reliance and living independently. They have their own right and desire
to be part of something bigger. To achieve this, they make use of the current technology,
especially the social sites to enter the global world.
The Impact of Globalization on Indigenous Cultures
Globalization has led to a comprehensive exploitation of many cultures, especially in the
tourism industry. Ensuring ease of access to those areas by other tourists enables interaction of
people from different cultures (Powell 2007, p. 23). Tourists observe indigenous groups as relics
of the past and interact with them to gain information and report back to their friends. Countries
practicing this kind of tourism ensure there is an influx of foreign currency into their economy.
Additionally, there is an increase in employment opportunities in the service industries for the
locals. This tends to reduce the inequality between the tourists and the local staff.
Traditional cultures portrayed by traditional dancers are not accurate reflections of the
traditions, but used for entertainment purposes. The use of cultural traditions commercializes the
local culture to a point its significance is compromised. The youth are the main segments of the
indigenous society targeted by the multinational corporations. Adolescents are more prone to the
targeted consumerism and western culture appeals more than their own traditions. It becomes
easy to convert them because their own identity is not similar to that of the adults. This leads to
cultural erosion of identity, and remains a significant problem because it is a personal issue rather
than a societal one. Many indigenous groups consider globalization a threat to the ancient family
structure and that it creates a disconnection from the cultural traditions (Powell 2007, p. 27).

Globalization and Youth Culture

However, multinational corporations view indigenous communities as a valuable


unexploited commodity. This negatively affects local environment because it generates
supernormal profits for large organizations. The consumerist nature of globalization contradicts
traditional cultural values. It does not consider the socioeconomic and cultural circumstances but
looks at the interests of influential countries.
Impact of Globalization on Education
According to Sally and Morrison (2006), globalization has affected education in remote
cultures that lacked access in previous years. This has opened doors, not only to opportunities for
education, but also the global employment opportunities. Global citizens and the well educated
workforce of the emerging globalization system shift educational priorities and create turmoil in
traditional styles of education. As countries recognize globalization effects, some have started
establishing guidelines to preserve their cultural diversity within the educational framework to
meet the emerging global needs.
Also, the desire to learn English language has increased worldwide. English has emerged
as a worlds linking global language making a big number of youth to pursue it at the
undergraduate levels. A universal language of teaching is essential as a natural outcome of
globalization. On the other hand, globalization has a negative impact on education. In countries
like Nigeria, the overabundance of languages in the local communities complicates the task of
educating citizens. Therefore, to maintain cultural diversity, allowances need to be made to the
local languages (Sally & Morrison, 2006).
Impact of Globalization on the Knowledgeable Community

Globalization and Youth Culture

Globalization has led to commercialization and privatization of knowledge leading to a


knowledgeable community. A knowledgeable community highly contributes to national,
political, economic and social development. Cultural groups, mostly formed by the youth
contribute in provision of the knowledge. As the globalization pace increases, new opportunities
and challenges continue to emerge within the community. While it has brought major benefits to
various sectors, various cultures remain vulnerable to illiteracy, whereby the youth will be the
most affected due to the dynamism of the contemporary world.
Positive Influence of Globalization on Cultural Diversity
Technology empowers the youth from many cultures by allowing information sharing
and self representation on a whole new level. It provides a medium for the depiction of images
and portray self-identity to provide means in which truism is established. Centers of global
media allow youth from different cultures to have a distinctive voice in promoting awareness and
creating public knowledge of stories and identities. Also, it allows communication of relevant
accounts and commentaries on issues important in the acquisition of knowledge and preservation
of culture, thereby retaining their diversity (Ruddick 2003, p. 353).
Most of the youth have invested in media production firms and control their artifacts,
songs, signs and symbols regarded as cultural property. This assists them with better equipment,
and it becomes easy to manage and avoid misrepresentation. Mass media does not only destroy
culture but also revitalize and restore cultural preservations of various nations. Technology is
used in preserving personal and collective identity and providing power and autonomy. Global
positioning of cultures allows those political and social powers previously not seen to be evident.
Globalization has heightened the levels of information exchange and social networking.

Globalization and Youth Culture

This has been achieved through platforms for networking like Twitter and Facebook. It is an
opportunity for improved problem solving strategies from other cultures that experience similar
challenges. Also, it is a platform for idea globalization, campaigns, viewpoints and strategies that
garner political power and cultivate interests. Global technology boosts public awareness of
communication technology and provides the ability to foster and strengthen the relationship and
create a global village. This contributes most in strengthening global cultures.
Ruddick (2003, p. 357) points out that global awareness provides many benefits to
include spotlight on government policies, living conditions, access to education and injustices,
thereby promoting economic pressure to foreign nations to promote national change. Cultural
awareness leads to the understanding, empathy and tolerance but the global markets can lead to
economic, employment and educational opportunities. It is evident that in most communities,
communication between cultures has lead to improved creativity among the young population.
Diversity is valued in the international community and is being promoted through various
international organizations whose most of their employees are the youth.
Negative Influence of Globalization on Cultural Diversity
Because of the extraordinary access to various cultures, there is a much wider audience to
see, hear and experience the phenomena than ever before. Stereotyping and misrepresentation of
risk of loss of cultural property rights are the outcomes of unmonitored access. Some negative
effects of globalization on cultural diversity include the influence of multinational firms on the
promotion of consumer culture and market exploitation that influence societal values. Increased
availability of commercial products and media also affect the influences of local cultures,
especially the youth (Ruddick 2003, p. 345).

Globalization and Youth Culture

Lose of group identity and individualism occurs as globalization encourages a western


ideal of individualism. This leads to a homogeneous set of beliefs and values. Adopting western
ideologies and culture is evident in the development of the computer-mediated technologies,
marketed and processed through western markets. Todays culture determines the next greatest
technology and the next commercial gadget to be offered to individuals. The introduction of elearning technologies brings about colonization because of the curriculum that mimics the
cognitive styles of the dominating culture.
According to Ruddick (2003, p. 349), the present legal, education and power structures
represent western philosophies and ideas. The youth are useful in stimulating these ideas into
their cultures and paradigm with far most reaching effects. Moreover, globalization has a
negative impact on cultural rights and intellectual property. Global access to information opens
the gateway to acquire cultural property and information. Cultural dances, songs, rituals, artifacts
and signs act as living identities of different cultures. Using these images and misrepresenting
their rights is considered as theft of property and crime against communities.
The Youth and Terrorism The Terror Culture
Today, terrorism is a threat to the worlds security. New recruits for terrorism groups
across the world are usually young single males. Majority of the youth volunteer to join such
groups because of poverty, lack of school fees that lead to school dropouts and poor upbringing.
Also, others are members of the socially and financially marginalized group of people. Currently,
over 50% of the worlds population is below the age of 18. According to the United Nations
reports, 85% of the global population for youth lives in the third world countries and there are
future projections of a rise to 89% by 2020 (Ruddick 2003, p. 341).

Globalization and Youth Culture

Conclusion
Culture is the total pattern of human behavior and its products in action, speech and
artifacts depend on individuals capability to learn and transmit knowledge to the future
generations. Globalization points out that the resulting absence of cultural diversity will lead to
inheritance of the western culture by the future generations. Regardless of the positive or the
negative impact of globalization, relations to culture and institutional diversity may be the
biggest ally. In various nations, steps are in place to stay current with the emerging globalization
trends. The productivity and education of labor forces within the international community leads
to aggressively embracing of education systems.
However, globalization complicates the process of education. This has created
opportunities for nations to breakout of traditional models of education and move toward having
knowledgeable communities. A global person has the capability to act locally and also think
globally. This makes the person maintain cultural diversity and expose other citizens to the
benefits of globalization. Therefore, globalization can provide a strong collective identity and
empower individuals and groups. It can also provide means for disempowerment,
misrepresentation and possibility for further colonization. To strengthen the youth culture by
globalization, there should be means and wherewithal to give aid to cultural groups that attempt
to make a difference in the society as well as maintain their set of practices, values and beliefs.

Bibliography

Globalization and Youth Culture

Berry, J W 2008, Globalization and Acculturation, International Journal of Intercultural


Relations, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 328-336.
Maira, S 2004, Youth Culture, Citizenship, and Globalization, Globalization: Culture and
education in the new millennium, pp. 203.
Sally, M, & Morrison, M 2006, Coming of Age with the Internet: A qualitative exploration of
how the internet has become an integral part of young peoples lives, New media &
society, vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 73-95.
Powell, A 2007, 'Youth at Risk? Young People, Sexual Health and Consent', Youth Studies
Australia, vol. 26, no.4, 21-28.
Ruddick, S 2003, The politics of aging: globalization and the restructuring of youth and
childhood, Antipode, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 334-362.

You might also like