For some individuals in modern world, it is difficult to visualise a world deprived of the Internet. The Internet opened a new era that involves pointing and clicking, which has created a revolution in the people’s communication habits. It has also transformed people’s lives and culture. The Internet was first used in the Western countries and over time, its use has spread to other regions of the world. Currently, there are very few regions where Internet use is yet to reach, and even in those countries it is the policies and political environment that hinder the Internet connectivity. As a result of the widespread use of the Internet at a global scale, it has had various impacts on different areas. These include political, economic and social impacts among others. Most of these impacts are related to westernisation.
Westernisation entails the adoption of the Western culture, techniques and traditions by non-Western countries. In addition, the Internet has eased communication turning the world into a global village. It has also brought about a cohesive culture throughout the globe. As a result of embracing and incorporation of the Internet in the everyday lives of most people, there are debates on whether it is constructive or destructive. There are more questions than answers regarding the promotion of westernisation resulted from the Internet use. The American lifestyle has spread throughout the world. There is an argument on whether the Internet affects the values and attitudes on social behaviour. Proponents in the argument support the Internet use and focus on its importance in modern life, as well as state that it ought not to be abandoned. On the other hand, the opponents state that it should be abandoned as it spreads the bad culture of the Western countries to other countries in the world. In order to take a stand on either side of these arguments, th current paper will focus on the following statement: the increase in the Internet use has impacted cultures around the world, leading to the Westernised, homogenous global culture.
Argument
Impact on the Youth
The youth around the world have become actively involved in the Internet usage. It is evident that many young people participate in the web content development. In addition, the youth form the group of the most frequent web content consumers. Throughout the world, there has been a reduction in the cost of synchronising innovative efforts and distributing the web materials. As a result, the youth are able to make their content productions while communicating and working together with other people in various social and economic regions. The Internet has offered a platform where people can interact easily, and, as a result, borrow and learn from one another. There are various social media frameworks that are available for the use. These frameworks enable the development of formal, large scale and ad-hoc online communities. In such platforms, the consumer is also a producer of the content. Bloggers also create user-generated content while posting news. There are also musicians and photographers who publicise and share their music and photos respectively. Popular websites, such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Instagram among others, constitute the User-Generated Content websites available to the youth. In addition, YouTube is one of the most dominating User-Generated Content websites and has varying content including pictures and videos.
These websites create platforms for the youth to interact and learn about one another. However, more often than not, the users from the Western countries tend to influence the behaviour of others. Such establishment of the online social relationships among the youth exemplifies their culture. The overall number of young people who engage in the social sites is constantly increasing. Usually, the adolescent stage is essential in the growth and development of human beings, and it is during this period when most people need to create relationships with others. When such young people connect using the Internet, they become exposed to numerous cultural behaviours. Throughout the world, the Western culture is perceived as superior and in most cases a pacesetter for the others to follow. In this regard, such young people end up copying what they see others do through the Internet. They embrace the new culture in dressing, interrelating and conducting themselves among other things. Essentially, most of the youths abandon their cultures. For example, Baju Kurung is a traditional attire in Malaysia that has been worn for centuries. Nevertheless, a new trend has emerged among the young people who opt to wear Western clothing rather than the traditional wear. Therefore, it is evident that the Internet is leading to the Westernization of the youth as far as their culture is concerned.
Impact on Business
As it has been mentioned earlier, the Internet has created immense changes in the way communication takes place throughout the world. Therefore, the world has transformed into a global village where everyone can access almost anything globally. The Internet has been a contributor in propelling economic changes to converge with Western economic interests in developing countries. In most cases, these values from the Western countries are incompatible with the needs in the developing countries. The Internet and mass media disseminate ideals, which are not compatible with the third world countries’ needs, such as consumerism and commercialism. As a result, the developed communication has become more or less a persuasive marketing. Furthermore, most of the information and content found on the Internet is dominated by imported Western materials. As a result, the media and available messages which have become accessible to the citizens in developing countries are borrowed from the Western countries. Consequently, they assist in the production of a troubled local business identity that does not belong to the country of origin or to a foreign system.
According to the majority of the observers, the Internet is extending the mass media role in the global economic arena. It encourages the adoption of Western economic ideologies in the developing countries. Prior to the introduction of the Internet, every region within the world had its own way of running the business. However, in the current world the Internet has resulted in the spread of the Western way of doing business. As a result, most regions have abandoned their way of doing business and have adopted the Western methodologies. The Internet is dominated by the same institutions and interests that manipulate the mass media. Consequently, it can be perceived as an extension of the Western, especially American, consumer culture into most parts of the world. For instance, the Internet has resulted in the establishment of e-commerce. It is a Western business methodology which has been adopted in every part of the world. As long as a person has an access to the Internet, he/she can conduct business online. Therefore, most non-Western countries have adopted such an approach. With the help of Internet, it is possible for an individual in the USA, to sell a product to an individual in Denmark or the UAE, and vice versa. Thus, it is evident that the Internet has enabled the creation of a homogeneous business culture. Moreover, the non-Western world has adopted the Western business culture.
Counter Argument
Impact on the Youth
Although a good percentage of the scholars and researchers believe that the Internet is resulting in westernisation in the non-Western countries, others believe that it is not the Internet that leads to westernisation. Without the Internet, the same effect could still be felt. The youth could still be adopting the Western culture and abandoning their traditions. From the onset of colonialism, the Western countries made an impression that they were superior to other countries. As a result, they made others follow their beliefs and practice their culture. Prior to colonialism, especially in Africa, all the communities practiced their beliefs and had sets of values that governed their societies. For instance, they believed in a supreme being, even though they practiced neither Christian nor Muslim religion. Moreover, their young people used to practice dances, engaged in sports and had a given mode of dressing. However, after colonisation, the Western countries introduced their culture in these areas, and since then, people abandoned their beliefs and culture, and began to practice what was deemed as “modern”. It is, therefore, clear that westernisation and homogenisation of the Western culture does not emanate from the Internet.
The tourism industry’s statistics shows that the highest number of tourists comprises of people who come from the Western countries and visit the non-Western countries. Such people are perceived as superior by the local people, and rather than practicing what they find the locals doing, the locals tend to copy them. It is, especially, the young people who can easily copy the the Western tourists’ actions. Studies have shown that the young people in most developing countries are engaging in immoral activities such as drug abuse. Such behaviours are perceived to be Western. However, it is not the Internet that makes the youth engage in such behaviours. It is the tourists who introduce such behaviours to them. In addition, the global transportation system has made it is easy for people to travel around the world and learn from one another. Therefore, once people from non-Western countries visit the Western countries, such as the USA, they learn a new culture. When people come back to their native countries, they begin practicing the behaviour that they learned. Additionally, the education system has introduced systems where young students in developing countries go for exchange programs to Western countries and vice versa. Such students are perceived to be superior in their home countries. Once they return, the local youth begin aping their new behaviour, including the dressing code. Therefore, globalisation is the main contributor to westernisation and creation of a global homogenous culture.
Impact on Business
The business world has undergone a transformation over the years. It is a demand and the supply of the commodities that lead to the changes experienced in business. It is evident that the Western countries make efforts in ensuring that their businesses operate everywhere in the world. For instance, as they strive to reduce their cost of production, these companies establish their production factories in developing countries where they can get cheap human resource. Once such businesses are introduced in the non-western countries, the people in these countries will learn from their operations and embark on establishing similar businesses or business structures. Globalisation opened the trade routes which has also resulted in Western businesses being introduced in non-Western countries. Most people prefer learning new ways of conducting business from the Western experience. As a result, the businesses become transformed, and they choose to take the Western perspective.
For instance, people used to trade with what they produced naturally, and in most cases, it is the same thing that the consumers demanded. However, it has changed. Businesses create a need before producing the factor that will solve the need. For instance, when tourists visit the non-Western countries, they dress in a given manner depending on the circumstances, e.g., there is a code of dressing for the beach, and code of dressing for mountaineering. Prior to the entry of the tourists in such countries, the locals used to swim and climb the mountains. However, they did not require the Western dressing. As a result of the Western superiority, the local people began to demand such clothing, and, as a result, the businesses have to take the Western structure or perspective (Rodrik 2007). Therefore, it is not the Internet that leads to such changes in the business operation in non-Western countries.
Refutation
Impact on the Youth
It is impossible to separate the Internet from globalisation. One of the factors that have eased and contributed to the globalisation experienced in the modern world is the Internet. Although one may argue that westernisation was still there before the invention of the Internet, it is difficult to ignore its contribution. For instance, when the youth use the Internet to socialise or access a given content from the websites, they learn whatever they need, first hand. They do not need to see the tourists in order to copy what they do. In addition, young people idolise celebrities. It is impossible for them to have a physical contact with such celebrities, but the Internet has made it possible for young people to interact with them. As a result, young people tend to copy their behabiour. Therefore, the Internet is a major contributor to westernisation and creation of a homogenous global culture.
Impact on Business
Similarly, the Internet has been a major contributor to the current business structures used throughout the world. For example, one of the newest modes of conducting business is e-commerce. It is also one of the business structures that encourage globalisation. It is especially because no matter where one is situated in the world, they only need to access the Internet in order to purchase commodities online. There are multiple businesses that have cropped up, and they do not have physical stores. They conduct all their businesses online. Therefore, it is not possible to ignore the Internet as a contributor to westernisation of the global business culture.
The Internet has introduced numerous opportunities throughout the world, which are aimed at making life easier. It has eased communication as well as means of conducting business. It has also created new ways for socialisation and sharing of cultural values. Due to the dominance of the Western culture, most people prefer copying the Westerns. Therefore, it has more so affected the youth in the non-western world as they seek to define their personalities. Moreover, the Internet has provided the young people with an opportunity to interact with the celebrities, whom they idolise. As a result, young people copy whatever they see on the Internet since they believe that they will be associated with their favourite celebrities. Additionally, the Internet has led to the development and westernisation of the businesses. Nowadays, it is possible for a person to make a purchase from their favourite online shop, and have the product delivered almost anywhere in the world. Businesses have also been able to learn more from the West through the Internet. Consequently, it is true to state that the increase in the use of the Internet has impacted on cultures around the world, leading to a Westernised, homogenous global culture, especially among the youth and in business.
Chloe Mendez, writer at https://specialessays.com/ and a blogger.
