The Relation between Culture and Globalization | LEE GEONYONG

Globalization and culture aren't separate things - they're deeply connected and constantly affecting each other. John Tomlinson's "Cultural Globalization" (Reading 2) argues that globalization isn't just about economics or politics; it's also fundamentally cultural. It changes how people think about identity, how they communicate, and how they live their daily lives in different parts of the world. Basically, globalization is the way culture moves around, changes, and brings people together.

One important part of cultural globalization is cultural homogenization - the idea that cultures worldwide are starting to look more similar because of Western media, big international companies, and the internet. For instance, you can find Hollywood films, McDonald's, and the same fashion trends in most countries today. This shared consumer culture has made some people worried about cultural imperialism - the fear that local traditions and languages might fade away as global culture takes over.

But Tomlinson also shows that globalization doesn't just wipe out local culture. Often, it creates cultural hybridization instead. Local communities take global influences and mix them with their own traditions, making something completely new. K-pop is a perfect example of this. It uses Western pop music structures but combines them with distinctly Korean elements like specific dance styles, visual aesthetics, and narrative approaches. This mixing demonstrates that culture in our globalized world doesn't just flow one way - it's reciprocal, with global and local forces constantly shaping each other.

Beyond that, globalization has transformed how we experience culture in everyday life. Thanks to digital technology, regular people can now take part in creating global culture themselves. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok let anyone share their lifestyle, beliefs, and creative work with the world instantly. This democratization of cultural production means culture isn't controlled by just a handful of powerful nations or companies anymore. Instead, it's being constantly remade through people's interactions with each other.

To wrap up, the relationship between culture and globalization is complicated and interdependent. Globalization makes it possible for cultural meanings to spread across borders, while culture gives globalization its human and emotional aspects. It would be wrong to think globalization is simply erasing differences between cultures. Rather, it's changing how we show our identity in a world where both similarity and diversity exist side by side. So globalization isn't the death of culture - it's just a new chapter in how culture keeps evolving.

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