Blog 2: Cultural Globalization--LIANG ZHIWEI

1. Summary

 For Blog 2, I read "Cultural Globalization" by John Tomlinson. The article mainly discusses the relationship between culture and globalization. Tomlinson believes that globalization is not only about the economy. It also includes politics, technology, the environment, and culture. Globalization connects people around the world more closely, allowing goods, information, ideas, and culture to spread across countries. However, culture is not only influenced by globalization. People's cultural values, personal interests, and lifestyles also affect their choices as consumers, which can influence the development of globalization. Therefore, culture and globalization influence each other.

 The article also discusses whether globalization will create one global culture. American movies, music, and brands have spread around the world. Because of this, some people worry that different countries will become more similar and may even lose their traditional cultures. However, the author believes that this idea is too simple. Globalization does not mean that every country will have the same culture and values. People understand and use cultural products in different ways based on their own cultural backgrounds. Therefore, globalization does not necessarily create one completely uniform culture.

 The article also introduces an important concept called "deterritorialization". It means that the connection between culture and a particular place is becoming weaker. In the past, people mainly experienced culture through their local environment and communities. Today, the internet, international travel, and global media make it easier to learn about other cultures. For example, people can watch foreign movies, listen to music from other countries, and communicate with people around the world online. However, the author points out that deterritorialization does not mean local cultures will disappear. In fact, people may care more about their own cultural identities when they experience more different cultures.

 Finally, the author discusses the relationship between cultural identity and cosmopolitanism. He believes that people should respect other cultures while keeping their own cultural identities. They should also understand the connections between different societies. In conclusion, globalization can encourage cultural exchange and change people's lifestyles, but it does not necessarily mean that cultural differences and local traditions will disappear.

2. New and Interesting Ideas

 The first interesting point from this reading is that globalization does not necessarily make all countries' cultures the same. Although globalization allows cultures in different countries to influence each other, it does not mean that people will completely accept other countries' cultural ideas and values. For example, Chinese food is becoming more popular around the world, and many foreigners are starting to try Chinese dishes. However, even if they enjoy Chinese food, they may not adopt traditional Chinese eating habits. In some countries where people usually use knives and forks, they may still use them when eating Chinese food instead of using chopsticks. This makes me think that accepting a culture does not mean accepting all the habits related to it. People can enjoy food from other countries while keeping their familiar lifestyles. This also shows that although globalization promotes cultural exchange, people understand and use cultural products in different ways based on their own cultural backgrounds.

 The second interesting point is the concept of "deterritorialization" introduced by the author. With the development of the internet and social media, we can learn about other countries' cultures anytime and anywhere, even without traveling abroad. Before coming to South Korea to study, I had already learned about Korean dramas through television programs. For example, My Love from the Star and Descendants of the Sun were very popular in China at that time. As I grew older, I also started watching Korean variety shows such as Running Man and became interested in K-pop through the internet and social media. Even when I was in China, I could learn about some aspects of Korean young people's lifestyles and popular trends. Now that I am studying in South Korea, I can also learn about current cultural trends and news in China through Chinese social media platforms such as TikTok and Red Books. However, I have also realized that what we see online cannot fully represent the real life of a country. People in different countries still have their own lifestyles and cultural characteristics.We can learn about other cultures through the internet while also discovering the differences between places through our real-life experiences.

3. Question for Discussion

 This reading makes me wonder whether the internet and social media really help us understand other countries' cultures better. Although we can easily learn about life in other countries through the internet, the information we see online is not always accurate. Before experiencing another culture in person, we may develop misunderstandings because of what we see on social media.

 For example, I once saw people on Chinese social media saying that food in Korean university cafeterias was mostly vegetables and tasted bad. However, after coming to South Korea to study, I found that the real situation was not always the same as what people said online. Through my own experience, I realized that some online information only reflects the experiences of certain people and cannot represent an entire country. If we only learn about other countries through social media, we may develop a limited understanding of their lives and cultures.

 Therefore, I would like to ask: Although the internet makes it easier for cultures to spread across countries, how can we tell whether cultural information online is accurate? How can we avoid misunderstanding other countries' cultures because of the limited information we see on social media?