Impact of Globalization on World Culture

Globalization is often exclusively associated with worldwide economic integration and the emergence of a borderless global market. However, globalization also involves sweeping changes on the social, cultural and political terrains. Globalization is not an inclusive or progressive form of internationalism. Rather, it is the successful expansion on a world scale of particular localisms of social, economic, and political organization, which are neo-liberal and capitalist in character. The mix of material and ideological elements that make this expansion possible makes globalization a hegemonic process. Nor does globalization create or encourage economic freedom, opportunities, and choice at all levels; rather it is more akin to a monoculture of ideas, politics, and economic models. The major consequences of globalization have been: the transmogrification of traditional religions and belief systems; the beginning of the disintegration of the traditional social fabrics and shared norms by consumerism, cyber-culture, newfangled religions and changing work ethics and work rhythms; the fast spreading anomie forcing an ever increasing number of individuals to fall back upon the easily accessible pretentious religious banalities, and attributing to religion the creation and acceleration of extremist, fundamentalist and terrorist tendencies in the third world countries. To sum up, culture as a way of human life is constantly undergoing change. Certain developments in modem times have helped to accelerate this process of change in an exponential manner involving two major consequences: (a) reduction in cultural diversity; and (b) increasing hegemonic control in the name of free trade and freedom of communication, at all levels. The implications of this change are varied and there are no indications that they are in any way increasing the social, material or spiritual well-being of humanity. Finally, it can be said that every culture of world was affected by one way or other in terms of its influence and identity. Only one culture dominates that is western culture. Western culture also dominates due to power approach of Western World. Today, every culture of the world is under the umbrella of Western culture, It was always interest of West to rule over the world especially to marginalize the developing world. West becomes successful in its mission by implementing a slogan that was globalization. Through this process West projected, its own culture, polity, economy, values, across the globe etc.