Transcript Human Geography By James Rubenstein

Human Geography
By James Rubenstein
Chapter 4
Key Issue 4
Why Does Globalization of Popular
Culture Cause Problems?
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International diffusion of popular
culture has led to two problems.
 The diffusion of popular culture
may threaten the survival of
traditional folk culture in many
countries.
 Popular culture may be less
responsive to the diversity of local
environments and consequently may
generate adverse environmental
impacts.
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Threat to Folk
Culture
When people turn from folk
to popular culture, they
may also turn away from
the society’s traditional
values.
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Loss of Traditional Values
 The Western business suit has been
accepted as the uniform for business
executives and bureaucrats around the
world.
Wearing clothes typical of MDCs is
controversial in some Middle Eastern
countries.
 Muslim women in MDCs are encouraged
to discard the black Chador in favor of
skirts and blouses.
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Chador
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Change in Traditional Role
of Women
The global diffusion of
popular culture threatens
the subservience of women
to men that is embedded in
many folk customs.
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Change in Traditional Role
of Women
The concepts of legal equality and
availability of economic and
social opportunities outside the
home have become widely
accepted in more developed
countries, even where women in
reality continue to suffer from
discriminatory practices.
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Negative Impact on
Women
Contact with popular culture
has brought an increase in
prostitution in LDCs.
International prostitution is
encouraged in (some)
countries as a major source
of foreign currency.
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Threat of Foreign Media
Imperialism
Leaders of some LDCs
consider the dominance
of popular customs by
MDCs as a threat to
their independence.
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The Spread of
Television in LDCs
Leaders of many LDCs view
television as a new method of
economic and cultural
imperialism on the part of
the more developed
countries, especially the
United States.
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Western Control of News
Media
LDCs fear the effects
of the newsgathering
capability of the media
even more than their
entertainment function.
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Many African and Asian
government officials
 Criticize the Western concept
of freedom of the press.
 Argue that the American news
organizations reflect American
values and do not provide a
balanced, accurate view of other
countries.
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In Many Regions of
the World
The only reliable and
unbiased news accounts
come from the BBC World
Service shortwave radio
newscasts.
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Environmental Impact of
Popular Culture
Popular culture is less likely
than folk culture to be
distributed with
consideration for physical
features.
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Modifying Nature
 Popular culture can
significantly modify or
control the environment.
 It may be imposed on the
environment rather than
springing forth from it, as
with many folk customs.
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Even if the
resulting built
environment
looks “natural,”
it is actually
the deliberate
creation of
people in
pursuit of
popular social
custom.
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Diffusion of Golf
 Golf courses, because of their large
size (200 acres), provide a
prominent example of imposing
popular culture on the environment.
 Golf courses are designed partially
in response to local physical
conditions.
 Golf courses remake the
environment.
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Golf Holes Per Capita
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Distribution of Golf
Courses in the US
The number of golf courses
per person is greatest in
north-central and
northeastern states due to
a long tradition of playing
golf.
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Uniform Landscapes
The distribution of popular culture
around the world tends to
produce more uniform
landscapes.
In fact, promoters of popular
culture want a uniform
appearance to generate “Product
recognition” and greater
consumption.
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Hiroshima, Japan
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Uniformity
Uniformity in the appearance
of the landscape is promoted
by a wide variety of other
popular structures in North
America, such as gas stations,
supermarkets, and motels.
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Franchise
An agreement which allows
the local outlet use of the
company’s name, symbols,
trademarks, methods, and
architectural syles.
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Fast-food Restaurants
 An example of uniform
landscape.
 Usually organized as franchises.
 Originally developed to attract
people who travel by car.
 Recently buildings are more
subdued.
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Global Diffusion of
Uniform Landscapes
 Diffusion of popular culture
across Earth is not confined to
products that originate in North
America.
 Japanese automobiles and
electronics have diffused to the
rest of the world, including North
America.
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Negative Environment
Impact
The diffusion of some popular
customs can adversely impact
environmental quality in two
ways: depletion of scarce
natural resources and
pollution of the landscape.
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Increased Demand for
Natural Resources
Increased demand for some products
can strain the capacity of the
environment.
With a large percentage of the world’s
population undernourished, some
question . . . Inefficient use of grain
to feed animals for eventual human
consumption.
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Pollution
 Folk culture, like popular culture, can
cause environmental damage, especially
when natural processes are ignored.
 The more developed societies that
produce endless supplies of popular
culture have created the technological
capacity both to create large-scale
environmental damage and to control it.
 However, a commitment of time and
money must be made to control the
damage.
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