Shrinking Other Cultures

Feb 7
22:59

2007

Kate Gardens

Kate Gardens

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The concept appears to be that because electronic communication, like radio, television, telephone, and now the Internet, allows us to connect with others across the boundaries of time and space, the world has shrunk to the size of a village.

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We can be in touch with each other,Shrinking Other Cultures Articles seeing and understanding events across the globe, establishing a worldwide community in which each section works as part of a harmonious whole. Mankind is thus united in humanity, caring for his world and fellow human beings. If this is the concept, then the contention must be that the world, at this point in history, cannot be said to have progressed very far towards the status of a global village. As a result, a culture, with shared values develops, in which all members seek to work together for the good of the community and its environment. Looking at the world today, this can hardly be seen to apply. There are too many factors that prevent the realization of McLuhans idealized vision, despite the powerful media at our disposal. Assumptions are that computer mediated communication is accessible to all, and that the information available is not value-loaded or derived from any particular cultural norms, such as beliefs in democracy, equality, free speech, material wealth and so forth. These may be described as Western and are out of step with Asian cultures and beliefs. Singapore took steps to limit access to certain Internet information, based on the belief that Western culture is detrimental to Asian moral and social values. Pornography, materialism, politics and Western permissiveness as a whole were unwelcome, therefore the global village concept of a community with similar access and values is not universal. Accepting other cultures and beliefs, in the spirit of interdependence and common goals, is not yet part of our world.

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