“In Praise of Cultural Imperialism” by David Rothkopf Essay

In the article, In Praise of Cultural Imperialism, David Rothkopf illustrates a progressive new human order where information is the new global currency and the united States, the subjective nation, is the bank. In his article, Rothkopf contrasts the victimizing tendencies of cultural barriers, which are the unmistakably causing ethnic, religious, ideological, tribal or nationalistic conflicts, to the uniting tendencies of western globalisation. Rothkopf predicts the inevitable merging of all the cultures below the common benefits originating from globalization once they have realized that to compete in the global marketplace they must conform to the culture of that marketplaceThe United States whose policies are evidently the exceed model for the prox will depart this next step in civilizations evolution, all the dapple making sure that if common values are being developed, they be the values with which Americans are comfortable. Rothkopf further states that it is in the US s best interest to encourage the development of a world in which the disruption lines separating nations are bridged by shared interest ultimately leading to a more peaceful and tolerant future Globalization is a zippy step toward both a more stable world and infract lives for the people in it.Rothkopf, the former Deputy Undersecretary of the Commerce Department on a lower floor the Clinton Administration and now the president of an international advisory firm, is also an adjunct professor of international and public affairs at Columbia University. Consequently, his views intelligibly demonstrate a pro-American capitalists stance on the issues pertaining to American economics, cultural imperialism and foreign policy. In his article, Rothkopf describes the power of culture and its watch over this new age global environment, with its power to bind and to secernate in a time when the tensions between integration and separation dork at every issue that is relevant to internatio nal relations.Moreover, he claims that although critics of globalization whitethorn condemn the homogenizing influences of globalization, the effects of globalization are more consistently decreed than negative. This is because globalization has an integrating dimension to it. Rothkopf believes that the United States is in a position non only to lead in the 21st vitamin C as the dominant power of the Information Age, but to do so by breaking down the barriers that divide nationsand groupswithin nationsand by edifice ties that create an ever greater reservoir of shared interests among an ever bigger community if peoples This removal not only of cultural barriers but of galore(postnominal) of the negative dimensions of culture could only result in stability correct?Rothkopf views could be easily dismissed, as an arrogant fantasy-ridden interpretation of the future. However, although many cultures may not see the benefits of melting themselves into an existence that is in every s mell dominated by western values, the influence of American culture on the rest of the world is evident. Whether this influence will or has been completely positive has yet to be proven. Although Rothkopf believes that globalization is the key to a peaceful future whose culturally uniting fundamentals lie with the United States, he underestimates the interlocking nature of culture and its strength in relation to globalization. Culture is not something that can be simply defined as Websters ternary New International Dictionary does, nor will it be easily moulded into a tool to be used for the expansion of American interests.Many cultures near the world, such as in the Muslim block, guard their culture and pietism with their lives, for culture and religion are one in the same in Islam. As was illustrated on September 11th, many will even alienate their lives for causes they perceive threaten the existence of their culture/religion. Another aspect of globalization that Rothkopf do es not develop is the apparent social stratification created by globalization. It is debatable that to sustain globalization, cheap compass must readily available. If undeveloped countries capture developed and the poor majority become empowered, where will the cheap labour come from?Although Rothkopf may bring attention to the overbearing extension of American cultural values over the globe, he underestimates how the rest of the worlds varied and contrastive cultural values will effect the global environment. Consequently, his extremely colorful perspectives undermine some of the more valid points of his article.