Western culture dominated the world for a very long period and had a significant impact on many nations. This was not a contentious issue until lately, when it started to receive a lot of attention. What effects does it have, and what are the thoughts of those who live there, given that assimilating into Western society requires them to alter their ways?
What is Western culture?
Although the phrase “Western culture” is frequently used, its definition is not always evident. It refers to anything that comes from the “West”—that is, America, Europe, and Australasia—including cultures, ways of thinking, behaviors, and other things. Actually, anything might be the cause, but the following are some of the more likely ones:
- Beliefs, values, and practices that come from the West, such as the belief in Christianity and the Enlightenment or the value of rationalism and individualism,
- Rules on how society functions, including ideas such as democracy and capitalism
- Natural rights, which are presumed rights people are given when they are born, such as freedom of speech and freedom of judgment, are also a part of Western culture and have spread almost everywhere on the globe.
- Finally, education is also, surprisingly, a part of Western culture. Although other parts of the world had the idea of education, the concept of structured institutions came from the West (Yadav, 2023).
How did Western culture change Asia?
The ambiguity of Western culture as a whole contributes to its immense influence. Even on the Asian continent, it has altered people’s appearance, mannerisms, and belief that everything “Western” is superior. These are a few examples of how the West has changed Asia.
- Western clothes have become more popular in India and Nepal in recent times, mostly as a result of multinational fashion businesses and the world media. Even though clothing may not seem to have anything to do with culture, the kinds of garments people wear may influence their preferred lifestyles.
- The largest feature of Western cuisine is the wide variety of fast food options. A few of them have been embraced by nations that are difficult to ignore in the modern world. The most well-known fast food items from the West are fries, hamburgers, chicken nuggets, and a host of other items.
- Globalization, which refers to the interchange of ideas, technologies, cultures, etc., has become such a popular and well-recognized issue. Nonetheless, as Western culture is the largest, a significant amount of it is concentrated on it. It’s possible that traditional culture—including cuisine, dress, and religion—will gradually go away over many generations (Kang, 2016).
Chance of turning the tides
Asia has witnessed a fresh spark recently. Though not quite as much as Western culture, certain nations have changed the globe in a way that has caught people’s attention globally. One such instance would be the impact of South Korea, which can be seen in the K-pop group, many well-known dramas, and Samsung, the world’s best-selling phone brand, with 259 million devices sold in 2022 (Rehman, 2016). Additionally, one of the most well-liked kinds of entertainment nowadays is Japanese animation, or anime (Cramp, 2022).
References
Cramp, T. (2022). East Asia’s Growing Influence On Western Popular Culture | DDW. [online] Don’t Die Wondering. Available at: https://www.dontdiewondering.com/east-asias-growing-influence-on-western-popular-culture/ [Accessed 7 October 2023].
Kang, A. (2016). How does western culture influence the world? [online] prezi.com. Available at: https://prezi.com/x2xhw29juaxr/how-does-western-culture-influence-the-world/ [Accessed 7 October 2023].
Rehman, H. (2022). 5 Most Selling Phone Brands in the World. [online] Insider Monkey. Available at: https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/5-most-selling-phone-brands-in-the-world-1134000/5/ [Accessed 7 October 2023].
Yadav , S. (2023). Western Culture – 10 Examples, Characteristics & Values (2023). [online] helpfulprofessor.com. Available at: https://helpfulprofessor.com/western-culture-examples/ [Accessed 7 October 2023].
