People travel more than ever. But they also maintain ties with home,
thus living multilocally. In this world in flux, new identities and political
and ethnic units emerge as others disappear. In worse cases, a culture may collapse
or be absorbed (ethnocide). Its people may die off or be exterminated (genocide).
Systems of domination have private, "offstage" aspects along with
their evident, public dimensions. A critique of power usually goes on out of
sight of the power holders. Resistance can be individual and disguised, or collective
and defiant. Cultural imperialism refers to the spread of one culture at the expense of
others. A text, such as a media-born image, is interpreted by each person exposed
to it. People may accept, resist, or oppose a text's established meaning. People
manufacture their own meanings for texts. When outside forces enter new settings,
they are typically modified to fit the local culture. Mass media can diffuse
the culture of a country within its borders, thus enhancing national identity.
The mass media also play a role in preserving ethnic identities among people
who lead transnational lives. Today's global culture is driven by flows of people, technology, finance, and
information. Business and the media have stoked a craving for commodities and
images worldwide. This has created a global culture of consumption. |
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education