Even though the documentary focuses on a specific event and a specific family, some things can be fairly generalized without necessarily distorting what it's doing. I mean, when the story itself is pretty much a modern industrial revolution played out in our time, we can look back to things that happened in our own western industrial revolution (and this includes Europe, as well). By looking at our own examples of what happened where and when, maybe we can make some fair claims, predictions, and criticisms about what's going on. History lends some good examples to work with, and if we're careful enough to heed those historical examples it also provides us with lessons to learn. Maybe with the participation of these "westernized" nations and societies, we can make clearer what it means to be a responsible individual and society in this interconnected world.
The Silent (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 12/30/11 | Reply
That does look like a fantastic documentary. I have not done a lot of studying different cultures and ways of life, really, but it is very fascinating to try and consider what it means to be "Westernized." And to think about the extent to which culture and economic systems go hand in hand. To even think about what the popular culture is comprised of. While I was in Australia for a study abroad (I hail from America), I heard my Australian friends talking about the Americanization of their culture. And "globalization" is a term that is thrown about quite freely. It really seems that, to an extent never before seen, we can watch the same things, consume the same media - and participate in a deeply global economic system. (That, of course, is not to imply that it is in any way shape or form an equal participation, in terms of the burdens of the system as related to the benefits, etc.). It's quite a complicated thing, and it's essentially the most difficult thing to conceptualize - how is my use of these resources - even the use of something simple like clothes or lightbulbs that are made in China - impacting someone else's life, somewhere on the other side of the world? Is that impact net positive, or net negative? And, what even, can those terms themselves mean?
Indeed, it can raise the standard of living in any given country. I can't remember off hand who said this, but capitalism is the one -ism that beat the rest of the -isms: communism, socialism, fascism, etc. It's a highly successful system, and it can bring good when the people within it are willing to bring good as well.
I'll agree with the idea that sometimes it's difficult to tell if "Western" even means anything anymore. I live in a Western country, but Canada is quite the diverse melting pot, as it were. Is Western about a culture, or is it something bigger, like an economic system? I think it's an intricate system constituted by various socio-historic elements (e.g. capitalism, the industrial revolution, ideologies from European countries, etc.). That said, I wonder how many of those North American tourists were going there to experience the "Eastern Experience" - only to find the workers on the ship have English names, haha. It's all so interesting.
It is interesting to see how the Western culture has spread across the world to the point of one even asking, "Is it just the 'Western' culture now, or has it become the global thing?" While I'm not extremely well versed in the ideas of capitalism, I know it can be good and can cause a country to grow in wealth. But with anything, it can get out of hand and have adverse effects.
snow fox
The Silent (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/26/12 | Reply
@Pleiades Rising:
I just watched this documentary - and your description was perfect. Agree with your assessment of this documentary completely.
Pleiades Rising
Otaku Idol (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 01/03/12 | Reply
@snow fox:
Even though the documentary focuses on a specific event and a specific family, some things can be fairly generalized without necessarily distorting what it's doing. I mean, when the story itself is pretty much a modern industrial revolution played out in our time, we can look back to things that happened in our own western industrial revolution (and this includes Europe, as well). By looking at our own examples of what happened where and when, maybe we can make some fair claims, predictions, and criticisms about what's going on. History lends some good examples to work with, and if we're careful enough to heed those historical examples it also provides us with lessons to learn. Maybe with the participation of these "westernized" nations and societies, we can make clearer what it means to be a responsible individual and society in this interconnected world.
snow fox
The Silent (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 12/30/11 | Reply
That does look like a fantastic documentary. I have not done a lot of studying different cultures and ways of life, really, but it is very fascinating to try and consider what it means to be "Westernized." And to think about the extent to which culture and economic systems go hand in hand. To even think about what the popular culture is comprised of. While I was in Australia for a study abroad (I hail from America), I heard my Australian friends talking about the Americanization of their culture. And "globalization" is a term that is thrown about quite freely. It really seems that, to an extent never before seen, we can watch the same things, consume the same media - and participate in a deeply global economic system. (That, of course, is not to imply that it is in any way shape or form an equal participation, in terms of the burdens of the system as related to the benefits, etc.). It's quite a complicated thing, and it's essentially the most difficult thing to conceptualize - how is my use of these resources - even the use of something simple like clothes or lightbulbs that are made in China - impacting someone else's life, somewhere on the other side of the world? Is that impact net positive, or net negative? And, what even, can those terms themselves mean?
Pleiades Rising
Otaku Idol (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 12/15/11 | Reply
@twilight samurai:
Indeed, it can raise the standard of living in any given country. I can't remember off hand who said this, but capitalism is the one -ism that beat the rest of the -isms: communism, socialism, fascism, etc. It's a highly successful system, and it can bring good when the people within it are willing to bring good as well.
I'll agree with the idea that sometimes it's difficult to tell if "Western" even means anything anymore. I live in a Western country, but Canada is quite the diverse melting pot, as it were. Is Western about a culture, or is it something bigger, like an economic system? I think it's an intricate system constituted by various socio-historic elements (e.g. capitalism, the industrial revolution, ideologies from European countries, etc.). That said, I wonder how many of those North American tourists were going there to experience the "Eastern Experience" - only to find the workers on the ship have English names, haha. It's all so interesting.
twilight samurai
Redeemed (Otaku Eternal) | Posted 12/15/11 | Reply
It is interesting to see how the Western culture has spread across the world to the point of one even asking, "Is it just the 'Western' culture now, or has it become the global thing?" While I'm not extremely well versed in the ideas of capitalism, I know it can be good and can cause a country to grow in wealth. But with anything, it can get out of hand and have adverse effects.
Interesting documentary there.