As I walk down the streets of Barcelona, I see another poster of Vin Diesel, a Starbucks on every corner, and that Britney Spears has a new perfume. With so much of the United States culture being adapted in the world, I was left pondering what was the cause of this effect? Was it companies wanting to globalize and increase their market size, or is it the cultural elitist who believe that the western culture is to be desired?

I believe it is the synergy between the two. Because many foreigners looked to the United States as a land of opportunity, the western life and culture is appealing. Companies recognize that appeal, and market towards it.

There is one major industry that contributes more towards the Americanization than any other, named Hollywood. They sensationalizes western culture through their barrage of films. With the constant exposure of the west, there is no wonder what kind of affect there is on international culture. The cultural elite iconify this glorified view of the United States (Note: most Americans iconify hollywood as well, but that’s another blog)

As much as I agree with capitalism, I believe its affect on culture is a detriment to the world. One of the great things about diverse cultures is all of the different viewpoints. If the whole world had the same view, creativity would be stifled and new solutions to problems would never be created.