I'm in a debate on Tuesday, arguing for this motion (i.e. America IS dumbing down world culture), I don't agree with this view, so I'm having trouble thinking up reasons. Can anyone who does agree with the motion help me out?
2006-12-03 08:31:04 · 8 answers · asked by Damson W 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I'm assuming you mean 'world culture' in the context of a classroom, i.e. as a class?
I did take a World Cultures class last year as part of my required history credits. I can't speak for the entire US, but I think that it might depend regionally. It takes a lot of tolerance to teach the curriculum -- it contains studies of different religions and entirely different ways of life. A few years ago, America was fiercely nationalist and patriotic; schools may have watered it down, depending on their areas and voters.
I hope that helps.
2006-12-03 08:36:19 · answer #1 · answered by Adrian 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hm, the thing is that I also don't agree, but I could try to think up arguments the other side may have. Good ones may be:
It is not America itself which dumbs down world culture, but other nations' ill-adapted attempts at emulating it, which result in embarrassing new products and trends the world over, sadly associated with America.
Another one may be that American mentality is not really transferable to other cultures without causing damage there, but since it is alluring, young people will try to adopt it, and the reduced, out-of-context distillation of that ends up being dumb and thought of as cool at the same time in those places.
2006-12-03 08:41:56 · answer #2 · answered by Tahini Classic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't burn me for this!
I know you Yanks invade this site regularly, but let me have my say!
One simple fact. They hunted down and arrested Saddam Hussein (Bravo boys, by the way. We really do love you guys for that)
But now a simple Dictator (much like an American President) is gonna swing for another man's crimes. A man from another country. A man from another culture. A man from a whole different World to Saddam.
Does Saddam deserve to die? OF COURSE HE DOES! Does he deserve to die to clear the American conscience? Hell no!
Give American citizens the facts! i.e: not all the brown people come from the same cave!
The Yanks need to learn the difference between races other than their own!
2006-12-03 11:16:22 · answer #3 · answered by alfie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Trade - the US has been trying to tell the world who to trade with for years. TV and Film - some of it is great but so much of it is complete pants, so many european programmes and films are classed as failures if they aren't successful in the US. It is impossible to watch a whole evening of TV without an American Influence. We are drowning in americana......... Advertising - buy Ford Cars, do your shopping at Asda, you are officially sad if you don't wear Nike.... and if you don't agree with american spin doctors, watch out, you might end up in Camp Xray
2006-12-03 08:47:43 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yep language is an example and the whole issue of english becoming a globalised language bcos of american english. Countries are speaking english less now bcos they feel speaking english makes them superior which shouldnt be the case and we have alot more endangered languages now bcos less people are speaking them. I mean if you were from the west and you went on holiday abroad you wouldnt even have to learn any of the lingo bcos most people will speak english to you first when they shouldnt have to, and english is being taught worldwide now and emphasised alot too.
2006-12-03 08:38:18 · answer #5 · answered by laydeeheartless 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think of infants and adults are extra knowledgeable now than ever. they have the internet to locate the respond to any question they have. returned in the 50s and 60s we did no longer have the internet and had to remember on community human beings to answer all our questions. it quite is basically that youngsters do no longer examine as much as they used to. it quite is a video worldwide available now. i do no longer see a degradation of artwork or way of existence. i'm unsure approximately psychological standards. there is not any decline in creativity - it quite is basically the different.
2016-10-17 16:02:32 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well I don't think they are exactly helping elevate it, but Britain for one, is doing a very good job of dumbing down it's own culture.
2006-12-03 08:37:08 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
you might need to cite the rise in celebrity "culture", or celebrity interest, and also the onslaught of programmes such as Big Brother, American Idol, etc.
Lack of TV programming for serious matters, etc etc.
I am fully aware that the UK is just as guilty... but your argument can conveniently ignore the British transgressions...
2006-12-03 08:37:46 · answer #8 · answered by barry-the-aardvark 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋