The Effect Of Globalization On Cultural Identity

While Christopher Columbus’ excursion to America in 1492 kickstarted a globalizing frenzy for years to come, it was the vikings who really invented the act of globalization. For hundreds of years, people have taken part in globalization, indirectly or directly, and created a worldwide empire. While on the surface it can seem like a very good thing, Globalization can actually do more harm that good, in the interest in cultural identity. Countries like Kenya, India, Chile and other third and second world countries suffer greatly while America, Canada and many European countries prosper. The act of globalizing has great potential to prophet more that first world civilizations, but the large corporations refuse to do so, opting instead, to ignore

It can kill it, it can change it or it can cover it up. Tourism plays a large part in this. Take India for example. The country’s true culture is a beautiful one. The people of India have hundreds of subcultures and religions that are overlooked by the rest of the world. There are two parts of the country, the tourist India and the real one. The tourist India is full of belly dancing and butter chicken, which is all tourists want when visiting the Asian country. The true India is filled with poverty and crime. In 2016, over 106,958 crimes against children were recorded, including murder, physical assault and rape. 75% of India’s population earn less than 5,000 Indian rupees a month, that is 78 American dollars. A person has to physically look to find this information because globalization has covered it with the festival of colours, or Holi, and tours of natural sights away from the overpopulated cities and towns. While some would argue that globalization is the reason these problems are known to some, one could counteract that by asking why globalization hasn’t done anything to stop it. People want to see India, but not the india where less than 5% of people pay income tax, they want Henna on their hands and feet and to swim in the Indian Ocean. That India is profitable, not the real one. (Sources: Ritika Katyal, CNN, Unknown Author,

The working conditions of the laborers working on fruit plantations, clothing workhouses and other factories have be considered barbaric. Worker on plantations seldom receive safety training and often obtain injury while on the clock, either from insufficient training on how to use machines, the chemicals used, or illness from overwork. One could argue that even though these conditions are awful, it is a job and they recieve money to survive, but one could ask whether or not it is worth it. A person could argue that if workers in a first world country worked 12 hour days in such conditions, severe actions would be taken to change the situation. The foreign workers in Asian and South American countries are out of sight, and therefore out of the minds of the consumers living far away from the origin of the products. Another effect of this hidden way of life is that their culture is also hidden. Globalizing companies work so hard to hide their misdeeds, that they place a blanket over the whole country, including their identity. As a result, their identity slowly morphs to compensate their new working and living conditions, therefore, their identity and culture changes. Because of this and the barrier between the levels of a country’s wealth, these problems are not solved, and laborers work long days for very little money to try and support their loved