Author: Dr. Toumaj Ariyan*
At the outset, a clear definition of the phenomenon of globalism and cultural globalism must be provided, so that we can become more familiar with this phenomenon.
Globalism is a concept that refers to the increasing interdependence, integration, and interaction among countries, nations, and cultures on a global scale.
The phenomenon of globalism emerged after World War II, and with the establishment of institutions such as the United Nations, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization, the world moved towards international cooperation.
Globalism was inspired by three phenomena: economic liberalism, cosmopolitan thought, and Marxist internationalism.
The goals of globalism are as follows:
World peace through economic interdependence.
Economic development through free trade and a free and global market,
Protection of human rights at the global level,
Strengthening supranational institutions like the United Nations,
Tackling global challenges such as warming, air, terrorism, migration, climate change. Gender equality, rationalism,
The European Union can be considered a successful example of globalism. It is a diverse collection of countries with various races and different languages that first, within an economic framework, and later within political and cultural frameworks, placed themselves in one union and tried to solve many of their problems with integrated policies. Although this union still has major problems, on the whole, it is a practical and successful example. Another example is the World Trade Organization, which has been able to implement a series of practical laws over the past few decades and globalize trade. Likewise, there is the Paris Agreement, which is about global warming, and many countries have committed to participating in this matter.
Of course, there are criticisms of the phenomenon of globalism, namely the fading of borders and the influx of immigrants to developed countries. These two issues must be resolved urgently so that the negative stance of globalism’s opponents will be reduced.
Now that we are familiar with the phenomenon of globalism, I will address the phenomenon of cultural globalism.
In a world where the pace of social, technological, and cultural change has surpassed political borders, one can no longer confront global challenges with a local and closed mindset.
Cultural globalism means the expansion of a modern and civilized global culture.
Cultural globalism seeks to establish a global culture across the planet and for cultural exchange and symbolism to become widespread among all countries without restriction. Cultural globalism does not recognize traditional cultural borders and pursues the idea of a global culture. This global culture has characteristics, which are as follows:
Promotion of Western and modern music, modern and Western cinema, the spread of modern social networks and a modern level of communications, the prevalence of a modern and Western lifestyle, and the expansion of communication with the international language, namely English.
In cultural globalism, traditional and cumbersome cultures that hinder the personal growth of individuals are naturally eliminated, and a flexible, up-to-date culture takes its place.
In cultural globalism, humanistic values such as individualism, secularism or the separation of religion from politics, and political, economic, and personal liberalism are promoted, and these replace cumbersome native and traditional customs.
In cultural globalism, the culture that naturally survives and spreads is the one that has adapted itself to the changes of the times and maintained its dynamism. In this natural change, it is logically Western culture, Western music, and the Western lifestyle that become widespread, because the West is the cradle of technology and progress, and consequently, this culture naturally replaces traditional cultures.
Promoting cultural globalism in countries around the world opens up the opportunity for major changes. In fact, cultural globalism changes a person’s attitude towards themself, others, and society. This perspective places the individual at the center of the world, not tribe, religion, and ideology.
Cultural globalism takes aim at pre-modern cultures and civilizations, eliminates them, breaks the chains from the hands and feet of the traditional person in that society, and provides them with the opportunity for personal transformation.
The blight and poison of planet Earth in the twenty-first century are the traditional cultures and backward customs and traditions in Third World countries: specific and traditional dress codes, structural violence, the systematic oppression of women, hostility towards dissenters, enmity towards sexual minorities, special ceremonies, and traditional music. Like shackles and chains, all of these imprison individuals within the social fabric and hold them back from the caravan of civilization.
Throughout history, the phenomena that have endured are those that have adapted to the times, while static phenomena have been eliminated from the natural cycle.
This issue also holds true for traditional cultures in the 21st century. Traditional cultures, pre-modern relationships, and traditional family relations must all be naturally eliminated, and a new culture must take their place.
What is said in defense of “authentic culture” in Third World countries is, in reality, a guise to maintain the status quo and a major obstacle to development and freedom.
The expansion of cultural globalism can quickly reduce and eliminate the problems of Third World and backward societies, and Third World governments must double their efforts to join the cycle of cultural globalism so they can escape the decadent cycle of traditional culture more rapidly. Cultural globalism is not a threat, but rather an unavoidable necessity for the survival of tradition-stricken and backward societies; societies that are still struggling in the vortex of decaying traditions, monopolistic ideologies, and anti-development beliefs.
A large number of people in Third World countries are against globalism because globalism gives them freedom of choice. They are terrified of this freedom of choice because they have lived for centuries without the right to choose and feel that their entire identity is disappearing. For this reason, many people in the Third World, even most of its intellectuals, are against globalism and fight against it.
Traditionalists and opponents of cultural globalism claim that this phenomenon is a cultural invasion and neo-colonialism. They call this phenomenon native deculturation. They are terrified of globalism because they want to preserve their material and spiritual interests in backward countries, and they launch campaigns of opposition against colonialism and cultural invasion. It is necessary to confront these individuals and groups whose goal is to reproduce pre-modern culture, because their interest is in preserving the status quo in traditional and backward countries, and the revival of traditional culture is a deception and a trap that these individuals have set against development and progress.
Opponents of cultural globalism, and globalism in general, even take up arms to assert their rights. Clear examples of this include the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qaeda, ISIS, the Taliban, and the Islamic Republic. In India, China, Japan, and African countries, there are also powerful groups that oppose cultural globalism and advocate for a return to a pre-modern order.
Fundamentally, all fundamentalist groups in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries have emerged in opposition to globalism, and because they had nothing to say, they resorted to violence.
In the 21st century, the people and governments of the Third World must themselves embrace cultural globalism, provide the necessary foundations for change, identify the elements opposed to cultural globalism, and not give them the opportunity to gain power and be destructive, because their only path to salvation is cultural globalism and a peaceful, non-violent cultural change.
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*PhD in Political Science. Writer. Political Analyst