I love America. I’m very happy I was born there, and I enjoy visiting there from time-to-time. I also like Canada, England, and the “Western World” in general. However, since moving to Japan, I have discovered how toxic the western world can be for various other countries and cultures.
Japan has a very rich history and traditional culture. The language, ceremonies, traditional clothing, etc, is profoundly interesting. Sadly, as the West continues to creep into the country, some of these traditions are being abandoned.
As Starbucks, McDonalds, KFC, and even Walmart stores are springing up around the country, traditional tea cafes, sumo houses, and kimono (traditional dress) shops are closing down.
Fifty years ago it would have been common to see people wearing traditional clothing around town. After all, the clothing was designed to suit the needs of everyone at any time: it’s warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and always looks presentable. However, these days, I very rarely see someone wearing a kimono or yukata (winter dress and summer dress, respectively) on a regular calendar day. If I do see the clothing, it’s almost always someone over age 60 wearing it. Some women still wear the clothing on holidays such as New Year. Young men have almost entirely stopped wearing traditional clothing altogether, even on special holidays.
Schools are seeing less student interest in clubs involving traditional activities such as calligraphy and tea ceremony, while clubs such as basketball and hip-hop dancing have become hugely popular.
Sumo wrestling is becoming less popular among young people. Instead, baseball is very popular, as well as soccer. Recently, some areas of Japan are starting to support semi-professional basketball teams.
Not only is westernization killing off some Japanese traditions, but it is also literally poisoning the Japanese people. The traditional Japanese diet is extremely healthy (which is why Japanese have some of the longest lifespans in the world). The diet is rich in seafood, rice, and vegetables. Traditionally, the diet offers very little “bad” fats and sugars. However, with westernization, food in Japan is changing. Potato chips are now the favorite snack foods (snacking isn’t traditional, either). Western goods higher in fat, sugar, and sodium are wiggling their ways into the Japanese diet, and wreaking havoc on the nation’s waistlines, blood pressures, and cancer rates.
I came to Japan knowing almost nothing about the Japanese pop culture, such as actors and singers. However, most Japanese youngsters know loads about western movies, music, and celebrities. They are even often more aware of American politics than Japan’s.
It is sad to witness the decline of such an amazing traditional culture. As I see young people strive more and more to be increasingly western, I can’t help but wonder… someday, will there be little distinction between cultures of advanced nations? How long will it be before the Western Monster completely eats up all that’s left of what makes other countries truly special and unique? I love the west, but I want to continue to experience the brilliant traditions around the world.
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It's undeniable that globalization, at least the side that usually involves the spreading of more Western cultures, is damaging the sustainability of other, more traditional cultures.
www.progressiveu.org/blog/americangirlinchina
I think globalization and the death of tradition is inevitable, unfortunately. For example: I believe that every day, there is a language somewhere in the world that ceases to be spoken, forever forgotten. (I'll have to dig up the Nat Geo magazine article I saw that in...)
I've never been to Japan, but I've always considered them a member of the so-called "Western World." That term is no longer a geographical distinction, but refers to the world's industrialized, "modern" nations.
The people who really suffer from Westernization are tiny tribes living in South America or Africa, who only consist of a few thousand members. It is impossible for them to resist the advances of modernization.
The elementary school I went to celebrated Chinese New Year every year. The whole school would help create elaborate dragon costumes and we would have a parade. The whole day was dedicated to learning Chinese culture. They even handed out chop sticks for lunch.
If every school embraced a country from the East and ensured that their traditions were embraced and studied, perhaps future generations can keep these traditions alive. If Eastern culture is popular in the Western world, we can rekindle the spark out East?
I have been studying the effects of trade and globalisation for a long, long time now. It is fascinating to me how things change over the course of time. I love to see how ideas spread from one area to another.
I don't necessarily like to see the death of something else. However, I recognise that I'm living in an age where I can watch this phenomenon close up. I always view it as objectively as I can, while wishing that the past traditions and values weren't being replaced by the modern western ones. I know that everything has a good and bad side too it. I wish they'd all keep the good stuff and weed out the bad. So much for dreamin',
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The sanity within is overwhelming.
Change is inevitable, but it doesn't necessarily mean we need to just forget about past traditions and values. It just means we all need to fight to keep the ways of the past alive so they are never forgotten. If enough people work together to keep old values and traditions and cultures alive, then it can become a reality instead of a dream.
I agree. I talked to a few of my students today about the dying traditions in Japan. Most of them said they had never thought about it before. But, after thinking and discussing it today, several of them are a bit sad (though not yet motivated to do something about it). However, the fact that they hadn't thought about it until today means that the traditions here are probably doomed.