Reader Response (Draft 2)

In "Globalisation of culture through the media (2002)", Kraidy presented the debatable issue that media has been used as a platform to promote globalisation which is a basis of cultural imperialism. Kraidy provided a few perspectives of globalisation, which included some researchers’ concerns over how the West has unfairly propagated her own culture.  Kriady concluded that the globalised world is a hybrid of all different cultures and the media has further enhanced it.

Kraidy draws the conclusion that "media is not a process of complete homogenisation, but rather one where cohesion and fragmentation coexist". He mentions media is a main tool used to strengthened culture hybridisation.  I agree with his assertions because I recognise the importance of media in binding the world as one as we get increasingly integrated and connected.

Language is an example of cultural hybridisation. Many argued that half of the 7,000 languages spoken would extinct in the next century as English gradually becomes the common language around the world. (Moore, 2014) However, I feel that while some native languages disappear, we should not neglect the new languages that have emerged. For instance, languages such as Hinglish, Chinglish, Japlish have been introduced and they all stemmed from a mixture of English and their respective native languages. This is also evident in Singapore, where we have our local version known as 'Singlish' - a hybrid of local dialects, Chinese and English. Singaporean prefers to use this language to communicate and it is seen as integral to our identity. (BBC News, 2001)

Kraidy fails to address the reason behind culture imperialism, which is useful in explaining why developing countries are concerned that globalisation of cultures is unjust due to western dominance. I would elaborate further than him as i think globalisation is not all about westernisation but also retaining one's traditions. Emerging countries such as India has been are not blindly adopting Western ideas as they seek to modernise its country. (Modi, N. Chief Minister, 2013) I suggest that developing nations while aspiring to be like the West economically, they should still preserve its culture; its identity.

(349 words)

References

Moore, O. (2014, January 23). Thinking globalisation. The Royal Gazette. Retrieved from http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20140123/ISLAND07/140129896

Singapore attack on 'Singlish'. (2001, April 01). BBC News. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/1261986.stm

Modi, N. Chief Minister, (2013). We need modernisation, not westernisation. Retrieved from website: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/we-need-modernisation-not-westernisation-narendra-modi-391967

Readers Response (Draft 1)

In "Globalisation of culture through the media (2002)", Kraidy presented the debatable issue  that media has been used as a platform to promote globalisation which is a basis of cultural imperialism. Kraidy provided a few perspectives of globalisation which included some researchers' concerns over how the West has unfairly propagated her own culture.  Kriady concluded that the globalised world is a hybrid of all different cultures and it has been further enhanced by the media.

Kraidy draws the conclusion that "media is not a process of complete homogenisation, but rather one where cohesion and fragmentation coexist". He mentions media is a main tool used to strengthened culture hybridisation.  I agree with his assertions because i recognise the importance of media in bringing the world more integrated and connected.

Language is an example of cultural hybridisation. Some of the African countries speak French and mixed with their own language to create a new culture. This is also evident in Singapore, where we have 'Singlish', which is a mixture of Chinese and English that has become part of our unique culture. 

Kraidy fails to address the reason behind culture imperialism, which is useful in explaining why developing countries are concerned that globalisation of cultures is unjust due to western dominance. I would elaborate further than him as i think globalisation is not all about westernisation but also retaining one's tradtions. I suggest that developing nations start with preserving their own culture as a form of its own identity while aspiring to be like the West.

Summary

In "Globalisation of culture through the media (2002)", Kraidy presented the debatable issue  that media has been used as a platform to promote globalisation which is a basis of cultural imperialism. Kraidy provided a few perspectives of globalisation which included some researchers' concerns over how the West has unfairly propagated her own culture.  Kriady concluded that the globalised world is a hybrid of all different cultures and it has been further enhanced by the media.

The event that shaped my life and the person I have become

Looking back now, I could hardly remember the times that I really set my mind on studying when i was in primary school. As a result, majority of the grades on my report card were in red and underlined. Failing examinations had became a norm to me. I dreaded attending 'meet-the-parents' sessions as i knew my teacher would either express their concerns or repeat the same of words of encouragement. For unknown reasons, it always left me feeling offended and embarrassed.

When i was in Primary Six, there was Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE). At that point of time, I did not know the importance of this exam. I just know that my parents were extremely worried about my progress, fearing that i would have to repeat another year of primary six. As the date of posting results drew nearer, i began to panic and feel unease. While some were disheartened that their score couldn't get into their ideal school, I was contented with the average score I had gotten that could get me into a neighbourhood school. 

After this incident, I am motivated to do well in school and I promised myself to be more self-disciplined. As the saying goes, "you reap what you sow", I am glad that my hard work had paid off as I had overcome many obstacles from secondary to junior college and till now, in university. I am thankful that this incident had impacted my life and had transformed me into a better person.

(237 words)