Why is modernization and westernization used interchangeably?
February 252010
This really doesn’t make sense and is kind of insulting to me (I am Chinese). Why is it when a country modernizes, it becomes "western". Isn’t westernization for culture. This is like saying technology is part of "western culture" and only part of western culture. Back in 1000-1500, Europe was taking all kinds of ideas and things from the East, yet its not considered Easternization. Its considered "catching up". So now…right now, just as we helped you catch up, we are trying to "catch up" ourselves. Why is it westernization? Why not "eastern modernization"?
Also, it really annoys me when people say "oh its called westenization because you guys adopted our culture. I mean you don’t see samurai and kimono in every day Japan do you? That is because you have our culture and Japan of today no longer has its old culture, and instead has western culture." That really annoys me. Let me ask you this—DO you see western countries have knights and castles and old traditional dresses?" The answer is NO. That is because the world today has adopted a MODERN culture. It was never western or eastern. It is better in technology and quite NEUTRAL in my eyes. If I take a look at a t-shirt, I don’t see any SLIGHTEST hint of western or eastern culture in my eyes.
I think what happens is people in the west are too quick to assume that if something isn’t DISTINCTLY eastern (kimono, samurai, karate), it is western. They tend to forget most of the things in modern society are quite NEUTRAL and shared by all. Such as modern music (nothing like traditional European, Asian music), clothing, and especially TECHNOLOGY. I hate it when the west is like "you adopted our culture of cars and computers. Those are INNOVATIONS. NOT CULTURE. You never thought PAPER as Chinese culture did you? When you see paper used in the office, do you think, "hey…feels like we are living in China.
Do you see my point?
I totally see your point and agree. I am not from the east (actually i’m native american) but i can totally see how it would be offensive. My opinion is that people do this because we (americans in general) are quite self-centered. modern america has got to be about the most ethnocentric/ culture-centric society that has ever existed, so many americans just can’t seem to see the world from anyone else’s perspective, or even try. So, anything that americans see as a good contribution to the world, i think they assume it must have come from here. I’m sorry that people are so much that way- I see and hear stuff that indicates the self-centeredness of our society all the time and it’s a pet-peeve for me, but it’s just how it is, and I doubt, sadly, that it will change anytime soon. :-/
PS I am an american, so if anyone’s about to get upset about my saying this stuff about your country, be aware that it’s my country too and I love it- I just can’t stand the self centered attitudes we see every day.
February 25th, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Westernization = Open term originally used by Europeans to describe changing the customs in another country, in a lower economic or social status lower to them. Don’t be so close minded, the term was originally used rightly, as the other "inferior" countries (to the Europeans) did adapt their methods and ways.
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February 25th, 2010 at 2:09 pm
they are not interchangeable, people who use them as such are incorrect, but with one comes the other. think about when the first KFCs and McDonalds opened in china, and when coca-cola started mass production there. modernized countries make markets for western goods, thus western-ism permeates the culture faster.
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February 25th, 2010 at 2:20 pm
I totally see your point and agree. I am not from the east (actually i’m native american) but i can totally see how it would be offensive. My opinion is that people do this because we (americans in general) are quite self-centered. modern america has got to be about the most ethnocentric/ culture-centric society that has ever existed, so many americans just can’t seem to see the world from anyone else’s perspective, or even try. So, anything that americans see as a good contribution to the world, i think they assume it must have come from here. I’m sorry that people are so much that way- I see and hear stuff that indicates the self-centeredness of our society all the time and it’s a pet-peeve for me, but it’s just how it is, and I doubt, sadly, that it will change anytime soon. :-/
PS I am an american, so if anyone’s about to get upset about my saying this stuff about your country, be aware that it’s my country too and I love it- I just can’t stand the self centered attitudes we see every day.
References :