Cultural imperialism and cultural struggle
Imperialism can be understood as a doctrine that justifies the domain of some nations with respect to others. States tend to expand to gain influence and transmit their ideological and cultural values. Cultural imperialism can be defined as the systematic penetration and domination of the cultural life of the popular classes by the ruling classes of the West, with a view to reorienting the values of values, the behaviors, institutions and identities of the oppressed peoples to make them agreeWith the interests of the imperial classes. Cultural imperialism has taken "traditional" and modern forms.
In past centuries, the Church, the Educational System and the public authorities played a main role instilling to the native peoples the ideas of submission and loyalty in the name of divine or absolutist principles. It is the way to describe the hegemonic culture or the form of cultural expression that is exported towards the Third World and responds to the interests of the imperialist ruling classes, who through the media and other cultural goods try to impose their valuessocial to other less economically developed or even dependent societies.
Cultural imperialism can be defined as the systematic penetration and domination of the cultural life of the popular classes by the ruling classes of the West, with a view to reorienting the values of values, the behaviors, institutions and identities of the oppressed peoples to make them agreeWith the interests of the imperial classes. Cultural imperialism has taken "traditional" and modern forms. In past centuries, the Church, the Educational System and the public authorities played a main role instilling to the native peoples the ideas of submission and loyalty in the name of divine or absolutist principles. Among the most harmful actions that are executed are to separate individuals from their communities of origin and constantly modify their scales of values, behaviors and identities with the purpose of making them coincide with the interests of the market, for this a vision is exportedmisleading of reality, far removed from the true reach of most people.
For this they have the help of traditional imperialist mechanisms and of course the new technologies of the mass media and advertising in the contemporary world. Television internationally is another of the most used media due to its great popularity, so homes are constantly invaded with messages that encourage imperialist lifestyle, dreams are exported far away from the reality of most viewers andwhere many times the reality is distorted making the victims and aggressors in victims. Another of the most used strategies of cultural imperialism is to entertain or numb the public, such is the case of projecting as a form of fun among youth different versions of video games where killings are part of the most decadent routine. Subsequent "economic terrorism", the closure of factories, the abolition of the legal protection of the worker, the increase in temporal work, the multiplication of very poorly paid individual companies increased the fragmentation of the working class and the urban communities.
In this context of fragmentation, suspicion and privatization, the cultural message of imperialism finds fertile fields to explore sensibilities of vulnerable populations, encouraging and deepening personal alienation, self-centered activities and individual competition for always scarce resources always. Cultural imperialism and the values that it promotes have played a fundamental role in preventing exploited individuals from responding collectively to their increasingly deteriorated conditions. Where a resurgence of revolutionary policy is possible, he must begin by opening a fight front not only against the conditions of exploitation, but also against the culture that subjects his victims. In the awareness of populations there is a constant struggle between the demon of individual escapism and the intuitive knowledge that collective action and responsibility is the only practical response.
The cultural struggle is rooted in values of autonomy, community and solidarity, necessary to create a favorable awareness of social transformations. Cultural imperialism is not only reflected in television series and films. It is also visible in our way of communicating since many of the words we use in everyday life are anglicisms, for example ‘ok’, ‘bye’, ‘shopping’, ‘loser’, etc. They have become so common in our lexicon that we really do not realize how many times we use them and that they have also become part of our language. In the same way it is reflected in our preferences of music, movies and popular brands.
As well as all the American or foreign brands and companies that dominate our stores. It is our duty as consumers and spectators to know when to stop the negative excess of this foreign influence. It is important to keep in mind that no country or group of people or even a person can live alone without others. It is necessary to associate with people from other countries to share, borrow and exchange ideas and methods.
However, this consumption of a considerable proportion of foreign culture to the point of evicting the original development culture is often known as cultural imperialism. This helps in the development of cultural awakening and stimulates imaginative, creative and artistic skills in individuals, which leads to the production of cultural artifacts. In the real sense of this, cultural imperialism can be both good and bad. Just as we are fast in copying good things in developed countries and in developed countries, we are also quick to acquire some habits.
The overexposure to foreign culture has led to a change in the cultural and religious organizations of Nigeria. Many programs transmitted in Nigeria are foreigners and their impact on young people is that it has generated antisocial behaviors and negative values in Nigerian youth. As a result of this influence, many Nigerians, mostly young, now dress, speak, eat and even behave as foreigners. Some adult women try to resemble whites to bleach their skins, to make them lighter.
Crime has increased largely due to the influence of foreign films that young people watch on television and movies. Therefore, apart from the positive function of cultural transmission, which can be seen in the main role that it performs in the culture of implementation and democratization, research has shown that it begets imperialism or cultural domination. The way and the way in which the films, materials and contents of foreign media influence our modes of dress, behavior, dance and general physical appearance is alarming, and if not controlled, it could result in turning our nation intoA society without culture. It should be understood that our social system frowns before programs that are not completely in accordance with our indigenous cultures and our social values.
The cultural struggle is rooted in values of autonomy, community and solidarity, necessary to create a favorable awareness of social transformations. It is our duty as consumers and spectators to know when to stop the negative excess of this foreign influence. Therefore, apart from the positive function of cultural transmission, which can be seen in the main role that it performs in the culture of implementation and democratization, research has shown that it begets imperialism or cultural domination. The way and the way in which the films, materials and contents of foreign media influence our modes of dress, behavior, dance and general physical appearance is alarming, and if not controlled, it could result in turning our nation intoA society without culture.
It should be understood that our social system frowns before programs that are not completely in accordance with our indigenous cultures and our social values. Let’s learn to be proud of our own culture.
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