Sorry, the sun does not rise and fall on the west

In the “Discourses on globalization” section of the Thussu article on “Approaches to theorizing international communication,” Waters describes globalization as “the direct consequence of the expansion of European culture across the planet via settlement, colonisation and cultural mimesis.” While European culture did indeed heavily impact some regions of the world such as Africa, North America, and South America, this definition cannot be as indiscriminately applied to Asia. Japan and Korea have been at the forefront of technological development along with Western nations, and China has emerged as a major player in modernization, though none have experienced significant cultural influence from Europe. They have retained their language, cultural traditions, and respective worldviews without adopting non-Western practices to keep pace in our rapidly globalizing society. The totality of the homogenizing effect of globalization is not as comprehensive as this statement would have one believe.

Though Western technology has been adopted and also improved upon by these Asian countries, it has also been used as an instrument to preserve their cultural identity and foster appreciation for their culture abroad. Anime and manga conventions are hosted due to the strong subculture that has sprung up around these popular forms of Japanese pop-culture. Nintendo video games and Saturday-morning cartoons such as Pokémon also have their origins in Japan. Particularly in areas where there are large diasporic communities, it is not uncommon to find Japanese-style karaoke bars, Korean bathhouses, and an infusion of Asian cuisine in restaurants. The concepts of feng shui and Zen have taken hold in mainstream American culture, and westerners across the globe practice Buddhism, which has strong associations with its Asian roots. Likewise, practice of martial arts forms such as karate, kung fu, tae kwon do, and judo are widespread. Many alternative medicine practices have their roots in Chinese traditional medicine. More examples may be discussed, but it is clear that Waters betrays his own euro-centricity in this narrow statement, as globalization does not entail a one-way flow of information and culture. Information communication technology not only facilitates the transmission of Western culture and ideas, but also allows for enrichment of Western cultures through reception of non-Western cultures and ways of viewing the world.