in my opinion

Culture Loss or Gain?

By Cherie Cabrera

Loss of culture or gain of culture? Which occurs when an American watches a Korean movie, eats a taco, or listens to music with roots from all over the world? In a country that is made up of large diasporas and is 3,794,101 square miles, can there be a distinct and separate culture in the United States? Can there be a way of life in America that has been untouched by constant exposure to foreign cultures? This exposure which America has experienced since its conception has given us the ability, over time, to translate these cultural revelations into a useful means of expressing self identity.

Popular culture displays this concept quite clearly. Today, the most popular car in the U.S. is the Toyota Camry. Britney Spears only buys Mercedes Benz. When Paris Hilton goes on a diet she eats sushi. The most expensive and sought after purses in America were made in France. Not one clothing item I am wearing now was made in America. The coffee at the Starbucks I go to is displayed as foreign. When I am stressed I do yoga. As of December 2009, Susan Boyle’s song "I Dreamed a Dream" is number one on the American billboards, and Andrea Bocelli’s "My Christmas" is number two.

With all these examples it is hard to deny how many foreign ideas are translated to American day-to-day activity. This is done voluntarily, because it makes life easier. Britney does not buy a Mercedes because of where it’s from. She buys a Mercedes because of the luxury of it compared to American cars. The local Starbucks sells exotic coffee beans because of consumer interest in that which is foreign. This occurs because of the value that popular culture places on other ways of life. This can be seen reflected in our culture.