Globalization - A Very Short Introduction part 2

Pg. 69 The Cultural Dimension of Globalization

'Cultural globalization refers to intensification and expansion of cultural flows across the globe. Obviously, 'culture' is a very broad concept; it is frequently used to describe the whole of human experience. In order to avoid the ensuing problem of overgeneralizaion, it is important to make analytical distinctions adjective 'economic' with the production, exchange, and consumption of commodities...

Global Culture: sameness or difference?

Does globalizationmake people around the world more alike or more different? This is the question most frequently raised in discussions on the subject of cultural globalization. A group of commentators we might call ' pessimistic hyperglobalizers' argue in favour of the former. They suggest that we are not moving towards a cultural rainbow that reflects the diversity of the world's existing homogenized popular culture underwritten be a Western 'culture industry' based in New York, Hollywood, London and Milan. As evidence for their interpretation, these commentators point to Amazonian Indians wearing Nike Training shoes, denizens of the Southern Sahara purchasing Texaco baseball caps, and Palestinian youths proudly displaying their Chicago Bulls sweatshirts in downtown Ramallah. Referring to the diffusion of Anglo-American values and consumer goods as the 'Americanization of the world', the proponents of this cultural honogenization thesis argue that Western norms and lifestyles are overwhelming more vulnerable cultures. Although there have been serious attempts by some countries to resist there forces of 'cultural imperialism' - for example, a ban on satellite dishes in Iran, and the French imposition of tariffs and quotas on imported film and television - the spread of American popular culture seems to be unstoppable.'

The example Americanization is way to real it is pushed into our culture with American sweet shops popping up all of the United Kingdom charging £8 for a box of Lucky Charms, I won't lie I got in them and spend stupid amounts of money on them. but it is because of the sweets or the fact that they are American?