Hi!
Concerning the fact that a lot of countries are influenced by american culture, I think that the main reason why this culture is present all over the world is just a matter of business and money ! Indeed, the USA are the most powerfull country in the world, and it is seen as a chance if an american company is interested in your country to settle new firms and thus encrease the benefits your country can get from these new firms. This is why a lot of governments cannot (or dare not) say(ing) "no" to the USA government (and to all the products they want to sell : Mcdonalds, TV film....) Indded, just take for example what happened with France concerning the war in Irak, when the french government said it was against this war, the USA just kept on reminding us (french people)that they helped us during world war II. It is true that this help was necessary and welcomed (and we still thank americans for this help :) ) but is it a sufficient reason for us to always agree with the USA government ? And it appeared that the USA did not accept and understand this refusal to have the same point of view, and as a result they started making fun of France through some TV show, they stopped importing some french products.... this is the solution they found to make France understand that it did not behave correctly (with having a different point of view : who would accept that the difference of point of view is a kind of threat ?)So, the US government took economic sanctions against France. This is why I think that the fact that the american culture is spreading all over the world is just a matter of economic interests (even if I agree that a lot of people like what the US culture gives them ) I think that it is impossible for a country which wants to have some importance at an international point of view, to forbid this pieces of the US culture. Thus I think that money and business ( and business strategies) are the main reasons why the US culture spread all over the world, since the USA are the "1st economic power" (I don't know if it is correctly written in English ?! sorry !) of the world, and it can be resumed that way, with imaginnig the US government saying to a country wishing to develop "If you want to develop accept our goods and trade contracts, and we will help you. If you do not accept you will never succeed in developping". I do not think that this rapid sum-up is far from reality. And I think that the USA want its culture to develop all around the world to make the biggest amount of benefits it is possible to make, and the other countries which, maybe, do not have this capacity just have to accept this situation which nevertheless has its limits.
Here is my point of view about the reasons why the american culture influences a lot of countries in the world. There are certainly other reasons than economic one (it is obvious) but I cannot develop all of them (I would need several pages ! :) ) but I think that it is the main one. This is just my point of view of french man living out of the USA = an eye seeing the USA from abroad...maybe in a wrong way (not so sure it is the wrong way..)but just tell me what you think about this, since it is a great pleasure to talk to you !!!!!
Joined: 2007-04-28
Hi!
Concerning the fact that a lot of countries are influenced by american culture, I think that the main reason why this culture is present all over the world is just a matter of business and money ! Indeed, the USA are the most powerfull country in the world, and it is seen as a chance if an american company is interested in your country to settle new firms and thus encrease the benefits your country can get from these new firms. This is why a lot of governments cannot (or dare not) say(ing) "no" to the USA government (and to all the products they want to sell : Mcdonalds, TV film....) Indded, just take for example what happened with France concerning the war in Irak, when the french government said it was against this war, the USA just kept on reminding us (french people)that they helped us during world war II. It is true that this help was necessary and welcomed (and we still thank americans for this help :) ) but is it a sufficient reason for us to always agree with the USA government ? And it appeared that the USA did not accept and understand this refusal to have the same point of view, and as a result they started making fun of France through some TV show, they stopped importing some french products.... this is the solution they found to make France understand that it did not behave correctly (with having a different point of view : who would accept that the difference of point of view is a kind of threat ?)So, the US government took economic sanctions against France. This is why I think that the fact that the american culture is spreading all over the world is just a matter of economic interests (even if I agree that a lot of people like what the US culture gives them ) I think that it is impossible for a country which wants to have some importance at an international point of view, to forbid this pieces of the US culture. Thus I think that money and business ( and business strategies) are the main reasons why the US culture spread all over the world, since the USA are the "1st economic power" (I don't know if it is correctly written in English ?! sorry !) of the world, and it can be resumed that way, with imaginnig the US government saying to a country wishing to develop "If you want to develop accept our goods and trade contracts, and we will help you. If you do not accept you will never succeed in developping". I do not think that this rapid sum-up is far from reality. And I think that the USA want its culture to develop all around the world to make the biggest amount of benefits it is possible to make, and the other countries which, maybe, do not have this capacity just have to accept this situation which nevertheless has its limits.
Here is my point of view about the reasons why the american culture influences a lot of countries in the world. There are certainly other reasons than economic one (it is obvious) but I cannot develop all of them (I would need several pages ! :) ) but I think that it is the main one. This is just my point of view of french man living out of the USA = an eye seeing the USA from abroad...maybe in a wrong way (not so sure it is the wrong way..)but just tell me what you think about this, since it is a great pleasure to talk to you !!!!!
Bye
have a nice day/evening/night.....
Pat. ;)