topic 8: impact of digital comms on culture

Question 1

the frankfurt school on cultural homogeneity

Answer 1

— dominance of American 🇺🇸 companies (microsoft, google, amazon) narrow alternative views online
— promote western, capitalist, liberal values (consumerism, google logo celebrating pride etc)
—> homogenous world view? 🌎 👁

Question 2

Dal Yong Jin

Answer 2

🌍 🇺🇸 💰 💻

— platform imperialism: dominance of capitalist, American platforms in digital world
—> 98% of internet platforms are for-profit organisations
—> 78% USA based
so digital global world is becoming a HEGEMONIC FORCE

— media convergence: media companies in the hands of a few e.g. Rupert Murdoch (owns 1/5 of UK news consumption)
—> lack of democracy

Question 3

Kleeman

Answer 3

gender inequality via WIKIPEDIA 📝

— 13% of contributors are women
— female porn star list edited >2,500 times but female poets list edited <100 times
— womens’ status as mother/wife/daughter often prioritised

CIRCULAR MARGINALISATION: ⭕️
Given woman seen as unimportant.
Doesn’t get detailed wiki page.
People see undetailed wiki page and think she’s unimportant.

Question 4

Melissa Atkinson

Answer 4

💋 💄 💇‍♀️
digital comms cause homogenisation of female body
—> increasingly western beauty ideals
— straighten hair
— “fix” non-Caucasian looking noses
— “fix” East Asian monolids

time, effort and money spent adhering to western narrow version of beauty means less success in school + career

Question 5

Giddens (detraditionalisation) on homogeneity

Answer 5

— increasing choice = LIBERATING + EMPOWERING 💪
— DETRADITIONALISATION: increased opportunity to discard old oppressive traditions
—> #metoo, #girlsnotbrides ➡️ decline in child marriage + FGM

move away from traditional values may result in cultural homogeneity?

Question 6

Miller and Slater

Answer 6

digital media used to DEFEND 🛡 traditional Trinidadian identity
—> local slang texts
—> national symbols on social media e.g. flag colours
—> memes and slogans based on national identity

digital media can defend rather than undermine local identities. less cultural homogeneity than we think?

Question 7

Howard

Answer 7

DIGITAL JESUS 📱✝️

Christian fundamentalist groups use internet to build online virtual network of Christians.
NEW type of religious movement, without central leader or institution —> overcoming demise of church attendance?

Question 8

Zimmerman

Answer 8

resurgence of less attractive traditional ideas e.g. misogyny

digital social networks used as a conservative force bc tech companies fail to regulate hate speech 🤬

— reddit incels (involuntarily celibate) sharing retrogressive views abt wanting to dominate and have sex with women

— white supremacists

— ISIS showing Youtube videos of hostages being beheaded

Question 9

Robertson

Answer 9

— GLOCALISATION, counters Ritzer
- local communities = active modifier of global ideas
- global companies tailor products to local areas
- McDonald’s McAloo Tikki vegetarian burger 🍔
— So, cultural homogeneity, cultural imperialism and Americanisation are NOT happening
—> cultural DIVERSITY will be MAINTAINED

e.g. coca-cola tailors their trademark design to cultural sensibilities of local customers