The differences between countries are becoming less obvious. Today, people everywhere watch the same movies, follow the same fashion, and see the same brands, advertisements, and TV shows.
Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
In recent years, the distinction among countries has blurred, with moviegoers consuming the same content, items from the same brands, as well as following the same fashion trends. There has been ongoing debate on the overall effect of this development. In my view, while it fosters global unity, the negative economic implication outweighs this advantage.
Admittedly, shared experiences could reconcile the disparities among people of different cultures. To illustrate, there are various discussions on social forums such as Reddit covering the premieres of new movies, users’ experience with their new iPhones, or amusing experiences when watching the same advertisements. These similarities in lifestyles and hobbies could narrow the cultural rift between them through cordial communication and civil discussions, fostering mutual understanding while minimizing potential long-standing hostility, particularly between former enemies such as Vietnamese and Americans. In short, the commonalities in lifestyles and experiences offers considerable harmonizing benefits.
Nevertheless, the blurring distinctions among countries could produce detrimental economic effects to less developed countries. The explanation for my view is the ubiquity of multinational businesses in developing countries, which stifles local enterprises. The prevalence of Hollywood movies, popular fashion and phone brands, and global shows has forced their local competitors out of business owing to their inability to gain market share, which results in losses and their eventual bankruptcy. The absence of competition will usually leave the locals with fewer options; and powerful foreign multinationals could exploit this opportunity to monopolize and raise their pricing, placing consumers at a disadvantage. Importing goods and products from overseas also means that the money which could otherwise be used to fund domestic companies will have to be spent to purchase these items, depriving the government of the tax revenues they might collect if the products are domestic ones.
In conclusion, while the commonalities in lifestyles and experiences could create a more harmonious world and minimize misunderstanding between cultures through communication on shared stories, I believe the adverse economic implication of this development renders it negative overall; and international integration should be put under thorough scrutiny to minimize the risks involved.
