CE:
I think I can answer that, though if I don't Rancor is welcome to beat me with a twig, but only Rancor and only a little twig.
Anyways, I don't think he's referring so much to the entire world sharing one culture as a bad thing, but rahter how that single culture is being achieved and much of the stigma that goes with it.
A country that is becoming "americanized" will have certain features about it that set it apart from other not so americanized places. The first is that as we all know America is a democracy and thus when a place starts becoming like america, the political climate begins to shift into something similar to the US. The second is that america is the "land of opportunity" so things like capitalizm and lables abound and become a major factor in peoples lives, whether its Coca-Cola, Britney Spears, or McDonalds. While this isn't initially a bad thing, the flooding of corporate labels often acts as a cataylist to the erasure of ones previous cultures and heritage. Basically comes to trading in the turban for a pair of Nike Air Jordans.
While alot of companies don't go out and beat their products onto the new consumer, to a new immigrant it could seem that way with the heavy proleration of advertising, especially in places like air ports where you come into the country. For example when I went through LAX last year going to Sacamento the first thing I walked past after getting off the Air Canada jet and out of the main "gate" area was half a dozen fast food places a two magazine stands. Mass presense advertising was even larger in more heavily used gates such as the United airlines buildings where it was just one long line of fast food places and newstands, I never did find the end of them before finding my next plane. Now this may not seem like alot, but then we as Americans or Canadians are used to this level of media and are somewhat desensitized to it. Even market research proves that the average north american spends about .75 of a second on each ad on tv or on billboards/posters before moving on. Thats not very long so the advertising is big and powerful in the hopes of getting "hooked". Now take these big powerful ads and stick someone in who doesn't have the same media desensitizing that we do and watch. They're spend upwards of 7 seconds studying each ad, even if only to get a better grasp of english, and by then they're "hooked".
Ever heard the old saying about when you move to a new neighborhood make freinds with at least one of the families next door to you? Well the idea behind this is that it helps to introduce you to the people living there and also gives you a way to learn about your neighors. That way you can fit in a little better and its makes the moving experience easier for everyone. You take off a tiny sliver of your personality and routine and add a tiny sliver of the neighbors just as they do with you when you move in. People who immigrate here from other countries have the same mindset quite oten but on a much more drastic level. Since they're experiece is limited to their own culture and home country they have to trust in the media for their "meet the neighbors" syndrome. When you get a new kid at school whos moved from another country or just a remote location of your own chances are that if the parents or kid can afford it they be doing things like wearing new clothes featuring well known brand names on them. This is a way of saying, "I'm a cool person, relax." without actually saying it. These types of clothing also act as a 2-way comfort zone for the new person and people at the place their at. People are familiar and comfortable with big brand names and lables because we see them everyday. The idea of this action is that it cushions the blow of being new to the area and helps all parties adjust easier. Its all about fitting in without disturbing the status quote...
When another country is being "americanized" its often a trend thats starts with youths and works its way up the long ladder. Besides some of the possible ideals and reasons listed previously, one of a foreign countries biggest tastes of american culture is from Hollywood and MTV, where glamour and cool people roam free across the tv or movie screen. Its basically a form of idolization or hero worship. You see someone who you think is prettier, or stronger, or more excting then yourself and you want to be like them, so you try to embrace their views and life which end up overriding your own. Hollywood for instance has been called the worlds greatest propaganda engine because of how it shows American life as heroic and full or adventure, or glamourous and elite. Notice how they rarely show the downtrodden like the guy living in a dishwasher box in an alley or the people who were turned from everyday citizens into victims because of a riot in a major city. Unless they can put a spin on it such as with Titanic or more so Pearl Harbor (<--great movie btw). They take a great and tragic disaster, add a romance theme, some heroic action from "average joe" along with some great special effects and bamm! All of a sudden a terrible tradgedy is full or glamour and people who may not understand the entire situation behind the movie get the wrong idea in their heads.
All of these things are part of what is considered americanization and are what I think that Rancor was saying was horrible thing. Its not so much wanting to be like other americans, but how they go about getting there and the loss involved along the way.
