Jain Spirit 2001 06 No 08

Author(s): Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains

Page 59

PHILOSOPHY
THE MURDER OF CULTURE
Jeremy Seabrook examines how globalisation is subtly destroying
ancient wisdom. Jains are not immune to this phenomenon
make money. At the most basic level, everywhere in the world local homely things, familiar artefacts and goods become archaic and shameful when set against the sophisticated results of mass production. Baskets of bamboo and grass give way to bright-red plastic buckets; plates and cups made of leaves are ousted by metal and glass; neem-twigs for teeth-cleaning are replaced by Colgate; soapberries yield to Lux and the fruits and nuts of the jungle are supplanted by Cadbury or Nestlé.
But even superficial assaults on traditional customs do not always have their own way. The resistance to McDonald's beef burgers in India is by now an old story. The enormous investment in finding a palatable veggie-burger has not replaced traditional Indian snacks or re-shaped Indian tastes. In 1995, the KFC outlet in Bangalore was destroyed by demonstrators who objected to such attempts. Imported cultural activities associated with entertainment and enjoyment do have a deeper effect. Aimed specifically at the young, they soften up a new generation so that it will learn a new set of human purposes. A universal Western
KING
TITH THE CREATION OF A SINGLE WORLD MARKET ALL SOCIETIES VA are yielding to Western dominance. A superficial culture
emerges in which certain industries are crucial - entertainment, fashion and tourism, the visual media, sport, pop music and the cult of celebrities. We hear much about pluralism and diversity, not least from the enthusiasts of globalisation. This is perhaps to convince the world that despite the rigid neo-liberal economic orthodoxy now established globally, a great variety of cultural forms remains. Of course Hinduism, Islam, Jainism and Buddhism are not going to be obliterated any more than Christianity by its offspring: consumerism. Cultural identities are not submerged by McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken any more than linguistic diversity is extinguished by the universal lingua franca of money. This is not the point. Cultural identities remain, but under the impact of the market economy they are modified and "commodified" - and the change is always in the same direction. Just as in the West, religious festivals like Christmas have become orgies of consumption, so a similar shift is happening in other societies. The significance of the celebration remains, yet it is subordinated to a higher purpose. Christmas is now the major marketing highlight of the year.
In the countries of the South, too, festivals that lend themselves to showy and expensive display become strengthened. Diwali, the great festival of light in India, has become both dangerous through the sale of fireworks and expensive through an increasingly costly exchange of gifts. Similarly, in some Muslim countries the fasting month of Ramadan has been transformed by the consumerist ethos into something contrary to its purpose. The daily dawn-to-dusk fast, intended to check greed and develop self-restraint, turns into a self-indulgent feasting at the end of each day. In Malaysia, many hotels now offer extravagant buka puasa (breaking of fast) buffets.
What is sometimes referred to as the “Disneyfication of culture" can be seen in its clearest form in Europe. Here, it means a marketdriven heritage industry. Anyone travelling through Western Europe now will find virtually identical malls and gallerias, displaying the same logos and brand names. The main distinguishing feature comes from the selling of the past: the medieval cathedral, the riverside, the royal palace and the city walls. The historical remains are embalmed and sold in the form of T-shirts, embossed mugs and ashtrays.
The market does not simply obliterate all earlier traditions. It is opportunistic. It will enhance and concentrate on those features of a society which turn a profit or change them in such a way that they will
BURGER KING
CHANDU SHAH
Fast food destroys slow tradition iconography of affluence and luxury eats into the consciousness of the peoples of the world. This is not altering identity, but opening up the psyche in such a way as to make acceptable not only the sweets but also the values of capitalism.
The garden of delights purveyed by Disney, Mattel or Time-Warner to the people of the South is a carefully crafted myth, a US ideological artefact. It serves to demobilise the poor in the places where they live, where they suffer poverty and insecurity. Hope becomes increasingly concentrated on the distant and exotic. Delight is found not in celebrating their own lives and
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Jain Spirit • June - August 2001