Culture Imperialism in Nigeria

The reference article talks about the influence of the television industry on Nigerian society. The point I’m going to focus on today, however, is the discussion about cultural imperialism in Nigeria. To quote from the reference article, “The globalization in the world has made it for people to access TV stations in Arab, Europe, America and so on...It is what the technology has imposed on the world and there is no way you can build a barrier against it. All you can hope for is when a nation holds authentic cultural value that they would be able to resist it.”

I believe that the very awareness of the presence of cultural imperialism serves to diminish its impact. Since these people already know that the American influence on the country’s media, government and society is relatively significant, they will be more alert so as to not fall prey to its attempts to shape culture.

On the other hand, try as they might by perhaps setting a quota to restrict the amount of American programs aired on television, they cannot totally impede the flow of American culture to the nation. This is because even if the government decides to give subsidies to local producers to produce local programs, they and other related authorities cannot ignore the fact that these local producers have already been influenced somewhat by American culture. There will definitely be a certain magnitude of American influence in the environment they were brought up in and on the media products they were brought up with. Their minds already ingrained with Americanized mindsets and perceptions, these local producers would inevitably produce programs that have a degree of Western influence in them. No matter how small this influence might be, the increased production and viewership of local programs (with American culture embedded in them) will still cause a shaping of the people’s mindsets. It is unavoidable.

Even more so, being a developing nation, Nigeria would not have had the latest technology available to produce media products; it is only through the provision of the American companies that they are able to obtain state-of-the-art equipment. The advocacy of production of local-helmed programs would thus further enhance American influence on the nation. Despite government efforts to hinder cultural imperialism, they cannot completely eliminate the impacts of this influence as American media products have already found their way into the market and become a part of Nigeria’s media production efforts. They need such “interference” in order to keep their media industry alive.

However, cultural imperialism is not entirely bad as it increase the pace of development in Nigeria and other less developed countries. For example, in the giving away of media products free of charge or selling them at a very low price to these developing nations, the US actually accelerates the growth of the media industry and the advancement in technology, hence increasing the knowledge and skills of the people there. Their actions not only add on to actual growth; the subsequent increase in human capital further boosts potential growth, which is essential for the actual growth to be sustained in the long run. This investment in human capital goes a long way and benefits the country as it strengthens the competitive edge and increases productivity of the workforce. Economic growth is also achieved.

 

Reference article: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/10/24/50-years-of-television-in-nigeria-so-far-so-good/

 

Changing Cultures

Reference article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/18/books/review/Hochschild-t.html?_r=1&scp=6&sq=culture&st=Search

 

It can be said in many parts of our world today that people have been changed or shaped by change to desire for change. Due to the advancement in technology and the speed at which new inventions appear on the market, people have been conditioned to think that rapid change is normal and should be encouraged. Yes, in the above-mentioned situations, rapid upgrading of technological devices is welcome, for it brings convenience and entertainment to the masses. However, in the area of culture, rapid change may not be beneficial and may even bring some undesirable consequences.

According to Geert Hoftstede, culture is the “collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another…includes systems of values and values are among the building blocks of culture.”

Culture is dynamic. However, this dynamism of culture can go both ways – it can either benefit society, or tear down the foundations people have worked so hard to build. As mentioned by the article, the states of families, classes (blue collar vs white collar) and especially marriage culture in the American society have undergone significant changes. Why? Perhaps these changes are the indirect result of all the changes going on around the world; in this fast-paced global economy, stability is scarce and hence insecurity prevalent. Leadership changes hands quite frequently. Corruption in governments is strife. More and more diseases are being discovered and increasing numbers of people are dying from them each day. Natural disasters, global warming, rising sea levels… All these once-rare occurrences are becoming the norm. As such, people all over are trying means and ways to achieve constancy, by working hard, and doing what they perceive as best for them. Because of this,  … It is the relative instability of events in our personal lives and around the world that shape an individual’s desire to “search for change to change for the better”; therefore, the culture of the society (which is made up of individuals) is subject to these ever-shifting mindsets and hence cultural changes ensue.

 

Group Communication: Who, How, Why, What.

All people who have ever walked the earth have this innate desire to belong to a group of a certain sort; they have an inherent need to be loved and accepted. In today’s post, I’m going to talk about another aspect of my life – my caregroup (otherwise known as cell group).

This group is made up of people from different schools in Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), namely RMIT, UOL and UB. Unlike social groups, we didn’t choose to be put together. Even though this caused initial interaction to be tougher, it made working together towards a common vision, building deeper friendships and growing in our understanding much more fulfilling. Some people may wonder, why is there a need for such small groups? Can’t a believer function on his/her own in the church? Well, I guess some of the reasons for us being put into small groups are, as mentioned in the lecture slides, for group synergy, meeting of members’ interpersonal needs and also to lend support and commitment. Instead of relying on an individual’s desire, skills and actions alone to do the work and serve the community, coming together as a group and putting our gifts and abilities together to achieve the same aims is much more effective. For example, Sharon is a versatile musician, Hanyun is good at organization, and Elaine is very detailed. All these attributes, if used alone, cannot amount to much. When put together, on the other hand, the impact is far-reaching and explosive. We can do so much more together. Yes, we are very different people, but in diversity there is greater cohesion as well – we are able to complement each other’s talents, cover for each other’s weaknesses and encourage each other to keep at what we’re doing.

In meeting members’ interpersonal needs and lending support, for instance, when Michelle and I were feeling tired during some class because both of us had been staying up late the past nights, Ning went to get M & M’s for us to munch on in order to keep us awake.

No matter how united we are, conflicts are unavoidable. We can get irritated at one another due to different working styles, unmet expectations and personality clashes.  However, conflicts, if handled correctly, can serve to strengthen friendships and foster trust within the community (in this case, conflict is functional). Firstly, we do our best to communicate our gripe. Instead of keeping all those unhappy feelings to ourselves, we strive to resolve it properly by communicating our unhappiness specifically and clearly, and through relevant channels like our leaders, those who can give us better advice as to how to resolve the problem. Then, we seek to speak directly to those involved and not tell the entire community, leaving out the very one person whom we have a conflict with. Side note: gossip is basically telling anyone who is not part of the problem and who cannot help you solve the problem. Lastly, we complete the resolution of the conflict with proper accountability, which is to allow others to keep us in check and ensure that we hold on to our word.

This is how we’ve maintained and improved the relationship till this day: Working together, being united in spirit and in purpose, and resolving conflicts the right way.

Some words to you. =)

Hello all. The following is about how the relationship between my best friend and I developed. Honestly, it feels weird to type stuff like “My best friend and I”. So I shall just write this to the person herself. Yes, I’m talking about you, Rebecca. Here goes.

For today, I’ll use the first 5 stages of Knapp’s model of relational development.

 

 

I first got to know you in December (December 6 to be exact) last year, when we both joined the choir to sing for the children’s home. This is the initiating stage. Well, I remember clearly that I spoke to you because you’re from the same CCA as I was – Track and Field. And incidentally, the coaches from my school coached yours too! But if I remember correctly, our conversation ended there and then. Haha.

Then came the experimenting stage. Even though we did meet up quite a few times after singing for the children’s home because of the youth Christmas service song presentation preparation, our discussion topics revolved around track and field, mutual friends, the coaches, choir, church etc. Nothing deep, nothing significant. All small talk (phatic communication). Safe, general topics. But it maintained some kind of connection between us, and we became a bit more than hi-bye friends.

Now here’s where it gets blurry. I’m not sure if the intensifying stage (increased commitment, awareness and participation) started here or later: on 21 Febuary, Saturday, you went for All-comers Meet, then I called you at night to ask you how you were. Our conversation started from discussing the competition and gradually branched to other deeper topics, like family, some failed attempts of mine, feelings etc. In the end, that phone call lasted 3 hours and 40 minutes. Neither of us had spoken on the phone for so long before. It was a new experience, and I got to know you much better through it. And through all the subsequent meet-ups (in which we shared about our past hurts, certain struggles, and thought through problems together), events (thanks for being there for me when I was down after release of results, and visiting me when I couldn’t really walk properly) and many other situations – these further strengthened our relationship.

For integrating, we influenced and caused each other to grow. From you I learnt about having a spirit of excellence in everything I do, and doing my best in everything I’ve been given. I’ve also learnt how to express my love for others through the use of haptics (usually I just go the extra mile to help people and encourage them) – for the first time in about 6-7 years, I gave my father and sister a hug. And also about taking initiative to build family relationships. The above 3 aren’t exhaustive though.

Now for bonding. To put it simply: we’ve decided to hold each other accountable, be open to one another, speak the truth in love (for wounds from a friend can be trusted), spur each other on in our walk with God and to continue running this race together till the end. This is my commitment; please feel free to kick me if I don’t keep to it.

Note to all: If you’re wondering why I can remember all the dates, it’s because I keep a journal. Haha.

 

Nonverbal Cues...

In our everyday face-to-face interactions, nonverbal cues play an important role in enabling the effective transmission of messages and meanings between the communicators. However, in this digital age, the usage of technology like email and social networking sites to replace face-to-face interaction is becoming more commonplace. This has resulted in the younger generation (Generation Y) not having sufficient knowledge and experience of nonverbal cues, and according to the reference article, this scarcity puts them at a face-to-face disadvantage.

The writer, Mr Mark Bauerlein, raises the issue of miscommunication due to the use of nonverbal cues across cultures (federal workers dealing with Navajo Indians) and across generations (older employees versus younger employees).

In the first instance, the miscommunication can be explained using chronemics: the Navajos, being extremely present-oriented, believe in living for the moment. Their happy-go-lucky attitude was probably a source of irritation for the future-oriented federal workers, who perhaps believed in planning and working hard for the future.

Whereas for the second case, the usage of laptops, iPhones and other tools during a meeting or in the middle of a conversation communicates disinterest towards those of the older generation. More adept at face-to-face interaction and the reading of nonverbal cues, those of the older generation perceive their younger counterparts as being socially inept: the decrease in the number of opportunities for the youngsters to engage in face-to-face interaction has caused them to be unable to interpret nonverbal cues in the form of paralinguistics, oculesics and the like; they are unable to communicate effectively due to this indulgence in online and electronic communication systems.

However, what the older generation may see as a breakdown in communication may mean the direct opposite to the younger, because of the different environments  and social settings they were brought up in. To the younger, perhaps all these virtual methods of communication only serve to enhance interaction.

For most relationships, face-to-face interaction comes first before any digital methods of communication. There has to be a certain amount of interpersonal communication before the people involved are able to correctly understand and interpret each other’s electronic messages. I believe that with more opportunities for face-to-face interaction, the ability to read the other party’s nonverbal cues will be improved. Along with this, mutual understanding between both parties will increase and the tendency to misread and draw wrong conclusions through the use of the above-mentioned digital communication tools will be reduced.

Being able to communicate face-to-face successfully with the use of nonverbal communication is what makes us human. We are relational creatures; we are social beings. We have an inherent need to be loved, to be understood, to be accepted. And most of the time, the knowledge that we do matter comes through nonverbal communication. For example, a simple “I love you” said to friend through SMS may invoke a sense of love and acceptance, but that same phrase accompanied with a hug in face-to-face interaction speaks volumes more. The use of kinesics (in this case, the hug as an illustrator) serves to accentuate the verbal message. Yes, as digital age global citizens, we should not boycott the influx of online communication methods into our lives. However, we need not and should not allow such avenues to take precedence over the basis of all human relationships – face-to-face interaction.

 

Reference article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203863204574348493483201758.html

 

The Changing Attitudes Towards Sex

According to the writer, Serene Goh, changing attitudes towards sex is attributed to the influence of the online environment.

Ms Goh quotes Mr Md Yusof Ismail, a chief executive officer, as saying that “In the past virginity was an honour…now, if you are still a virgin at 15, you are not attractive.” This reflects the difference in scripts (regarding teenage sex) between the older and the present generation. Probably for the older generation, people were not expected to have sex until after they were married. But for the present generation, having sex during teenage years is deemed as commonplace and permissible. However, what Mr Yusof says may not reflect what present-day teenagers think. He is, after all, an adult and is only exposed to a small group of teenagers from the Ain Society. Providing a teenager’s take on this and comparing the two views would prove more accurate. In choosing Mr Yusof only and drawing conclusions from his statement alone, the writer shows perceptual error through omission and oversimplification.

Personally I believe that this entire article is not so much about teenage sex on the rise as it is about the ATTITUDE towards sex – having the right attitudes that will surely lead to right actions. These right attitudes and values need to be inculcated into teenagers right from when they were young, before they venture online, and yes, like the writer says, this job inevitably is given to the parents. However, before any teaching of values can begin, parents must be able to communicate well with their children. Here the writer gives certain suggestions to parents on how to understand what their children are going through on the Web. Start by paying close attention to how they talk, what they are saying and understanding the words they use. All these aspects are part of improving communication between the parents and the child.

Another area to look into would be the improvement of listening performance of both parties. For example, the writer states, “…it will also go down in history as the first time that teenagers anywhere did what adults told them to.” And in doing so she perceives that teenagers everywhere do not listen to their parents, or at least are not expected to. Instead of adopting this mindset towards their children, parents can keep an open and positive attitude and doing so allowing them (their children) to express their point of view. Also, parents can see things from their children’s perspective and seek to understand where they are coming from. In turn, children should improve their attention and evaluation towards whatever their parents are saying perhaps by acknowledging any preconceived bias, eliminating them and then being willing to give their parents a chance to state their stand.

Some questions to ponder: what is truly “right”? With the advocacy of freedom of speech and thought, the issue regarding teenage sex becomes debatable, as different people have formed their own ideas about what the moral benchmark really is. So…what should be teenagers’ attitude towards sex? What, exactly, is the moral authority we adhere to? There’s definitely something, somewhere, that draws the line and enables us to distinguish right from wrong. For if we live in a society where anything goes, then this entire debate about teenage sex would be deemed obsolete.

Reference article:

http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20090818-161853.html

 

South African 800m runner, Caster Semenya and the gender dispute

In the recently concluded World Athletics Championships, a controversial issue was raised regarding the gender of the women’s 800m champion, Caster Semenya. Here is the link to the reference article.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/684404

The writer, Cathal Kelly, frames the title of the article in the form of a question (“Is South African runner a he or a she?”) and in doing so aims to stir up discussion among her readers. Instead of merely presenting the facts like in linear model of communication, she creates a platform from which readers are prompted to give feedback, hence allowing the article to become interactive. The article generated 28 comments, thus showing her success.

Throughout her article, Kelly raises the issue about gender testing --- how it has evolved from 50 years ago till now, the change in testing procedures for it. She emphasizes on the fact that the practice of gender testing using a team of experts is so rare, for she quotes Dr Robert McCormack, chief medical officer of Canada’s Olympic teams, as saying that the practice was merely discussed at the Olympic Games, but never implemented. And she further stresses it by the statement, “That seems like a lot of testing.” By emphasizing that the most stringent of testing will only be carried out on Semenya, she implies that there are underlying issues to this entire saga: Why in particular Caster Semenya? And why has there not been anyone else subjected to the same amount of media scrutiny in recent years?

And I don’t understand the big fuss over her (Semenya), whether she’s male or female. Yes, she did break her previous personal best (PB) in the 800m by nearly 10 seconds (from 2:04.23 in 2008 to 1:55.45 in 2009), but there’s no reason to suspect her of not being female on those grounds. Athletes have been known to rise up and do way better than previously expected, doing what they thought they could never do, especially when the adrenaline kicks in and they are competing at high levels (in this case, the World Championships), so why the big fuss over her suddenly running much faster?

Then again, this issue would not have been raised had Semenya not won the 800m. And, would there have been the same amount of furor regarding Semenya’s victory if she was a white lady? It seems as though her critics are mainly of European and American origin. Perhaps her critics hold certain prejudices against blacks (thus falling into Bacon’s “Idols of the Cave”) and perceptual errors due to the organization of their information being influenced by personal constructs and prototypes: for example, a real lady to them may be one who is not so muscular as Semenya, not running so fast, not having certain facial features of a man, etc. Their perception of how a woman should look like, behave and perform has probably clouded their judgment. This brings us to the question, what’s the definition of a real woman? Is it entirely biological, or has nurture got anything to do with it? If it is entirely biological, then how about those who have had certain body parts removed due to illnesses? If nurture plays a part, then those who’ve been brought up as females even though they have certain male characteristics should rightly be considered as being female.

 

Reference article:

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/684404

Videos of Caster Semenya’s year-leading run:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1FIUxSBKRw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fk0Ai0fTjRY&feature=related

World 800m records:

http://www.iaaf.org/statistics/records/inout=o/discType=5/disc=800/detail.html

 Biography of Caster Semenya:

http://www.iaaf.org/athletes/biographies/country=RSA/athcode=242560/index.html