--- joanna <123hop at comcast.net> wrote:
> But wait the only thing they embraced about
> cosmoplitanism was the
> enhanced consumption patterns. But cosmopolitanism
> is more than just
> about getting Brie at your local supermarket chain;
> it's precisely about
> enjoying a diversity of cultures; it's about wanting
> to understand and
> learn from people who are different from you; it's
> about being
> interested in how diverse cultures evolve when
> differences are tolerated
> rather than repressed or excluded.
Then how do you explain the immense popularity of Disneyland whose essence is the repreduction of multiculturalism? Little China, little Mexico, little France, an African village named "Harambe" (which means "community" or "communal solidarity" in Swahili). These reproductions are more didactic than kitschy and enjoy immense popularity with the "common folk" who are unlikely to travel overseas. I understand that Disneyland is not kosher for New Enngland intelelctuals, but what's wrong with bringing even an ersatz of multiulturalism to the untravelled masses?
How do you explain the popularity of the Travel section in virtually every US newspaper, even the local ones. These Travel sections are in a large part about foreign travel and introduce quite exotic places around the world. There must be a demand for this kind of stuff, if it is so ubiquituos in the media, no?
In my view, the apparent insularity of "middle America" is not that much Archie-Bunker style boneheadedness as fear and alienation produced by social isolation and fear mongering by the media and demagogues (who are plenty). If I grew up in suburban America, I too would think that the outside world is out to get me, and fear to travel and meet people different than myself.
Quite frankly, I do not see much hostility toward foreigners in everyday behavior - most of that hostility is instigated by professional demagogues in the media and politics, and stupid people aping it without even thinking what it means. I have seen more insularity overseas than in the US, but the US insularity is much more salient and amplified by the media, the AM radio, and the pulpit, whereas the overseas insularity tends to be swept under the rug and scorned by the mainstream culture (albeit much less so nowadays.)
Wojtek
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