DEATH OF CULTURE

"Culture" is an overused term. It is often confused with ethnicity or nationality or regionalism. Just because a person is born in a place does not mean that person is initiated into its culture. This is a common theme in today's media. Grumbling against "assimilation" and "mono-culture" has become a Liberal twitch. New immigrants, allowed dual citizenship, are forming ghettos in their adopted countries. Melting pots are out of fashion. Today's societies look more like motherboards. 

The religious resurgence which was exploited in the U.S. by Ronald Reagan and his successors has yielded little progress in American culture. In fact, it could be argued that religiosity has developed into a malignancy worldwide. Maybe this has to do in part with the erroneous perception, fostered by poor historical reporting, that Reagan defeated Soviet Communism with his "faith" in fundamental Christian vales. Equating faith with power is certainly the trend exhibited by Islamic extremists, who vow to do to the U.S.A. what Reagan did to the U.S.S.R..

The elevation of impoverished African-American urban culture by TV shows like "The Wire" and the pop music industry has eroded mainstream American culture from within. Bill Cosby once represented a middle-class American culture in an African-American context. He had won the respect of mainstream American audiences in "I Spy" (1965-1968) before Black heroes were commonly visible on most American TV screens. The show was successful among young adolescent American males of my generation. Cosby spoke out against the popularization of Black criminal culture in media, especially in gangster rap music. And those with vested interests in that genre took him down through the corporately owned media he criticized.

The simple fact is that there will be no room for culture in an overpopulated world. Not specific practiced culture, steeped in tradition and proud heritage. Culture will be replaced by opportunism. In other words, competition for housing and basic needs will overshadow manners, ethics and ideals in densely populated environments. There are presently overpopulated regions on the planet which provide ample evidence of this trend. One notable exception may be Japan, which had elevated its amalgamated island cultures to the level of religion in the 19th century. The combination of a dominating Buddhism, based in individual responsibility, and evolved social class cooperation had given birth to an obsessively responsive and responsible national identity. Mao's deep traumatizing of the old-guard systems in China may have had the same net effect. 

Contrary to Euro-American Liberal propaganda, diversity, as exemplified in mega-cities of India, South America and Africa, has not facilitated the development of an orderly and civilized environment under population stresses. China's Communist governmental enforcement of order has tamed overpopulated cities. Singapore and Hong Kong have also remained civilized under population stresses due to smart and sometimes strict government controls. The obsession with diversity in Euro-American cities, combined with rabid consumerism, is yielding something else. 

Soaring real estate prices are creating financially gated citadels for the rich in San Francisco, Manhattan, Boston, Toronto, Central London, Central Paris, Central Amsterdam, etc.. In these new castles, there is a mono-culture of luxury and consumption, perhaps exemplified best by Dubai. There is an obvious disregard for the cities and towns outside the mega-city gates in America. Infrastructure is crumbling. Low gas prices, geared to appease the less fortunate masses who are economically driven to suburbs and ex-burbs, have clogged highways day and night. The effects are easily visible. The planet's atmosphere is taking a hit.

Heroin addiction across America has risen to record levels, given the ready supply from Afghanistan, a fief of America's military and paramilitary organizations. Americans are being forced to live in debt to afford the lifestyle geared to keep them fat and unquestioning. Banking, investment and insurance industries are engaged in a leveling of the middle classes of America and Europe. They will be reduced to renters without equity in a society owned by a new aristocracy, lords of a giant worldwide estate, operated to feed their presents wants and the future needs of their heirs. A huge amount of "the masses" will be unnecessary in an increasingly automated world. What then?

So, while the self-satisfied rich preach a hollow diversity, the reality is quite the opposite. Rich or struggling. That is the developing "diversity" in reality. When people are struggling to emulate those who are secure at the top, there is no real room for culture. There is no room for ethical behavior. There is no room for basic human decency in public spaces.  Rudeness, aggression and eventual violence are inevitable. And the unsafe areas of sprawling mega-cities provide ample daily evidence that this is already happening across the planet.