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The transfer of cultural values and customs from one group of individuals to another is known as cultural diffusion. Cultural dispersion opens people’s eyes and makes them more culturally literate.
For instance, a woman in Manhattan might buy mala prayer beads, which Buddhist monks use to concentrate on a mantra or breath. She started using those beads halfway across the world, and they are now having a beneficial effect on her regular meditation practice. Her life would have been radically different if she had never left Manhattan and had only ever strolled its streets, never used any goods or engaged in any activities outside of it. Furthermore, that same woman would not be able to spend sushi night with her pals every Thursday night if it weren’t for cultural diffusion!
With the advancement of communication, transportation, and technology, there has been an even greater blending of world cultures through the participation of various ethnic groups, faiths, and countries. People in Australia can have everyday conversations with someone in Russia via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. We may broaden our horizons and absorb as much information as possible from all across the world thanks to this enrichment.
Typical Diffusions of Culture
Here are some instances of how culture is spreading in today’s society to help us see beyond those sushi dinners and tweets every day:
The highest concentration of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere can be found in Chinatown, New York City. Some of the best and most genuine Chinese food in America can be found here.
The globalization of music serves as another example of cultural dissemination. For instance, jazz originated in the United States as a fusion of European and African musical traditions. These days, it’s appreciated all around the world and has numerous distinct genre variations.
There are signs in both Spanish and English in Southern American communities, particularly border towns, recognizing the migration of people between neighboring nations.
In European cities and former colonies, English is widely spoken by many people in addition to their original dialect. Because of trade and imperialism, English has spread around the world to the point that about 80% of speakers are non-native speakers.
Foreigners have always been captivated by Japanese culture. One example of how Japanese culture and food have spread throughout the world is the widespread popularity of sushi, a traditional Japanese dish.
The French Quarter in New Orleans still showcases a variety of French culture in its architecture and food, almost 300 years after it was established.
People in the United States celebrate Cinco de Mayo, a holiday honoring Mexico’s victory over the French Empire, because of the country’s sizable Mexican population. Actually, the US is presumably celebrating the day more than Mexico is these days.
Diffusion of Cultures and Religion
Religion has long been a fundamental aspect of life for many societies. (There are some outstanding works that look at the similarities between Buddhism and Christianity.) And that mental enlargement is the actual beauty of cultural dispersion. We have the opportunity to learn a great deal and have the finest life yet through a friend or acquaintance who practice a different faith.
Let’s examine how cultural dispersion functions inside religious communities.
Though it began in Israel, Christianity has since expanded throughout the world, mostly because to the Roman Empire.
Buddhism traveled from India to China during the Han Dynasty thanks to the army marches of Emperor Wu and the establishment of new trade routes.
Islam, like Christianity, is no longer restricted to a single area of the globe due to immigration.
The forcible conversion of the native American population to Christianity by the Spanish, French, English, and Portuguese is an example of forced dispersion.
Technological Cultural Diffusion
As they say, power comes from knowledge. Sharing of information is also a great thing, especially when one group of people develops a significant piece of technology that can help people at large. Of fact, things can happen really quickly in the modern world.
Let us examine the diffusion of technology across time.
China was the birthplace of paper manufacturing, which later extended to the Middle East and Europe.
China is also the birthplace of gunpowder. Of course, gunpowder was later produced by nations all throughout the world.
Alexander Bain, a Scottish inventor, created the fax machine, but it spread beyond the United Kingdom.
Notwithstanding numerous assertions to the contrary, the German automaker Mercedes did not invent the anti-lock brake system; rather, it was developed in the United States. Then the Germans made it even better.
Diffusion of Cultures and Economics
Before the Middle Ages, when traders traveled from one area to another to trade products, the advantages of cultural dispersion were clear. When a certain crop couldn’t be grown in one area, it could be grown in another, and the products were exported to other nations. Communities profited from the exchange of different goods for one another. Indeed, this advantage still exists today as global trade is growing.
Now let’s examine the economics of cultural spread.
Since the Silk Road and beyond, when caravans would travel and exchange commodities between Europe and Asia, trade has been a means of spreading culture.
We can now apply our tuition money to a number of different study abroad options. Students can study abroad for a semester in any country, including Greece, Japan, and Ireland. You will undoubtedly bring back elements of the lifestyle you experience when you immerse yourself in a foreign country, and you might even encourage someone else to travel overseas with their money.
When people hear about new products—like cell phones or PCs—in other nations, demand grows, the product is more accessible, and it spreads globally.
Increasing Knowledge and Exchanging Ideas
Ultimately, the spread of culture has the power to alter lives. If cultural dispersion hadn’t occurred, an American woman in Wisconsin might have formed a lifetime bond with an Argentinian man through her enrollment in salsa classes.
A man in Los Angeles benefits from the Japanese culture’s emphasis on healthful living as he watches YouTube videos on making sushi at home. All it would take is one comment in the comments section to introduce him to a Japanese chef. Newfound knowledge is shared and a new friendship is forged.
It’s been said that travel opens our thoughts and exposes us to uncharted territories. On the other hand, cultural dissemination is a little more stable and long-lasting. While entire communities trade things, ideas, and expertise, the learning possibilities never stop. America will undoubtedly benefit from cultural diffusion if it is a melting pot.