British and American Influences in our lifestyles.

1- Hypothesis

My idea for this work was centering on some of the quantities of influences that countries like America and Great Britain have on the rest of the world.

I wanted to discover: what’s left of the culture of each country without all these influences and globalization?

For me, English culture has caused an impact in my life, and personally I’ve seen myself “seduced” for almost every subject mentioned next many times, so I know what it’s like to have the feeling that you may be losing a part of your own culture for another that seems brighter.

But is this a true danger?

2-American Culture

Culture on the United States is primarily Western, but it's also influenced by African,

Native American, Asia, Polynesian and Latin American cultures.

American culture began it's formation over 10.000 years ago by the migration of Paleo-Indians from Asia, Oceania, and Europe into the United States.

The United States has got some unique social characteristics such as dialect, music, art, social habits, folklore, etc...

It is also known for his ethnically and racially diversity caused by the migration of different countries throughout the history. It has also been affected by differing birth and death rates among natives, settlers and immigrants.

Because of the huge American extension there are many social subcultures, that at the same time are unique inside the country. The affiliations of an individual in the United States are often related to their social class, political orientation, religion, work and ethnic group.

3-British Culture

The culture of the United Kingdom is the symbolism associated with UK’s history and it’s people. It’s formed by four different countries: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, this fact has influenced UK with diverse customs and symbolisms.

Apart from it’s literature, music, sports, cinema, art, television and other factors, the United Kingdom has also a strong influence on science and technology and counts with inventors such as Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.

One of the main reasons why the United Kingdom has been described as a cultural superpower is because of The Industrial Revolution. As we all know, this revolution caused a profound effect on the economic, social and cultural conditions around the world.

The British Empire relies it’s influence mostly on the language, the culture and institutions which are spread all over the world on countries like Australia, Canada, India, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, the United States and English speaking Caribbean nations.

However, the influence of this Empire has become so powerful over the centuries that there are even lovers of British culture, they are known as Anglophiles.

4-America's Cultural Role in the World Today

It is a bit of a paradox to think how American culture has become one of the most

influential cultures nowadays, especially if we think of the stereotype of the clueless and uncultured America.

Indeed, it can get to be so powerful and ever-present that some fear it may damage or even destroy the basis of their own culture.

The reasons why America has become the world's dominant superpower are because it counts with two special powers; “hard powers" which has got the ability of getting people doing what it wants, and the "soft power" which is, from my point of view, even more dangerous, and it's about getting people to want what America wants.

On the First World War, America used the idology of the "American Dream" to export their culture through films and music, but still, it wasn't until after the Second World War (precisely on the 1950's) that the rise of the economy and the "American lifestyle" had a huge impact all over the world.

4.1- The Media

One of the reasons why America has got such reach in media is because of market.

If we count the 300 million people in the country in addition to the global market of two billion English speakers we can see that America is able to produce great many TV programs, songs, films, videogames and others, and then export those same programs abroad at a very low price. No other country has this advantages.

Another reason is innovation. In the 1950's American TV networks created a wide assortment of new programs such as game shows, soap operas, mystery shows, Western and, of course, sitcoms which were later exported internationally.

Shortly after 9/11’s incident several meetings were convened between some of the White House officers and high-level media executives to discuss ways on which the entertainment industry could help to improve the United States’ image overseas.

One of the main ideas was the use of the “soft power” to spread America’s media around the world, but mostly on Muslim countries to sway public opinion.

In the last eight years, pop culture has boomed around the globe except for America itself. This made the media companies get what they wanted, but the White House didn’t.TV programs like CSI, House or Grey’s Anatomy are now more valued in many other countries than in America.

The fact is that American programming is so popular because it draws on emotions and interest of global audience. Sitcoms like Sex and the City or Friends are examples of how the series stick to the basics and portray regular people that you can easily recognize and identify with.

4.2- Films

America’s influence through movies is so big that only by the world Hollywood you can already imagine a whole world of stars, red carpets, and Oscars night. In one hand, American movies are so popular because even if motion pictures weren’t invented in the US, movies were perfected there. The figures show that in 2006, 64 % of all movies shown in the European Union were American. In comparison, only 3% of the movies shown in the USA were from Europe.Also, the twenty most successful movies of this year were either American or were in partnership with an American company.

These are only some of the reasons why the (by then) President Jacques Chirac decided to input a limit of films that could be shown in Europe he was afraid of “European culture sterilized or obliterated by American culture for economic reasons that have nothing to do with real culture.”

Something very interesting is how throughout this films, even if we’ve never lived in America we have a clear idea of what is like to live there. For example, after years of watching films like Sex and the city and American Pie you may have the feeling to know what it’s like to live in New York. This has caused a stereotype for Americans when it comes to travel abroad, but the truth is that they have only themselves to blame for that.

4.3 - Literature

American literature happens to be too extended to be all summed up but there are some authors that have made a difference, like Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, Stephen King and Edgar Allan Poe. These authors are known for various reasons and they are a representing figure for American literature.

Although American authors have a big influence, not only in Europe but in the rest of the world, in this case British authors can be even more recognized internationally.

The American response to the superior art of English literature took variety of forms: gestures of conciliation, indifference, fake humility, visible anger and claims of superiority. There was a good deal of Yankee posture.

This response was a literary nationalism, which began before the era of the Revolution and culminated in Emerson’s declaration of literary independence “We have listened too long to the courtly muses of Europe”

4.4 - Sports

Sports have always been essential in our lives and it’s one of the things that Britain have stuck national to instead of following America. In particular there are three of the most international British sports. Firstly, cricket. In 1600 English settlers had begun to play cricket in New England and it got spread so far until Calcutta and Bombay in 1700. Soon, countries like Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ceylon followed the British and developed their own cricket establishment.

Secondly, rugby. It was originated in 1820 and it’s played similar to football. In 1800 British migrants introduced rugby to Australia and New Zealand. By the 19th century rugby got spread all around the globe until it

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