After our dynamic discussion on cultural diplomacy I would like to offer a (brilliant) comparison:
The United States=
Kanye West
Confused? Just hear me through…
Most of us would concede that we like Kanye’s music, but do not like him as a person (or his public display of his character). This is similar to the Newsweek article that discussed the popularity of US culture in the world despite unpopular US policies. “We hate you but keep sending us Baywatch”, could easily be, “We hate you Kanye, but if you stop producing records, we’ll hate you more”. Thinking about it in terms of Kanye made me imagine how you ‘market’ Kanye to the American people. And the bottom line is that he doesn’t need to be marketed, he will always be Kanye. He could change his image if he wanted to (the current position of the US predicament). All it would take for Kanye to be a ‘good’ guy, would be him not being a jackass (as ironically noted by the president).
So, US State Department, just stop being a jerk, and you’ve reached the goals of your establishment. If the department worried half as much about its perception, and more about its policies, it wouldn’t have to worry about its perception.
Cultural Diplomacy would be completely unnecessary if the US had good policies. For those who argue that there are some aspects of US culture that some in the world don’t appreciate, it is not the foundational cause for disapproval. The beauty of US culture is that it is always changing and not really ‘institutionalized’.
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I found your post interesting and although the Kayne West comparison is unique you do get your point across. However, you said that "The beauty of US culture is that it is always changing and not really ‘institutionalized’". I don't really agree, the US culture does not change and it is also predictable. Someone who has never been to the United States and watched American-made movies/series would come to one conclusion: Americans like violence, drugs and sex. Although the series names are changing, from "Baywatch" to "Desperate Housewives", the basic plot is always the same. So in that extent, those who have no other resources besides the media to make their judgment on the United States would probably say that the US culture is 'institutionalized'.
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with Maria about the institutionalization of the American culture and how it is perceived in other countries. The other thing that struck me was your metaphor about Kanye West. You said that most Americans would say, "Yes, I do like Kanye's music." However, you have to wonder about the generational culture. Honestly, how many grandmothers can say that they love him? Policies are exactly the same. They need to reflect the times we live in, and yes, sometimes the US can become too aggressive in their policies (especially the "bad" ones). But don't you think the government needs to be in an extremely violent and aggressive world?
ReplyDeleteComment by Tallia Deljou:
ReplyDeleteSam,
I think you make a good case with the Kanye example. I like how you relate it to US culture and policy; we may like Kanye's music, but that doesn't mean we like him as a person. Similarly, we support cultural diplomacy and want to spread our culture, yet we many not all favor US policy. Maria does bring up a good point, however. We must recognize that though some policies might not be popular or favored, they might be necessary. Also, she brings up this idea of a "generational culture;" we must consider the time and target of our policies before comparing them to anything else.
I'd definitely agree with this analogy. The massive disparity between the acceptance of culture rather than policy seems pretty normal across the diplomacy field. Case in point: Americans love British cultural exports, TV, music, funny accents and the like. While this is true, many would not agree when they jail people for planning all-night barbecues or allow warrant-less spying on their own people. We enjoy French wine while disliking the country's treatment of domestic Muslims. This is no isolated phenomenon at all.
ReplyDeleteTo continue this (brilliant) analogy:
ReplyDeleteWhile Kanye is a great solo artist, some of Kanye's best songs have been collaborations with other rappers. Similarly, the U.S. could get a lot more done if we work with other countries rather than trying to solve all the world's problems by ourselves.
I see culture (specifically art) and policy as two completely separate entities. I believe great art transcends language, nationality, policy, etc. It is completely okay to enjoy the newest Chinese pop song while still being violently disapproving of its censorship methods. Similarly, I think Kanye's music and his personality are exclusive. There's a reason why people love his music, as well as US pop culture in general.
This is the best analogy ever. I think Kanye and the U.S.'s foreign policy are in similar life stages. When they were younger they were both a little headstrong, reckless, and self-centered. But they're getting older now. They've hurt people and are beginning to see that actions have consequences. So, like Kanye, the U.S. is sort of laying low, waiting for the bad policies to blow over so they can make a new start. Let's just hope it's a long time before the mid-life crisis.
ReplyDeleteCultural Diplomacy is not invented to make up for a lack of decent policy, is meant to bring about communication and dialogue between peoples, for all peoples to realize that peace is advantageous and our similarities outnumber our differences.
ReplyDeleteThere is no shift in policy, short of establishing the United States as an Islamic Emirate and the mass excution of its desenters that would make Al-Qaude and the like to lay down arms. However, if cultural diplomats engage the region with a sustained effort to show the children that our sold to such organizations that there is a way of life outside these groups, then these groups lose their power and membership.