We All Share

As I walk through my dorm room, I gather different things around me. I grab a white Aeropostale shirt, a pair of American Eagle jeans, I grab a coffee cup with snowflakes all over it that my mother had received as a gift last Christmas, and last but not least, I grab a red Dooney & Bourke handbag that I had received for my birthday. I took the tag out of the clothes and flipped over the other items. I read the tags of each item, and to my surprise, the majority of the things I had picked up were made in China. Whether a person is buying clothes or going to grab a bite to eat, the product being bought or being consumed may in fact be produced outside of the United States. According to Cline, “the past three decades has shown that economic growth of developing countries is closely tied to the growth of their exports” (pg. vii). I believe that globalization has occurred due to the import and export of supplies between the world’s many countries.
It’s the middle of the day and I haven’t eaten all day. I go down Military Drive in San Antonio, Texas, look straight ahead, and see an Olive Garden. I look to the left and see a Rocky’s Mexican Restaurant. To the right I see a China Harbor Chinese Restaurant. No matter where a person is at in The United States, American restaurants are not the only restaurants being seen, there are many types of foods from different cultures. In Japan, Italy, and Mexico, they don’t only have Chinese, Italian, and Mexican food. They also have American food such as McDonald’s and Subways. In fact, according to NationalMaster.com, Japan has 3,598 McDonald’s restaurants and 103 Subways (Japan); Italy has 290 McDonald’s restaurants and eleven Subways (Italy); and Mexico has 290 McDonald’s restaurants and 262 Subways (Mexico). With American restaurants growing in other countries and different cultures’ restaurants growing here in the United States, it continues the globalization around the world.
I get in my white Dodge Durango SUV and turn on the radio full blast. As I switch through the stations, I pass some Reggaeton music, then I switch through the oldies station, even the local hip hop station. Everyday musicians that are heard on a local radio station are not all American artist singing. For instance, Daddy Yankee, who sings Reggaeton music, is originally from Puerto Rico. Or did you used to move to the beats of the Beatles back in the day? The Beatles are originally from Liverpool, England. Big fans of Lady Sovereign and her fast tempo hip hop music also know that Lady Sovereign is originally from England. Even if you don’t admit it, everyone has heard of Justin Timberlake, former NSYNC band member. According to Justin Timberlake’s fan site, he is currently performing his tour in Australia (Justin Timberlake). This is not only Americans sharing their music with the rest of the world, we Americans are also becoming familiar with other famous artist from other parts of the world.
People who attend Church every Sunday is not a surprise, neither is hearing about a person who must obey and follow accordingly to what the Bible has to say. Religion is a controversial issue that lies within society. But where does each Religion originate from? NationMaster.com reports about Catholics, Muslims, and Jehovah Witnesses within the United States, Japan, Italy, and Mexico. The religion Roman Catholicism was founded in Jerusalem, Islam traces back to Saudia Arabia, and Jehovah Witnesses originates from Pennsylvania. Statistics show that 63,188,000 Americans are Catholic; 4,140,277 are Muslim; and 1,035,802 are Jehovah Witnesses (American Religion). In Japan, 505,000 people of the population claim to be Catholic; 254,834 claim to be Muslim; and 218,262 claim to be Jehovah Witnesses (Japanese Religion). In Italy, 57,689,000 Italians are Catholic; 987,751 are Islam; and 234,795 are Jehovah Witnesses (Italian Religion). In Mexico 765,552 of the population claim to be Catholic; 318,608 claim to be Islam; and 593,802 claim to be Jehovah Witnesses (Mexican Religion). The three religions, Catholicism, Islam, and Jehovah Witnesses, have all originated from somewhere different in the world, but have grown in different countries as well.
Some girls who go walking around the city with diamonds around their necks feel more sophisticated than ever, while some boys feel like they own the world when they’re cruising around town in their Mustang convertible with some new rims. Some everyday accessories being bought for a more glamorous look or being bought to enhance the look of a car are not made in the United States. Since 2002, imports from South Africa to the United States have increased 85.5 percent. The United States has spent 947.7 million dollars on diamonds. The percentage rate has increased from 12.6 percent to 26.4 percent since 2002. The United States has spent 321.9 million dollars on automotive parts and accessories. The percentage rate has increased from 4.3 percent to 33.9 percent since 2002. United States exports to South Africa have been mutual. South Africa has spent 186.3 million dollars on organic chemicals, which has had a percentage rate since 2002 from 4.2 to 36.7. South Africa has also spent 153.1 million dollars on trucks, buses, and special purpose vehicles, which has had an increase in percentage rate from 3.4 to 22.8. And South Africa has spent 160 million dollars on civilian aircrafts, which has had an increase in percentage rate from 3.6 to 25.4 percent (Workman). These statistics show how accessories that are bought on an everyday basis are not all originally from the United States.
I now come to my conclusion and final thought. How can the rest of the world be replicating the American ways when, in fact, we are also taking in their music, religions and goods as well? If Americans are saying that other countries are following the American way, then it is fair to say that Americans are following other countries ways as well. The exchange of goods between the United States and the many other countries has caused us exchange cultures and heritages as well.