Globalization threatens cultural diversity

The languages spoken around the world are estimated to number about 6,000. The fact that the number of different languages is so great means that there are numerous minority races of which we are not aware. The question is that these minority races are rapidly disappearing.

In the 1970s alone, there were 8,000 languages, but the number decreased by 2,000 in 20 years. Especially due to fast spread of the Internet, their extinction is expected to be accelerated, with the prospects that the languages will be decreased by half before long.

The disappearance of the languages also signified the decrease in the variety of cultures. This is because the minorities are feared to be losing their traditional cultures with the extinction of their languages. For their survival, these weakest of the weak peoples are obliged to abandon their own languages and cultures and to join the ranks of globalization. In the long run, other nations, except for major powers, are in the similar situations to follow in the footsteps of minority groups.

With progress in the globalization process, there will rise a phenomenon of cultural standardization. This is easily perceived to find the fact that America's Hollywood movies, Coca-Cola, McDonald¡¯s hamburgers and CNN news are dominating every corner of the globe. As environmental diversity crumbles, the ecosystem will be put in danger as a whole, so cultural variety is damaged, human cultures and spiritual worlds, accumulated for tens of thousands of years, will be jeopardized.

Pierre Bourdieu, a world-renowned French sociologist, has opposed globalization and neo-liberalism from the cultural accumulation dimension. Coming to Seoul to attend the Seoul International Literature Forum held on Sept. 26-28, the French pundit underlined the "cultural crisis" stemming from the globalization trend.

He deplored that fact that culturally backward nations find it difficult to safeguard their cultural characteristics because of the globalization of liberal education. He asserted that the artistic self-regulation created by authors and intellectuals for a long time is facing a crisis due to globalization and commercialism. His assertion is providing a new vision to us, who are compromising with the globalization as an inevitable choice.

Of late, while the International Monetary Fund general session was held in Prague, there was a large-scale demonstration against globalization. The maintenance and development of cultural heritage and uniqueness are our important mission in the face of the globalization. We are now inclined to look into our cultural reality.

Hong Chan-Sik chansik@donga.com