USA, Here to Stay: America's Cultural Dominance

'America... goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy. She is the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all'- John Quincy Adams, in a speech to the U.S. House of Representatives, 4 July 1821

Culture is a strange beast. Every nation, and even the respective peoples and regions that make up that particular nation, have their own customs that define who they are. After years of chopping and changing, distinctive cultures have been created that dictate aspects such as language, fashion and cuisine. We Brits can take pride in our culture that has been shaped thanks to the efforts of foreign entities seeking land and glory on the shores of this island floating on the edge of Europe. It is one that alters year after year, with only the strongest traits surviving. Losing our passion for queuing and tea would be a disaster, especially if a new found love for American sports becomes a prime characteristic of British culture.

If you saw this play, then you would understand

Somehow, Great Britain has allowed the prominent sports played out in the United States to seep into everyday thoughts and conversations. In times gone by, idle chats around the water cooler would consist of heated discussions on the latest developments of the Premier League, yet now terms such as 'touchdown' and 'slam dunk' have entered our vocabularies. News stations now spend time reporting on how burly men with helmets and extensive amounts of padding have successfully beaten another team wearing similar attire by scoring a last minute 'field goal'. Sky Sports has a channel dedicated to American sporting events, boasting profusely of their acquisition of NBA coverage from BT Sport. While the football and cricket channels remain, the United States has embedded itself in the sporting TV guide.

This is no great surprise, especially when taking into consideration that London has hosted both NFL and NBA games. In 2007, the NFL arrived at Wembley to showcase their sport to their Atlantic neighbours, with the NBA following suit in 2011 by making better use of the O2 than it ever was in its days as the Millennium Dome. The recent matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles (no Super Bowl for them this year, but what an underdog story that was) and the Jacksonville Jaguars was seen by 85,870 people; the largest crowd ever since the first game back in 2007. Indeed, in front of the eyes of this humble blogger, the O2 was packed to the rafters as the Washington Wizards defeated the New York Knicks thanks to a last minute goaltending call. It was one of the greatest sporting events ever witnessed by this young man. Still on a high from it, to be honest.

Wowzers

Having seen plucky Yeovil Town win promotion to the Championship at Wembley, as well as England dismantle Wales and Australia at Twickenham, to call the American creation of bouncing a ball up and down and throwing it into a hoop 'one of the greatest sporting events' is one hell of a statement to make. While this was certainly down to the atmosphere and the fact that basketball is awesome, it appears one has become infected by that blasted diseases of American 'cultural imperialism'. Gasp! That ghastly term 'imperialism' has just been uttered and now the hordes of politically correct advocates are descending upon this small business park in the Surrey countryside. People get worked up over the smallest things.

Even Ron Swanson

'Cultural imperialism' can be defined as the spread of a nation's culture across the globe, with the origins coming from a country seen as a dominant power. Widely seen in the days of European colonisation, those roots are still seen today in the forms of religion and language e.g. Brazil was once a Portuguese colony, so are a Catholic country that speak Portuguese. Nowadays, countries are no longer allowed to walk into someone else's land and declare that it's now their own since that is classed by the United Nations as 'a dick move'. Instead, an 'empire' is now comprised of how much influence a nation has over the political and social aspects of the planet. Military might is still a large factor, no doubt about that, but an empire of culture could now be argued to have more prominence over one of strength. Doesn't stop countries causing tense territorial disputes; there's no way to get rid of those.

Looking at you Russia

Let's dive into some history, shall we? After all, an 'Absolute Shambles' post wouldn't be complete without it. Once the Second World War was all done and dusted, the superpowers of the USA and USSR filled the power vacuum left by European empires like Britain and France. The Cold War had begun, with the two former allies playing a destructive game of 'anything you can do, I can do better' as they built bigger and deadlier weapons to 'defend' themselves from unwanted aggression. With the two stuck in a military stalemate, culture became the battleground. From outdoing each other at the Olympics to a thrilling race to the Moon, the two superpowers did all they could to beat the other and prove the superiority of their system. While this was all wonderfully entertaining, the constant threat of nuclear warfare would certainly put a dampener on this cultural clash. Sigh, this is why we can't have nice things.

Ice hockey > nuclear annihilation

The United States 'won' the Cold War as the USSR collapsed in 1991, yet they would always win the cultural war in the end. Hollywood has ruled the entertainment industry since the 1920's, churning out films and productions that ensured that only the best of foreign media could compete. Globalisation roared into life in the latter half of the 20th century, with 'cocacolonisation' being the prime example of this. The phrase was coined by the French Communist Party in 1949 as they staunchly opposed the advance of American culture, particularly that of Coca-Cola, upon their shores. We can applaud these left-leaning cheese-eating surrender monkeys for fabulous wordplay, especially as their worries were actually built on logic. The United States were coming, and they were bringing diabetes with them.

This all seems very dramatic, yet none of us can deny that the United States have a powerful influence over the world's cultural makeup. We stare at our Apple products all day, munch down on a McDonald's Big Mac and consume a trashy Starbucks drink. Shoppers mark down the date for 'Black Friday' in the hopes of getting a good deal just in time for Christmas; again, an American creation. 'American English' now seems to precede the proper version of English, meaning that kids now commit heinous crimes like spelling colour without a u. Somehow, those rebellious colonists that cheated their way to independence (we can all blame the French for that) have overtaken the mother country in the cultural realm. English is still largely spoken, and thankfully the Premier League is still more popular than the National Football League on a global scale, but the United States are no doubt the big player.

Perfect time to dance

However much we complain about American arrogance and their frustrating tendency to boast of how great a nation they are (some individuals are much worse than others though), American cultural imperialism doesn't have to be a blight on mankind. American drive to save the world from communism not only achieved the purpose of Sovietisation in check, but also helped stabilise economies struggling after the Second World War. The Marshall Plan, for example, ensured money was pumped into Western Europe and stave off those dastardly reds, essentially buying their loyalty. Technological advancements spread across the world, particularly in areas such as robotics and space exploration. American traditions and mannerisms rode on the back of these great leaps forward as the world was exposed to American brands, sports and media.

What a good looking set... I mean, moon

Of course, being a form of imperialism means there are obvious negatives. While American influence over other nations caused political feuds and upheavals (revolutions against pro-American governments in Cuba and Iran serve as perfect examples of this), local culture also suffers. We are all encouraged to support our local high street and ensure fellow residents maintain a decent livelihood, opting to buy from an independent coffee shop rather than from one that avoids taxes (bloody Starbucks). Yet you always stumble upon a Burger King or a Nike superstore, ready to serve your needs in the name of the United States of America. Every bite of that greasy burger is a taste of democracy, with chips deep fried in freedom and a sauce made from the values of a constitutional republic on the side. Newer and smaller businesses find it hard to thrive or survive in markets run by American monopolies. For a nation that advocates giving everyone a chance to make a name for themselves, they certainly make it hard for all of us.

Bloody capitalists

No matter where we are on the globe, the cultural influence of the USA is there for all to see. It is an extension of their overall political supremacy in that one decision made within American borders can create a chain reaction felt right across the world. The 'Special Relationship' between the UK and USA means we usually take the brunt of whatever crazy scheme that scamp Donald Trump is concocting in that totally stable head of his. When he's not serving hamburgers to college athletes, plans for walls and trade wars are being drawn up to promote America's global interests. This no time for Trump bashing, much to the anguish of all, but the UK has not been able to escape the effects of American cultural imperialism. Seems ironic that a nation infamous for its imperial past is now on the receiving end of another nation's imperial ambitions.

Once upon a time

Even though we can claim revenge for stoking American interest in football and rugby, the fact remains that American culture has certainly made a home here on Britain's shores. This isn't a disaster, although this comes from a person who greatly enjoys American sports and is somewhat fascinated by America's history. British identity isn't on the verge of extinction in the face of America's cultural dominance, and even then all that Brexit nonsense trundling along in the background hasn't shut down our government just yet. Either way, American cultural influence is here to stay; unless there isn't an epic collapse due to the fumblings of that particular President. Surely the American government can't stay shut forever?

If it does, at least Trump has a good stockpile of processed meat

Cultural imperialism is a topic that was once the focal point of a university essay written many years ago. While that essay may very much be lost due to the demise of Fuckface the laptop on Boxing Day (talk about timing), one still remembers it as an essay that didn't cause a complete break in mental functions. Imperialism isn't a good thing, we can all agree on that, but when you witness one of these American sporting events in person you can understand why the NFL and NBA cross the pond to showcase their sports to British fans. The crowds are screaming their lungs out, athletes perform incredible moves to make spectators swoon and vendors stalk the rows of people selling popcorn and candy floss. That NBA game won't be forgotten anytime soon. American cultural imperialism has rooted itself in the brain; all we have to do is remember to keep spelling words correctly.

One happy boy

Ben G 😁 xo