Culture is a way of coping with the world by defining it in detail.
Culture may be defined as ‘the way of life of people, their ideas, acts, and artefacts.’ News and culture are correlated because culture is defined by the news around it. To elaborate, it should be noted that the invention of the printing press made people question the church’s longstanding teachings, by simply providing a platform for fresh opinions. Meaning that the influence of news even back then was so impactful that it caused cultural upthrowing that were witnessed globally. Hence it's historically evident that culture is eventually defined by its news.
American gun culture
As said by author Johnathon Metzl:
The country’s refusal to pass new gun control laws has everything to do with defending racial hierarchy.
The United States is the third-largest country, with a population of around three hundred million. Home to numerous ethnicities, America is considered one of the most influential cultures in the world on the basis of the news around their practices.
What is the significance of immigrants in the USA?
Immigrant people play a huge part in the population of America, making the country one of
the most culturally diverse nations. It is believed that the immigrants have partly built the nation, and make nearly 25 percent of people in math and science departments. Presently, research shows that they work primarily in the health sector industry, making them an irreplaceable asset to the nation.
Native American tribes also play a role in helping the country thrive through their impact on American cuisine and by living an environmentally sustainable lifestyle.
Due to the media’s highlight on the constant tragic school shootings, the whole world is aware of America’s notorious gun laws. American gun culture has its roots in systemic racism since white supremacy has always been linked to the misuse of gun laws in the states. In colonial America, landowners could own and use guns on Negroes and Indians, as told by Louis Beckett in an article for the guardian.
National school walkouts were witnessed in the USA on multiple occasions where students stormed out of their classrooms, demanding gun control.
What is president Joe Biden’s take on the present gun laws?
The president has described gun violence as an epidemic and has passed an executive order to come up with a solution to reduce the number of ghost guns. Ghost guns are self-assembled, homemade guns that cannot be traced due to the lack of a serial number, and constitute up to 40% of the total guns in LA.
African culture
Africa is the birth soil of the Sahara desert, the world-famous pyramids of Giza and the magnificent Victoria Falls. Constituting one-eighth of the world’s population with over 1500 languages, it is evident that Africa’s cultural beauty is reflected most by its diverse ethnic groups.
Media forms have always had a direct link to African culture and Africa’s fight for independence. Expression of liberal opinions was done through newspapers. These newspapers were known to have been very influential, even if not distributed in large numbers. Through them, ideas of resistance against oppression were circulated.
A more recent example of the impact of news on culture is is the protest against the recent decline of democracy in sub-Saharan Africa, fueled by the pandemic. Freedom House has rated less than ten sub-Saharan African countries as free. Hence there are youth movements across social media demanding democracy. In Nigeria online protestors under the #EndSARS tag demanded police reforms.
Chinese culture
China or the middle kingdom is a hub of traditions. The Han make up the majority even though there are at least 55 other minorities. Being one of the world’s oldest cultures, the Chinese culture consists of ceramics, literature, philosophy, religion, and martial arts.
China’s culture is arguably reflected most by its qualities of self-dependence.
A major part of the world is dependent on China as an exporting hub, and the country plans to upkeep its upper hand through a five-year plan focused on self-reliance.
China too is very influenced by its news. One such instance that reflects that is BBC’s research on the Uyghurs in China, which made countries like the US and UK come to light about the selective sterilisation being faced by women belonging to ethnic minorities.
The republic is also notorious for its strict media censorship laws. While these laws are usually a sensitive subject, some dissent has been expressed on the part of the Chinese, demanding access to uncensored news. A protest against interference with the Southern Weekly newspaper’s editorial was witnessed in 2013 when the public rallied for transparency. Recently, Hong Kong has also issued a similar order of film censorship following China’s footsteps.
Indian Culture
According to AWPG Organisation:
The first and the supreme culture of the world.
India is the largest multiethnic democracy in the world. Indian culture is widely known for its diversity in food, religion, and languages. Every detail of Indian architecture is magnificent, from the temple's architecture of South India to the Taj Mahal being the most popular. According to the People Linguistic Survey Of India, there are 780 recognisable languages in India, and eight major ethnic groups. Indian culture is not homogeneous in nature, each state in India has its own individual identity.
However, with diversity comes the difference of opinions, which is why India is no stranger to cultural uproars and protests. Because there are many ethnic groups and identities, naturally ideas happen to clash.
One recent example of such a cultural clash and the impact of news on it is the ongoing farmer’s protest. Through local news, the protest has gained support and momentum globally. Even though the government has tried its best to convince the farmer about the amendments, many still see them as a threat to their livelihood.
Similar is the situation of Lakshadweep, the locals have labelled BJP’s proposal of revising the current rules as arbitrary, by stating that it is an attempt to force a homogenized culture in Lakshadweep and the rest of the country. The criticized reforms include a ban on cow slaughter, possible relocation of islanders, and the major one being the lift on the ban on the sale of alcohol. Though these changes seem to be against the ideology of the party itself, the decisions are said to be taken considering the economic benefit. The ban has been lifted for limited businesses however the residents consider alcohol as offensive to their culture. Their voice is being advocated for on social media.
Conclusion
When it comes to culture, the news is an influencing factor, irrespective of ethnicity. Hence culture is eventually defined by its news. Dissent is an important part of a thriving nation, and news provides a platform for the same. Different societies have different media systems but the notion that culture is defined by the news around it remains constant.
Comments