Impact of Western Culture in Bangladesh Essay

The following research report deals with the Impact of western culture in our society includes people’s thought according their age level, how the Bengali culture is becoming a westernized and which factors are related with that. We took only Dhaka city for our research survey. Acknowledgement First of all we would like to thank our Almighty God, because of His blessings were always with us so that we were able to complete this report.We are grateful to many people for providing us encouragement and support during our learning and working while making this report and we want to show our gratefulness to these people.We are very much grateful to Prof.Toufiqul Islam, our teacher of Research & Methodology course, who provided us opportunity to do this report. It was not possible for us to perform this report without his sincere permission, constant support and inspiration. We express our gratefulness to him.Our pleasant thanks to all of our respondents who gave us all kinds of support and important information related to our report. We would also like to thank our friends and peers for their encouragement, support, and suggestions which helped us to make this report an effective one. 1. Introduction Bangladesh is a melting pot of races. She, therefore, has a mixed culture. However, her deep rooted heritage is amply reflected in her architecture, literature, dance, drama, music and painting and also in people’s lifestyle. She has own Language Bengali which boasts a rich literary heritage. Now if we speak about Western culture, it is a wide range of culture that performed by the whole world. Now-a-days this culture is highly spreading in our country and people are paying their interest into western culture by the help of globalization.Mostly the young generations and highly aristocratic families are very much influenced by western culture which holds negative impact on our own culture. So, we have to make clear consciousness to the community for making strong cultural bond and better society. From that sense, it is necessary to take a research about the impact of Western culture in our society. And, we believe that the following research report will help to find out the conclusion with valuable recommendation. 1.1 Basic of the study Bangladeshi culture is influenced by three great religions- Hinduism, Buddhism band Islam in successive order, with Islam having the most pervading and lasting impact. Like a colorful montage, the cultural tradition of the country is a happy blending of many variants, unique in diversity but in essence greatly symmetrical. On the other hand, Western culture began in Ancient Greece. Today, Western culture has at least some presence in nearly all nations of the world. It does not currently exist, however, anywhere in a perfect and complete form. Western culture currently dominates in many Western and Central European nations and several nations settled by Europeans and their descendants. Western culture also significantly exists in many Asian nations, such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, and it is increasingly influential in India and China. Western culture currently has little meaningful presence also in Bangladesh. [4] In this research report we choose Dhaka city as for many reason like shortage of time, also we live in this city so it is quite easy for our study, besides as Dhaka city is the capital of Bangladesh and most aristocratic family live in this city. So it is also easy to know about people’s thought on our topic. 1.2 Background of the study From the historical perspective, Bangladeshi culture has rich literary heritage. The riverside landscape and the monsoon climate are closely related to the cultural practices of this country. It focuses the lifestyles and culture value of the indigenous people. From the earlier age, people give value and maintain social customs which are in our culture. However, people are now following some of the western cultures beside their own one. Mostly, the young generation is very much interested on English movies, western music, dresses, foods and other things rather than Bengali culture. Now, young generation and even also middle age people are not that much conscious about Bengali culture because of the globalization. In this way, Bengali culture is now no more originated by own culture, even it is losing her own value. In this research, we collect opinions about the impact of western culture from people by field survey. 1.3 Importance of the topic For our research, we choose ‘The Impact of Western culture In Our Society’ as our topic for its importance on the effect of cultural globalization (which means the commercialization of culture). Now a day’s the production and consumption of cultural goods and services has become commodities, along with the essentials of social life (marriage and family life, religion work and leisure). What once was an element of the way of life becomes a product, rather than something unique men had made to suit their own needs and circumstances. In urban Bangladesh, technology of multi- channels TV began in 1991 and hence satellite broadcasting has been delivering ‘lots of channels to viewers’. Cultural domination by electronic media within the society thus has eventually become a major concern of sociological inquiry. The present study is one of such effort to look at how the urban people, mostly youth has accepted and responded to their access to Western culture. [3] 1.4 Literature Review In this part we found some of the information which is discussed in different articles and reports relevant to our topic. Even though many book focused about the impact of western culture and how people are taking it besides their own one without any hesitation. After reviewing different sources, we just focus on ‘The Impact of Western Culture in Our Society’ from three different angles. These are: †¢ Impact of cultural Globalization. †¢ Positive impact of westernization. †¢ Negative impact of westernization. Impact of socio – cultural Globalization Now a day’s every country in this world is treated as village, you can imagine whatever you can. That’s the way people are communicate easily to each other make things differences. Globalization has only one overarching feature–integration. It is all about collectiveness and ever increasing interconnectedness. It in effect influences everything, whether it is a company or a country. But here is a fact, is globalization all the way keeps help to connect to each other or build a strong communication in â€Å"borderless world†? If it is a question, then how it impacts in our society as well as in our culture? The Cable television has made different attraction in around the world as well as in Bangladeshi household. Foreign movies have come and have reflected their culture in it. This has made a huge impact on the minds of the Bangladeshi people. Not to mention the easy availability of Internet whose reach even extends till rural areas? The internet has opened up opportunities for people to learn more about foreign cultures and places. It has made Bangladeshi more acceptable and open-minded towards change. Globalization has broken all borders. As a result, the new generation of Bangladeshi is more knowledgeable, more aware and more interested in the world around them. In our society, women who were once the exploited and ignored part of the population, now assert their rights of being a woman. Women now have more access to education and know more about their rights and their identity as a woman. Nowadays, you find women in the society who work alongside men. Men-dominated fields see the coming up of the woman. Men and women are slowly being treated equally. However, this does not mean that all Bangladeshi women are fully free. In many places, exploitation still continues. [5] Positive impact of westernization Due to globalization, westernization is spreading out all over the world. Westernization has been placed in different countries because of globalization and needless to say, it has had an impact on the Bangladesh way of life. It has out-rooted the traditional Bengali culture and the rate at which westernization is happening to Bangladesh is surprising. Regional languages are on the process of redefined. In many ways instating of regional language people have been used to English especially in urban areas youngsters. It had started get fixing with western clothing, western languages, western mannerisms and everything else westernized. Beside, the festival of Pohela Baishak, people is now celebrating like other western cultural festivals especially in young groupsuch as- †¢ Valentine’s Day, †¢ Friendship Day, †¢ Mother’s day, †¢ Father’s day. †¢ And other international celebrations. Now a day people are concern about how we think about globally, what the other country are doing in their cultural issue, just we observe and absorbing them. There is lot of issues that we automatically know about it; even he/she has a little knowledge about westernization. But, people are moving with it in all the way. Negative impact of westernization At the side of the positive, Bangladeshi people are involving day by day with negative activities which our own culture because of following western culture. However no matter have occurred by this way, what people are doing in our society. With Globalization and westernization of our culture, Bangladesh now has access to things like adult movies, pornographic material, sex toys and other sexual content from all around the world especially in young group of people. Bangladeshi’s population has been corrupted thanks by easy access which has been brought about by westernization. In fact, this has gone to such limits that now pornographic material is even made in Bangladesh also. These perverted habits have raised a population who sometimes are so full of hunger for that they choice to rape. It is a fact that rape cases have risen since the spread of globalization. So that, western dress is another factor that creates an imbalance in our society especially for woman group (whenever girls wear a shirt, t-shirt, and pant in our society, due to feel or sensation of comfortable) which does not permit within our culture as majority of Muslim nationality. For wearing that kind of dresses men are mostly thinking in negative sense. In a view of culture, how and from which cases we are thinking that Bengali culture becomes westernized, for that we assume several other questions which are listed below, †¢ Why we think about westernization? †¢ Is westernization needed to fulfill our Bengali culture? †¢ To identify what kind of differentiations within peoples thought about westernization from different age level? †¢ What are the options available for Bangladesh? The previous findings have reported results on the western culture effect on urban youth generation in our society. However, according to above mentioned circumstances, the present study takes the initiative to conduct an empirical investigation based on the impact of western culture in our society includes people’s thought according their age level, how the Bengali culture is becoming a westernized and which factors are related with that. The findings from this study will work as a valuable guideline to give respect our own culture and to be a wholesome Bangladeshi. 1.5 Objectives of the study The main objective of this study is to focus on the impact of western culture based on different age level and build up the awareness about the negative sides among Bangladeshi people. According to our objectives we have decided that we will give our full attention and also we will be very active and patience to survey our research. In this way, we can fulfill our research successfully with a bunch of information. 2. Research Method For conducting our research, we implement research methods that directly related to our topic which indicates the core information about a research and explains how that information is correlated. In our research method we include study material, data collection method and data analysis method which help to go our research result and discussion section. For this part we will fulfill some specific requirements,  ¬ Describe procedure as completely as possible so that someone can’t duplicate it completely  ¬ Define sample and characteristics, which is consistent throughout the test.  ¬ List the variables used these are what change, or manipulate, throughout the test.  ¬ Try to precise criticism which might arise from readers mind. 2.1. Study Materials In this part, we consider study materials from people thought. That’s why, we define sample into three categorized way and taking out specific data from different age class people. Three age class: Age 18-30 (class 1); Age 31-45(class 2) and Age 45+ (class 3) For doing this part effectively we collect data from different age level and clarify about the variation of their thoughts about western culture beside Bangladeshi culture. Class 1: Most of the Class 1 people are student and some of them are service holder. It is very much easy to clarify their thoughts into short period of time. Class 2: In our class 2, most of the people are service holder and they are in middle age. Class 3: Finally last group is class 3 and people are no more in their job or involved in other social activities, basically people are staying with their family, but still we found that some them are even also involved with their job. 2.2. Methods of Collection Data Data collection process is crucial process in research report, if the process is biased or incomplete then it’s very difficult to analyze the data and it decreases quality of report. For our research purpose we get information from both two type of data collection source one is primary data and another one is secondary data. Primary data: Primary data indicates the core information about the topic and data collected from field survey work. There are different types of survey like, We make a structured questionnaire, which has been attached in the Appendix- 1 of this paper. This questionnaire is for three age level people and we give it to them like who is mostly able to read and understand what we are really wants. In this survey types, responder give their opinion about our topic in written and multiple choice form. For this part we take total sixty samples (each class 20 samples) as our core requirement. 2.3. Methods of Analyzing Data In this part we analyze the collected data from our survey- questionnaire. Here, we represent those data by graph, chart and table which is called frequency counting data. However, in case of qualitative data we take observation method. We collect our samples and put it them into a quantitative form so that we represents it as a percentage form. 3. Result, Discussion & Findings To complete this part we consider several item to measure our determine information. All we know that cultural issue is very diverse concept which contains many ideas that indicates different type of individual characteristics. So that here we show some of those issue that indicate cultural aspect directly and by conducting a questionnaire survey we found some answer of specific data that might indicate and fulfill our main objectives. Due to presenting our result and discussion, we work with three different age scale of people which was define in earlier part and want to indicate the variation of preference between each class. Here, we identify our final result in percentage form and firstly we collect appearance from responders, add responder’s number (total sample 60) and make it as percentage form indicates what percentage people are positively responses our questions. After that add up all the heads percentage make it as average percentage point out how many people are positive about western culture. Firstly we want to know from responders’ western culture in general way. By asking those responders give their individual opinion about general requirements. In the first part of questionnaire following heads are included. Table1: Western Culture in responders mind in general Depending on above information we assume that by a simple calculation (average) of those data and show as it a percentage form. So that Bengali people now think about western culture from basic perspective approximately 39%. It means that they are positively given their opinion regarding western culture in our culture. And other way 61% responders gave non- positive responses which indicate might they prefer positive as Bengali culture. In different region different kind of cultural views and life style are followed. It seems to if one country’s positive thought is appreciate it might the negative for another country. So that we collect sample in a way that really Bengali people are absorbing WC day by day. Table2: Views and lifestyle preference in responders mind Sources: A survey conducted for this research in July, 2010 This table indicates four different view of western culture in our people. We select this heads to find out how many people intentionally or unintentionally belief WC views and lifestyle. Firstly in class1 60%, class2 30% and class3 25%, and also in total sample 38% people prefer nuclear family rather extended family, where most of WS has nuclear family. Another most important in our marriage system which one we prefer, from our cultural view mostly prefer arrange marriage. But in our survey class1 60%, class2 70% and class3 20%, and also in total sample 50% people are appearance with love or affair marriage. Similarly class1 80%, class2 90% and class3 90%, and also in total sample 87% people support with husband and wife have to live together. And also class1 55%, class2 35% and class3 10%, and also in total sample 34% people usually celebrate western festival beside their own one. Graph.B: Views and lifestyle preference in responders mind Now here we represent a chart indicate 52% people are support western culture values and fixing up in their mind. People are no more in our traditional culture by origin; day by day it changes and will changes in next generation. And other way 48% responders gave non- positive responses which indicate might their belief in Bengali traditional value. Bangladeshi people are now a day’s changing their behavior and habit in food, dress and other activities also. Easily converted to western ideas some cases it makes a question mark in our ethical perspective also. We referred those western materials by like fast food is needed to minimize time consumption and also it’s comfortable for shot meal. Another thing, people like to wear western dress for fashion and for comfortable. Similarly now people are conscious about their health so that mostly younger are goes to gym even middle aged people also. Sources: A survey conducted for this research in July, 2010 Here in this table represents to how many people are preferred with western tests and habit. We indentify people’s individual test, preference and habit in their regular life. Representing four head define how many people positively response our concerns. Firstly in class1 30%, class2 0% and class3 0%, and also in total sample 10% people prefer fast food in their regular meal. Another thing is in class1 55%, class2 45% and class3 10%, and also in total sample 37% people prefer western dress in their dress code. In class1 50%, class2 60% and class3 85%, and also in total sample 65% people regularly maintain their religious activities. And last one is in class1 75%, class2 25% and class3 15%, and also in total sample 38% people now people now think about going to gymnasium for physical fitness exercise. Individual classes graph and chart are enclosed in appendix part. Graph.C: Personal tastes, preferences and habits of the respondents This chart indicates people’s day to day life that how many of them support western test and habit. Here we found there are 36% people are positively responds our specific questions and give their real interest on western culture by survey. And other way 64% responders gave non- positive responses which indicate might they prefer Bengali test and habit. From very beginning Bengali people might in some case restricted. Like people were not that much free or friendly with their parents. Another thing is mentally depends on parents and also relatives. But at present we see some positive idea which is really effective for us like easy relationship with parents, self dependency etc. Sources: A survey conducted for this research in July, 2010 This table shows that, in class1 70%, class2 65% and class3 50%, and also in total sample 62% people think very easy relationship with parents. Another thing is in class1 10%, class2 30% and class3 65%, and also in total sample 35% people prefer self dependency due to mentally support. And in class1 55%, class2 30% and class3 10%, and also in total sample 32% people like to enjoy any occasion with friends. Graph.D: Relationships with parents, siblings and peer groups of the respondents Above graph shows responders relationship status between family, friends or siblings. Here we found 43% responders support of very easy relationship, self dependency and celebrate occasion with friends. And other hand 57% responders non- positively responds, meaning to say they prefer other status for their relationship, like not so easy relationship with parents, mentally depends on parents and also family belongingness. Finally we found that, people as responders now consider western culture. Approximately half of our total responders support with it. From the positive point of view day by day people absorbing western cultural values, sometimes its brings a good for our society. But on the other hand it diminishing our own cultural vale which nobody wants, so that we have to concern our cultural issues as much as possible and which one is good we have to must take it and also avoid bad thing that brings imbalance in our culture. †¢ Observation For this research we need to take observation method for getting more information. By our observation, we found that, in case of Muslim family, an older woman embarrassed over and is desperately trying to avoid eye contact in TV screen, blazing loud music on the popular music video channel, MTV. The inadequately dressed presenter introduces her ‘top song’ for the week. A star celebrity dressed in so very little and exposed herself as much as possible. The old woman’s son is captive by what he sees. He pays no attention to his mother, young wife or even his own little son also. In this way, Children are involving some bad works which derived from western culture particularly from cable connection at their home. In some cases, young generation forget to respect their elder one. In our field survey, we observe that, boys and girls are very much interested on going to DJ party at different night club. And, sometimes they want to live together before marriage which is extremely prohibited by our culture. Boys are using Tattoos on their body also. The present scenario of Bangladeshi culture like as in this diagram we show that, western stuffs like shirt, pant, music and festivals are now mixing with Bengali’s traditional stuffs. 4. Limitation of study To conduct this research we had some limitations, first of all it should be mentioned that we are beginning level of researcher and the topic was controversial as it holds both positive and negative impact in our society according to people’s perception. As there was time limitation, we cannot collect sufficient data and samples relating to our topic which is very difficult stuff to fulfill the analyzing of samples. While working for this report we found there was not available data related with our topic to get assistance from the internet, books, articles, research papers to make a well furnished literature review and secondary sources. As a result, it took a lot of time to gather information from other sources. 5. Conclusion and Recommendation Eventually, it can be concluded that, this research has found a lot of significant issues that is Western culture is not a curse to our society but it can bring a lot of negative effects. We must understand that the young generations are the future image of our country. So, it is necessary to enlighten them about our own cultural values which will make our nation proud. In Bangladesh perspective, since it is the one of very few and one way concentration on the impact of western culture. I hope that this thesis contains the groundwork of further research, which may find useful tools considering the probable findings in the long run. No study has been done at before. However, for doing this research we used our best analysis and tried to make the research as full proof but due to short sample, we cannot recommend it as full proof. That’s why, we want to recommend for further modification as we believe that research is a never ending process.