Topic: Evaluate the proposition that a global monoculture will destroy diversity and difference - Essay Example

The development of consumer monoculture was originally a conscious effort of various colonists. For example, the French government advisor on colonial affairs, D. Goulet, states, “traditional peoples must be shocked into the realization that they are living in abnormal, inhuman conditions as psychological preparation for modernization” (Rockwell, 1994, p. 34) Expanding on this concept, Goodenough, an anthropologist, states The problem is one of creating in another a sufficient dissatisfaction with his present condition of self so that he wants to change it.

This calls for some kind of experience that leads him to reappraise his self-image and re-evaluate his self-esteem. (Pells, 1997, p. 64)). Now, take into consideration how this concept of well-being for these individual cultures actually affects each culture. For instance, the Troadjas tribes of the Poso, people located in Indonesia, many years ago, were described to be unable to commit to development without serious help and intervention. In 1929, A.C. Kryt stated that the society was so stable that: “development and progress were impossible” and that they were “bound to remain at the same level” (Liebes and Elihu, 1993, p. 56). This society does not use money and has no concept of money whatsoever.

Neither does this culture represent any type of desire to learn how to use money in order to buy and sell goods. Furthermore, the Toradjas have showed no interest whatsoever in converting their religion, educating their children, or attempting to grow crops for profit. In response to this, in 1905, Netherlands Indies government actually used armies to force the end to all resistance. The forcing of the Toradjas to conform resulted in a large amount of deaths, and the culture became desperate and chaotic (Danan, 1995).

The only help and support the Toradjas found was with the missionaries, who helped the culture to convert and also