Cultural Homogenization: Analysis of Two Images - Essay Example

Cultural Homogenization: Analysis of Two Images Introduction A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words. Maybe or maybe not, but it is clear that some pictures or images have a lasting impact on the onlooker. A picture or image can capture a moment in time, captivating in its completeness of emotion, with no show or artifice. It is as natural and unpretentious as nature itself. Just as pictures of images of personal events readily bring to mind the thoughts, memories and emotions attached to them, in a like manner pictures of political events such as the breaking of the Berlin Wall or the lone figure standing in front of the tanks at Tiananmen Square are stark and lasting reminders of events gone by- but nevertheless events that tell a story. The image and the story will live on in the hearts and minds of historians and the public as long as there is someone to explain and value its significance. In this essay I will analyze two images of my own choice. The first has been taken from the National Portrait Gallery and is a portrait of Napoleon Bonaparte, the French Emperor, painted around 1813 in watercolor by Thomas Heaphy. The second image I have chosen is that of the British born Pakistani boxer Amir Khan. Part A Race, culture and identity- all of these are intertwined and cannot be separated in the modern lifestyle. Indeed, it can be seen that although we are not born with national identities, yet through the process of growing up in a certain region of the world we are imbued with a distinct nationality and citizenship. The nation we are born in gives us our identity. Hence our country, besides being a political entity among the nations of the world also fills us with a certain cultural representation- meaning that we are expected to act in a certain way generally. For instance, the fiery temper of the Italians and the laid back approach of the Greeks and Arabs are well known. A national culture is a consensus about how a nation generally behaves- it is a system of representations and actions that identify a people or nation as distinct from others. Stories regarding folklore, customs and traditions are replete in every culture of the world, so it is no surprise that culture has its roots in such beliefs. These stories are told and retold in history, literature, the media and even popular culture (Hall, 1992: 293). Many of the origins of these stories are lost in antiquity. These traditions seem to be timeless. Quite often you will find a nomadic people who have a story concerning the creation of the world and how they came to be in it- this usually differs widely from the religious or scientific concepts that man is led to believe in. Mostly it is all based on folklore and tradition. Identity can be shaped by our bodies, the nation we grow up in, the religion we practice or the ethnic group we belong to (Woodward, 1997). Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821) was the Emperor of France from 1804-1814. This portrait was done by Thomas Heaphy, who has been known to have done at least 45 portraits over his lifetime from 1775-1835. Napoleon himself has been known to have sat for as many as 86 portraits over his lifetime. It is quite likely that this particular portrait was taken at the height of Napoleon’s power. There is a light pink tinge to the background which could have been original but some of it has faded away due to the effect of time. Yet the portrait has been remarkably preserved being almost two hundred years old. Let us now move to the portrait itself and analyze it. It is the unmistakable figure of Napoleon Bonaparte at the height of his power. Napoleon has chosen to take this as a standing portrait. His legs are a bit askew, as if he is about to make a movement any time now, and he faces towards the left as if hearkening to someone’s call. In his hand he holds a scroll of paper, which could be a map, a proclamation or any paper of such importance. A standing portrait always gives the impression of power and stature compared to a sitting one, and Napoleon knows and is taking full advantage of this fact. The first impact such a portrait would have is that it conveys the idea of movement or motion. Napoleon is in action as he invariably would be while carving out a stronger future for France. He was confident enough to take on the forces of Russia, Britain and others while conquering more and more land in the name of France. The year 1813 was one of mixed fortunes for France- it began with the battles of Lutzen and Bautzen in May, in which the French dominated the combined Russian and Prussian forces, but followed with sizeable defeats, most notable of which was the Battle of Leizpig from October 16-19, 1813 where Napoleon was soundly defeated. The portrait shows Napoleon in happier times within his palace walls, basking in the glory and self confidence that only he could have known and enjoyed. In line with the classical male pose over the ages, Napoleon stands with his legs apart, showing his virility and poise. He is all male, and his masculinity can scarcely be doubted at in the portrait. His head has been painted against a purple background, making it stand out for effect. We find that his countenance is a bit frayed but he looks eager to take on all challenges posed to him. He looks resplendent in the smart military uniform- the grey blue jacket giving a pleasant contrast to the white trousers, while the pink band that runs across his torso from right top to right bottom completing the effect. He looks as if he has been interrupted while in the midst of doing something in this portrait. The onlooker would always remember this portrait of the great French emperor as a man of action. In fact we would say that it is the impression that Napoleon wants to give in this portrait. This great man would rule France for many years, inciting revolutions and revolts until he was finally banished to the island of Elba, where he died in 1821. All opponents feared him greatly, and trembled and worried at his presence in battle. Napoleon was not only a clever military strategist and a smooth tactician, but he also knew how to win the hearts of his troops and countrymen. It is no wonder that his period of power is known in history as the Napoleonic Age. He rose through the ranks by dint of sheer hard work and tireless efficiency, and would give France many victories in battle before he was finally defeated by Wellington at Waterloo. Interestingly, Napoleon was born a Corsican rather than a Frenchman and spent his early years hating France. Part B The truth is that most modern nations have been created from and are an amalgam of disparate cultures. Take the USA for example- it is an amalgam of 52 separate states. Even the British Isles or what is called the United Kingdom is a group of four isles-England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales- each with their own rich and distinct history. Yet they have been united as one force and during the last century ruled much of the known world through conquest and colonization- only relinquishing hold after the Second World War. Since the decolonization, many of the well-to-do class have chosen to move to the UK or the USA, wanting to embrace their citizenship and live by their ideals. At a lower level, nations are seen as being composed of distinct social classes and religious and ethnic groups. Nations have been born of colonization, violent economic upheavals and battles, ultimately unified in a common national interest (Hall, 1992: 296-7). The portrait of Amir Khan, a British born boxer of Pakistani descent is quite interesting. As portraits of boxers or sportsmen go, the one of Amir Khan is quite standard and the pose too-one often adopted by boxers being photographed. But what I found interesting was the labels that the photograph has attracted. Amir Khan is described as a British-Pakistani Muslim boxer. Quite an interesting ethnic label, I would say. First let us take ‘British’- it means that at least the British have endorsed his UK citizenship as genuine and not to be debated and that’s a good start. The second word used is ‘Pakistani’, to refer to his antecedents who must have migrated from Pakistan to Britain. To the reader, it would be a bit worrisome, as Pakistan is seen as a haven for terrorists and unscrupulous characters, what with Osama bin Laden being killed there on May 01, 2011 and evidence from his family stating that he was living in a city called Abbottabad since the last five years or so. It is nerve-wrecking for sure, for the world’s most wanted man to be there, undiscovered all these years. Anyway the third word used to describe Amir Khan is ‘Muslim’, referring to his faith. And they said the War on Terror and the Clash of Civilizations was different. I don’t think so, if this is the way a civilized Western nation labels its citizens of repute. Amir Khan has gained some accolades as a boxer, to be sure. To call him a Muslim speaks of duplicity. Never in my life have I seen or heard of Muhammad Ali being described as a ‘Muslim’ boxer even after he converted to Islam- indeed, most of the world still remembers him as Cassius Clay of old and of U.S origin. So what is the big deal about labeling Amir Khan as Muslim or Pakistani when the latter does not even apply to him anymore. A man is free to live the life he wants and practice the religion he wants to follow- as long as it does not harm or disturb anyone else. This is part of the Constitution of the United Kingdom, and also a part of the Universal Declaration of Rights. By falsely labeling Amir Khan as a British-Pakistani Muslim boxer, it speaks eloquently of the uncaring thoughts and attitude of the curators and administrators of the museum or gallery and they should reword the label and apologize to Amir Khan forthwith. I would feel demeaned and demoralized if I was portrayed in this way. People are not ranked as Muslims, Christians or Buddhists- neither is their ascendancy referred to in most cases in colloquial speech or even legal language. Not even if they are arrested for a crime and are being booked. So there stands Amir Khan, a source of some pride and renown to Britain. He has embraced his British nationality and proudly holds the British flag wrapped around his upper back and shoulders and falling at his arms. And he has to live with this label. Amir was born in 1986 in Bolton, Greater Manchester, England-both he and his brother Haroon Khan are boxers. Amir has been boxing since the age of 11, winning titles at school and then a gold medal at the Junior Olympics in 2003. He represented Britain in the 2004 Athens Olympics, winning a silver medal at 17 years, and fights in the light welterweight division. He is comfortable with his nationality as well as his religion. He has won 25 of his 26 bouts, losing only one, with 17 of these by TKO. He has been nicknamed King Khan. Incidentally, Khan is a pretty popular last name. Indeed, the popular Indian actor Shahrukh Khan, easily one of the most recognizable faces on the planet, was arrested and interrogated in New York about six months ago just because his last name was KHAN. Yes, that is correct. While you may excuse the NYPD for not recognizing Khan due to their limited knowledge and exposure to Indian films, the fact remains that how could they hold and interrogate him just because of his name. I find that most repulsive and demeaning. They could have checked him out through his passport where his nationality and occupation would have been listed. Imagine his consternation and utter frustration on being illegally held in this way. It took the work of many of his supporters and well wishers to get him released after quite some time- I think it was the next day. Talk about a witch hunt in the 21st century. To his credit, Shahrukh Khan reacted positively to this incident and gave the world a new film called ‘My Name is Khan’; the byline reads ‘And I am not a terrorist’. Conclusion Hall finds today that national identities are being eroded due to cultural homogenization. Local and communal identity is however being strengthened by meeting and communicating with each other. As national identities lose their significance, pop culture like Americanization threatens to take their place. Indeed, some countries tend to export everything from film and dance, clothing and food to other countries unabashedly seeking to addict them to the new culture. No wonder Japan and China are such ardent followers of American pop culture. As more and more opportunities abound for cross cultural events, such as international travel and student exchange programs, the media and the Internet will also play a role in sending images and discussions about the dominant Western cultures to others around the world. We have created a cultural supermarket in which Western values are the most predominantly available to be exported and distributed to the rest of the world. Appendix References Hall, S. (1992): 'The question of cultural identity' (Ch 6) in Hall et al (eds.) Modernity and Its Futures, Cambridge: Polity Press pp.274-291 UEL PLUS. Woodward, K. (ed.) (1997): Identity and Difference. London: Sage. Ch 1: 'Concepts of Identity and Difference'. Read More