First, a clarification on my last post. I do NOT think that the US government is involved in a deliberate OVERT plot to destroy a culture. AND, I do NOT think that the US has no culture. BUT, it seems possible that saying US having no culture is a device to imply that the US has no cultural colonialist practices. How can we be supplanting local cultures if we have none? On Wed, 24 Jul 2002 09:59:37 +0200 Peter Gannushkin wrote:

Even though I don't think there is a real problem in American culture spreading, I have to disagree with you about forcing. It is quite obvious that American corporations use all their facilities to spread to markets other than American.

Patrice wrote: This is quite naive and, as usual, amplifies the victimized aspect of the problem.... I can tell you that the success of Fast food chains in France was a big surprise for everybody, and there was no big budget ad campaign brainwashing to induce people to go buy a BigMac. I do not think that McDonald's "invasion" of France is a very good example of what Skip may have been trying to talk about. France, like the US, does not have a spotless record when it comes to other cultures, and I imagine, having been a big colonial power, is no stranger to McDonald like organizations and practices. The embrace of McD's then, would be more of an emulative, "Good Job!" then zombielike, "Whatever you say Americains." Take, for instance, someone I can't imagine allied with questionable or monopolistic business practices: Bill Gates. PRO: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/globalhealth/reproductivechildhealth/announce... "The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), a new alliance of public and private sector partners, was launched today in an effort to leverage cost-effective food fortification initiatives that promise to improve health, cognitive development and productivity in developing nations." CON: http://www.ecologos.org/gates.htm "Some experts are troubled by the idea of Bill Gates and multinational food companies teaming up to reach into underdeveloped countries' food systems. Critics dislike helping corporations peddle processed foods that, despite added nutrients, still aren't especially healthy because of their fat, sugar or sodium content. Many see the GAIN program as just a heavy-handed way to ease corporate access to poor markets -- and one that won't do much to counter malnutrition, to boot." _____________________________________________________________ May peace be the founding unity of all ideologies. May compassion reign in times of fear and anger. All peoples ought to prosper despite the power and greed of few. This can only be accomplished if we all work together and if everyone counts. _____________________________________________________________ Promote your group and strengthen ties to your members with email@yourgroup.org by Everyone.net http://www.everyone.net/?btn=tag