Contextual & Theoretical Studies

Lecture 6: Globalisation, Sustainability & the Media

The three main focus points to understand of this lecture:

1. Globalisation

2. Geopolitics

3. Dream Philosophy

This Lecture seemed to have a deep political underbelly which I found hard to grasp. Globalisation can be seen in two ways, the Socialist point of view where societies work together in both an industrial and cultural way and Capitalist where restrictions on business are removed. But a large part of globalisation is influenced by western culture regardless. Culture globalisation of western ideas is especially controversial when it come to race, is it true that west is more dominant over east? We in the west seek to be more 'cultured' whereas the people in the east could seek to become more like the west due to their technological advancements. Western culture globalisation could be seen in race where skin lightening creams are used in asian culture to be more like white people, this would surely support ideas on the 'White Beauty Myth', which I recently looked at in a Channel 4 documentary. Culture globalisation especially in the way of technology is becoming an extension of our senses in the way how we human interact with the world around us today, everything is influenced by technology and in doing so has made us more aware of the world itself and our responsibilities. Through this economic rationalisation and cultural dominance of westernisation, our comodities are built without concern inspite of their 'good intent' and so we hear about these everyday, such as the cutting down of trees to make tissue paper or Ikea pencils. Hence the Global Village Thesis, information at your fingertips, the internet and information readily available at your fingertips, mass production and the world in a form of economic unity.

Eventually the lecture bagan to look at the theory of green washing a form of media ideology used to disguise the reality and appear more 'Green'. Mcdonald's is a fantastic example, their recent visual style turning subtley using greens now within their interior and exterior decor, to somehow appear more friendly to the environment, ultimately luring customers as an environmentally friendly option to their competitors.

The idea nowadays of using green on packaging especially in Graphic Design become less about what is real, most packaging is still harmful to the environment and ends up in landfill. to quote the richard in the lecture, "Most things are not designed for the needs of people but for the manufacturer of the needs of people." Simply using the term recycable somehow translates to people that something is good? Earth tones, sans serif type, unbleached paper, and emotional messaging are essential components of the deceptive marketing techniques employed by corporations that rebrand their products. "Be selfish while appearing progressive," the unknowing consumer. These ideals are western based and so through countries seeking to modernise through cultural imperialisation take on these western principles of being falsely 'Green'.